Push-ups are one of the most popular and effective exercises for building upper body strength and endurance.
They work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles, and can be done anywhere with no equipment.
However, not everyone can perform a standard push-up with good form and technique.
That’s why some people opt for Knee push-ups, which are a modified version of the regular push-up that reduces the difficulty and intensity of the exercise.
But are knee push-ups really effective? And how do they compare to regular push-ups?
In this article, we will answer these questions and provide some tips on how to do knee push-ups correctly and safely.
What are Knee Push-ups?
Knee push-ups are a variation of the regular push-up that involves kneeling on the floor and placing your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
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You then lower your chest to the floor by bending your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line from your head to your knees.
You then push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
The main difference between knee push-ups and regular push-ups is that you support your weight with your knees instead of your toes.
This reduces the amount of resistance and makes the exercise easier.
Benefits of Knee Push-ups
Knee push-ups have several benefits, especially for beginners who are not yet ready to do regular push-ups.
Some of the benefits are:
- They strengthen your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles, which are important for everyday activities and sports performance.
- They improve your posture and stability by engaging your core and back muscles.
- They help you progress to regular push-ups by building your strength and confidence.
- They are easy to perform and require no equipment or special skills.
Drawbacks of Knee Push-ups
Knee push-ups are not without drawbacks, however.
Some of the drawbacks are:
- They are less challenging and effective than regular push-ups, as they work your muscles less and burn fewer calories.
- They can cause pain or discomfort in your knees, especially if you have a pre-existing injury or condition. You can avoid this by placing a cushion or a towel under your knees, or by choosing a softer surface to do the exercise on.
- They can lead to bad habits and poor form, such as arching your back, flaring your elbows, or dropping your head. You can avoid this by keeping your body in a straight line, your elbows at a 45-degree angle, and your neck neutral throughout the movement.
- They can limit your range of motion and prevent you from fully activating your chest muscles. You can avoid this by lowering your chest as close to the floor as possible, without touching it, and by squeezing your chest muscles at the top of the movement.
How to do Knee Push-ups Correctly?
To do knee push-ups correctly, follow these steps:
- Kneel on the floor and place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, with your fingers pointing forward.
- Extend your legs behind you and cross your ankles. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your knees.
- Engage your core and glutes, and keep your shoulders down and back.
- Inhale as you lower your chest to the floor by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides. Your elbows should form a 45-degree angle with your body, and your chest should be about an inch above the floor.
- Exhale as you push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms. Squeeze your chest muscles at the top of the movement.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
How to Progress to Regular Push-ups?
If you want to progress to regular push-ups, you need to gradually increase the difficulty and intensity of your knee push-ups.
You can do this by:
- Increasing the number of repetitions and sets you do.
- Decreasing the rest time between sets.
- Elevating your feet on a low platform, such as a step or a bench, to increase the resistance.
- Narrowing your hand placement to target your triceps more.
- Adding a pause at the bottom of the movement to increase the time under tension.
- Performing explosive push-ups, where you push yourself up with enough force to lift your hands off the floor.
- Performing negative push-ups, where you lower yourself slowly and with control, and then push yourself back up with your knees.
- Performing incline push-ups, where you place your hands on a higher surface, such as a wall or a table, and lower your chest to the edge of the surface.
- Performing full push-ups, where you support your weight with your toes instead of your knees, and lower your chest all the way to the floor.
Conclusion
Knee push-ups are a great exercise for beginners who want to build their upper body strength and endurance, and prepare themselves for regular push-ups.
They are easy to perform, require no equipment, and work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles.
However, they are not as challenging and effective as regular push-ups, and they can cause some issues with your knees, form, and range of motion.
Therefore, you should always do them with proper technique, and progress to more difficult variations as you get stronger and more confident.
Knee push-ups are not a substitute for regular push-ups, but a stepping stone to them.
