If you're looking for a challenging exercise that targets your chest and triceps, look no further than the flaring elbows push up. This advanced variation of the traditional push up requires more strength and stability, but it can lead to impressive gains in upper body strength and muscle definition.
What Are Flaring Elbows Push Ups?
The flaring elbows push up is a type of push up that involves positioning your elbows out to the sides, rather than keeping them tucked in close to your body. This changes the angle of the exercise and shifts the emphasis to your chest muscles, making the exercise more challenging.
To perform a flaring elbows push up, start in a standard push up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your toes on the ground. As you lower your body towards the ground, flare your elbows out to the sides so that they form a 45-degree angle with your body. Push back up to the starting position, keeping your elbows out to the sides throughout the movement.
Benefits of Flaring Elbows Push Ups
Flaring elbows push ups offer a number of benefits for those looking to build upper body strength and definition. Here are just a few:
- Increased chest activation: By flaring your elbows out to the sides, you engage your chest muscles more than you would with a traditional push up. This can lead to greater muscle development and definition in the chest.
- Greater triceps activation: Flaring your elbows also places more emphasis on your triceps muscles, making this exercise a great way to target the back of your arms.
- Improved stability: Because flaring elbows push ups require greater stability than traditional push ups, they can help improve your overall upper body strength and stability.
Tips for Performing Flaring Elbows Push Ups
While flaring elbows push ups are a great exercise for building upper body strength and definition, they can be challenging to perform correctly. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of this exercise:
- Start with traditional push ups: If you're new to push ups or haven't done them in a while, start with traditional push ups before attempting flaring elbows push ups.
- Engage your core: To maintain proper form and stability during this exercise, engage your core muscles throughout the movement.
- Keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle: As you lower your body towards the ground, keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your body. This will help you engage your chest muscles more effectively.
- Don't let your hips sag: To maintain proper form, keep your hips in line with your shoulders and feet throughout the movement. Don't let your hips sag towards the ground.
Variations of Flaring Elbows Push Ups
If you're looking to switch up your push up routine, here are a few variations of flaring elbows push ups to try:
- Close-grip flaring elbows push ups: Instead of positioning your hands shoulder-width apart, bring them closer together so that your thumbs and index fingers form a triangle shape. Perform flaring elbows push ups in this position to target your chest and triceps even more.
- Decline flaring elbows push ups: To make this exercise even more challenging, place your feet on an elevated surface such as a bench or step. This will increase the amount of weight you're pushing and engage your upper chest muscles even more.
- Spiderman flaring elbows push ups: As you lower your body towards the ground, bring one knee up towards your elbow. Alternate knees with each repetition to engage your obliques and increase the difficulty of the exercise.
Conclusion
Flaring elbows push ups are a challenging but effective exercise for building upper body strength and definition. By incorporating this exercise into your regular workout routine, you can target your chest and triceps muscles while also improving your overall stability and core strength.