Elbows on push-ups

[ninjaman]

Hello Rangers. When I don push-ups in the way that feels most natural to me, without thinking about my elbows, they generally go mostly back, but poke out to the side a little. I realized that when I hug my elbows to my side it makes them much harder than when I just let them poke out naturally. My question is: am I doing them correctly or do I need to start hugging my elbows to my side? I don't want to have to relearn the push-up later, so knowing how you guys do it in the Rangers will be much appreciated, thank you.

[Flesh Thorn]

It is okay to have your elbows out from your sides a little. Make sure that they are not out too far or your upper body muscles will not be sharing the load. Also, try pulling yourself to the floor instead of just letting your body drop. Don't cheat yourself !!!

[The Holmchicken]

I would say keeping your hands at least shoulder width apart or more (depending on what is more natural for you) and letting your shoulders move naturally through the full range of motion should be enough. If they bow out, who cares. WHat really matters is that they're breaking the plain (elbows, arms and back, when done correctly and looked at from the front should form a roughly straight line) and that you have uniform movement throughout you're body. You're body should rise and descend as one. In other words, no sagging in your lower back or knees bent.

[ninjaman]

Thank you for your responses Rangers Flesh Thorn and Holm Chicken. One person told me that if I want to be a Ranger I should start doing my push-ups with elbows straight back and eyes forward...but they were not a Ranger (Infantry I believe).

[ninjaman]

You might be recognizing a weakness.

The tighter that the elbows are in to the body the more you are focusing on triceps, while hands wider out is focusing more on the chest……….. Work on both?

Elevate your feet to add resistance and hit the muscles from additional angles…

This sounds good. So maybedo 3 sets till faliure? (one narrow, one regular and one wide).

[jwt6248]

PM inbound, ninjaman.