Push ups are one of the most popular exercises around, and for good reason. They work multiple muscles in your body including your chest, triceps, and shoulders. But do push ups build shoulders?
The Anatomy of the Shoulders
The shoulders are made up of three main muscles: the anterior deltoid, medial deltoid, and posterior deltoid. The anterior deltoid is responsible for lifting your arms to the front, the medial deltoid lifts your arms to the side, and the posterior deltoid lifts your arms to the back.
How Push Ups Work the Shoulders
Push ups primarily work the chest and triceps, but they also engage the shoulders. When you perform a push up, you're using your shoulders to stabilize your body and support your weight. This means that your shoulders are working isometrically, which means they're contracting but not moving.
The Benefits of Push Ups for Shoulders
While push ups aren't a direct shoulder exercise, they can help to strengthen and tone your shoulders. By engaging the shoulders during the exercise, push ups can help to improve your shoulder stability and prevent injuries. Additionally, push ups can help to improve your overall upper body strength, which can make it easier to perform other shoulder exercises.
Should You Do Push Ups for Shoulders?
If you're looking to specifically build your shoulder muscles, push ups may not be the best exercise for you. However, if you're looking for an overall upper body workout that will engage your shoulders, push ups are a great option. Additionally, if you're just starting out with strength training, push ups are a good exercise to include in your routine as they're easy to perform and require no equipment.
Variations of Push Ups for Shoulders
If you're looking to target your shoulders more during push ups, there are a few variations you can try. The first is the pike push up, which is a push up where you're in a pike position with your hips in the air and your hands close together. This variation places more emphasis on the shoulders than a traditional push up.
Another variation is the diamond push up, which is a push up where your hands are close together in a diamond shape. This variation also places more emphasis on the shoulders than a traditional push up.
Conclusion
While push ups may not be the best exercise for specifically building your shoulder muscles, they can help to strengthen and tone your shoulders. Additionally, push ups are a great overall upper body exercise that can help to improve your shoulder stability and prevent injuries. If you're looking to target your shoulders more during push ups, try variations like the pike push up or diamond push up.