Here is a summary of the key points from the YouTube video transcript, formatted as a blog post:
# title: "Get the Most Out of Your Push-Ups for Muscle Growth"
Key takeaways:
- Push-ups are an underrated but highly effective exercise for building upper body muscle when done properly.
- Focus on quality reps with full range of motion instead of just chasing high rep counts.
- Control the negative (eccentric) portion and avoid compensations like sagging hips.
# Mindset Shift
Instead of chasing repetitions and focusing on trying to do more reps, think about how you can get the most out of what each repetition has to offer.
Your intention and mindset around push-ups will greatly influence your approach. Rather than treating them as an easy exercise to bang out reps, view each rep as an opportunity to maximize muscle stimulus.
# Control the Negative
Many people just "dive bomb" the eccentric (lowering) portion in pursuit of more reps. However, this skips half the rep and misses out on a key growth stimulus.
When you do this you're skipping out on half of the repetition and that negative portion of the lift is actually really important for stimulating growth.
Control the negative by lowering slowly under control. Don't cheat the eccentric.
# Avoid Compensations
Common compensations like sagging hips reduce the load on the working muscles. Identify and correct these to transfer maximal load to the upper body.
Push-ups are easy to cheat and you want your body to be locked out hard all these compensations that you see they reduce the load on the working muscles.
Maintain a rigid plank position from head to heels. Brace your core and don't let your hips sag.
# Full Range of Motion
Moving through a fuller range of motion allows for greater potential muscle growth stimulus.
All things being equal more range of motion equals more potential growth so make sure your chest touches the ground and your elbows lock out on every single repetition.
Go all the way down until your chest lightly touches the floor, and fully extend at the top. Consider pausing at the bottom to ensure you hit full depth.
By applying these principles of intention, controlled eccentrics, rigid form, and full range of motion, you can maximize the muscle-building effectiveness of the push-up. Don't underestimate this compound pushing movement!
Summary for: Youtube