What muscles do standard push up work?!
Question:
What muscles do standard push up work?
Answers:
In order of amount of results obtained, if done correctly.
By correctly, as it applies to this answer, I am referring to only the hands and toes on the floor, with the back completely straight during each repitition, and the chest coming down to within 6 inches of the floor, followed by a complete elevation back to the starting point.
Results in order of strenghthening of each group:
Shoulders
Chest and neck
Upper back
Triceps
Biceps
Lower back and abs
Forearms
Upper legs (primarily the rear muscle set)
Lower legs and ankles
With larger sets of reps, and with proper pacing, each individual will also strengthen their heart, lungs and the deeper muscle groups involved with the abs. Most of the hidden muscles in these three sets of overlapping layers don't even get worked until late in the workout.
Please don't hold me to the exact order, but this is my gut feeling about it. The slower the reps, the better the results, rather that more reps at a faster pace.