Been looking to improve your core strength? Add some press-ups into your strength training routine.
Ideally, all runners should add push-ups to their training routines. It’s a chest, shoulder, and core exercise that can help you to run stronger. It is an upper-body strength exercise that requires core stability, which is essential for runners. Having a strong core also allows you to keep a good posture and running form during your run longer.
Many of us tend to neglect to strengthen our upper body and mainly focus on our lower body strengthening. In fact, upper body strength helps to take the pressure off your knees, hips, and ankles when fatigue kicks in. Even if you prefer to head to a gym, commit to training your upper body at least twice a week. If you are a busy person, well say no more. Press ups are a great upper body exercise you can try anywhere and anytime, even in your own living room or before you hit the showers to help improve your running performance.
Here’s why you should start doing press-ups or consider adding them to your running routine.
1. Strengthen your muscles
Press-ups are a great upper-body exercise, focusing on the pushing of muscles. It helps to strengthen the triceps in your arms, shoulders (deltoids), chest (pecs), and the traps in your back. Additionally, if you keep your core tight and glutes and quads engaged during press-ups it will help strengthen your overall core. A strong core is critical for runners and athletes of all sports.
Image via : Runner’s World
2. Increase your heart rate
Yes, press-ups are more of a strength training exercise than they are aerobic exercise. But, if you perform in multiple sets and reps within a time frame, it can definitely help to increase your heart rate and respiration rate, tuning the exercise into a cardio workout as well.
3. Decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease
It is known that aerobic exercises can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality, but there’s also much evidence to suggest that press-ups can help to improve heart health.
Many researchers calculated that people who are able to do more than 40 push-ups had a 96% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease events compared with those who are able to do less than 10 push-ups.
Not sure where to start or how to start? We got you.
Image via : Livestrong
To perform a press-up, simply lie with your weight supported on your toes and hands. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width and directly under the shoulders.
Next, keeping your body as straight as possible, without sagging the hips, bend your arms to lower your body close to the floor.
Lastly, push back up until your arms are extended. Repeat for 10-12 reps for 2 or 3 sets, you can choose to increase gradually to challenge yourself.
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