FitPointz

Here you will find an article on one exercise (new one every month). With a detailed analysis of the muscles used during the exercise and a informative description of how to both perform and assist in the actual performance of the exercise.

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Exercise: Wide Arm Push Up and Close Arm Push Up

Description

•  Lie on the floor in a prone position with the fingers pointing forward and the hands as wide as possible

•  Contract the abdominals to support the lower back and raise the body off the ground slightly so that your arms,
with your elbows bent supporting on the load

•  From this starting position raise the body of the ground by straightening the elbows. Maintain a relatively straight back

•  Pause at the top of the movement and then lower the body back to the starting position just above the ground

Muscle Analysis Chart - Wide Arm Push Up (up phase)

Muscle Analysis Chart - Wide Arm Push Up (down phase)

Close Arm Push Up

Description

•  Lie on the ground in a prone position with the fingers pointing forward and the hands flat and directly under the shoulders

•  Contract the abdominals to support the lower back

•  Raise the body off the ground slightly so that the arms with the elbows bent take the load

•  From this starting position raise the body off the ground by straightening the elbows

•  Pause at the top of the movement and then lower the body back to the starting position just above the floor

Muscle Analysis Chart - Close Arm Push Up (up phase)

Muscle Analysis Chart - Close Arm Push Up (down phase)

Analysis Explained

The up phase of both exercises is the lifting phase. Outwardly it appears that there is very little difference between the wide and the closed grip push up. In the wide grip push up the action at the shoulder joint is horizontal adduction caused by the contraction of the pectoralis major, corcobrachialis, biceps and the deltoid. Shoulder joint horizontal adduction is accompanied by abduction of the shoulder girdle caused by the pectoralis minor and serratus anterior.

In the close grip push up the action of the shoulder joint is flexion with abduction and upward rotation of the shoulder girdle accompanying. Both these exercises recruit the same muscles at the shoulder joint. The difference is in the roles that these muscles play and the extent to which they are recruited. In the wide grip push up, both the clavicular and the sternal portions of the pectoralis major are recruited with both the deltoid and the coracobrachialis being used as target muscles.

In the close grip push up only the smaller portion of the clavicularpectoralis major is used and the coracobrachialis is classified as a helper muscle. Hence more force is generated by the increased muscle mass of the wide grip push up. This in turn reduces the impact on the triceps and anconeus at the elbow joint. The shoulder girdle muscles used in the wide grip push up include the pectoralis minor and serratus anterior. While in the close grip push up the muscles recruited in abduction and upward rotation includes the serratus anterior, pectoralis minor and trapezius. The wide grip push up does not involve the trapezius.

© 2008 Fitness Institute Australia

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or any reliance on it. Users should satisfy themselves as to their own or clients medical and physical condition before adopting/using
the information or recommendations made. No responsibility or liability is accepted for any loss or damage suffered
by any person as a result of adopting the above information or recommendations.

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