When it comes to working out, push-ups might be one of the first exercises that come to mind for all the right reasons. There is a myriad of benefits, from strengthening to building and toning your overall physique. Plus, being able to do push-ups automatically gives you bragging rights. Now, what if we told you there’s a way to elevate your push-up game, boosting the benefits and increasing the rate of your results? Well, there is, and it only requires one piece of equipment; parallel bars. 

The Benefits of Push-ups.

Before we get into push-ups on bars, let’s talk about the benefits of traditional push-ups:

  • They build upper body strength – push-ups target your biceps, triceps, pectoral muscles, and shoulders.
  • They strengthen your lower back – proper formation of push-ups can target your lower back muscles and obliques. 
  • They reduce lower back pain – regularly practicing push-ups can strengthen your muscles to the point of body restoration.
  • They build your core – push-ups also target your abdominal muscles, ultimately toning your core.

If the benefits of push-ups sound appealing to you, then you’re in for a treat with push-ups on parallel bars. Additionally, we highly recommend adding dips to your workout regime

Push-ups on Parallel Bars.

Maybe you want a workout challenge, a new addition to your workout, or you simply want to meet your fitness goals quicker; whatever it is, using bars to do your push-ups can amplify your results. 

What is it? If you’re familiar with push-ups, you know it requires that you get on all fours, places your arms moderately wider than your shoulder width, straighten both your arms and legs, and then lower your body without touching the floor, pause, raise, and repeat. With the use of parallel bars or push-up bars, you are performing the same action, except your hands are balancing on bars versus being flat on the floor. 

Is it better than traditional push-ups?

Apart from the added challenge to your workout, using push-up bars has many benefits. Here are some: 

  • It reduces strain on your wrist – regular pushups can be uncomfortable for your wrists. Using bars relieves the pain by better aligning your shoulders and arms and preventing injury to your knuckles.
  • It targets deeper than regular push-ups – because you become more elevated, your body is at a greater distance from the floor, creating a greater range of motion. This allows your body to engage more of your muscles.
  • It increases forearm strength and grip – with traditional push-ups, our hands aren’t holding onto anything. Therefore, we are unable to practice good grip. With bars, we are forced into gripping, which builds our forearm muscles. 
  • It prevents slippage – we all become sweaty during a good workout, so it is not uncommon to slip during a push-up because of a wet palm. Push-up bars allow us to hold onto something, so there is no need to be troubled by slippage. 

Pro Tip: Pairing your bar push-ups with other workouts can further impact your muscles. If you’re someone who is going after an overall sculpted look, you might want to try dips. You’re probably curious, what are dips and what do dips target? Well, the bodyweight exercise builds and tones both your chest and triceps, making it perfect to combine with your push-up workouts. 

Practicing Push-ups on Parallel Bars Safely.

Now that we’ve sold you on push-up bars, here’s how to implement them:

  • Use your knees to support your weight as you get a proper grip on your bars.
  • Level your chest with your hands and stretch your legs backward.
  • Balance your weight between your arms and the tips of your toes.
  • At this stage, your body should be straightly aligned without hollowing or an upward curvature. Proceed to lower your body to the floor.
  • Get as close to the floor as possible without touching it and push yourself back up.
  • Pause and then repeat. 

Using that simple six-step system, you’ll be on your way to your goal faster than you know. However, safety is the priority, so remember these tips when practicing your push-ups on bars

  • Keep your muscles tense throughout your routine for increased benefits.
  • Control your limits: the aim is to do them properly. Do push yourself too hard.
  • Start with what you’re comfortable with and increase your reps weekly.
  • Never completely straighten your elbows.

As you grow to become comfortable with your bars, feel free to experiment with different types of push-ups to target more specific muscles. For example:

Wide push-ups – the further away you place your grips from your shoulders, the more you focus on your chest muscles.

Tight push-ups – the closer inward your grips are, the more you work out your arm muscles.

Reverse grip – these push-ups require that you point your fingers away from your body by reversing your grip. This intensifies the focus on your triceps and chest.

Staggered push-ups – these uneven push-ups allow you to work on a single arm at a time, creating a more significant challenge. 

Getting your hands on Push-up Bars.

If you’re hesitant to invest in parallel bars, you can always stabilize your dumbbells and give them a shot. Perhaps you have a creative bone; task yourself with making your own PVC push-up bars. An important part of any workout is that you remain engaged and excited. This elevated form of push-ups isn’t only beneficial to your physique but can be very enjoyable. Push-up bars are multifaceted and can offer many variations of exercise. In the blink of an eye, you might be doing handstands using your bars. 

The bottom line.

Push-ups have stood the test of time. Invented for military training thousands of years ago, they remain one of the most useful and reliable forms of exercise. If you’re trying to build muscles, burn calories or relieve pain, get in the habit of practicing regular push-ups. If you’re yet to master the exercise, start with a couple per day and build your way up to using push-up bars. If you’re at the athlete stage, experiment with the different types of push-ups. A strengthened body with toned muscles? Who wouldn’t subscribe to that? Sign us up!

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