Do Push Ups Help You Lose Weight?

Push Ups for Weight Loss: Do Push Ups Help You Lose Weight?

In my 12 years as a personal trainer, I have often been asked about the impact of different exercises on health and weight loss.

Today I am answering the question do push ups help you lose weight?

Push ups do burn calories and help with building strength. However, relying solely on push-ups is not a magic solution as weight loss requires a calorie deficit (calories in vs calories out).

The beauty of push ups is that they target the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core muscles without needing any equipment.

There are various ways to do them correctly, and many of us incorporate push-ups into our regular workouts, appreciating their benefits.

Without further ado lets take a look at how push ups can help with weight loss.

The Science of Weight Loss

Basic weight loss revolves around math: calories consumed versus calories burned.

Experts often recommend maintaining a caloric deficit, meaning burning more calories throughout the day than you intake through food and drink.

For effective weight loss and belly fat reduction, they suggest 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity at least five days a week, emphasising cardiovascular exercises such as running, swimming, biking, dance, or martial arts like kickboxing.

Push Ups in the Weight Loss Equation

While push-ups are valuable for building muscle strength, their role in weight loss is limited due to the calorie burn rate.

For instance, 30 minutes of activities like running, swimming, or biking burns approximately 250 calories, while a push-up burns around 7 calories per minute.

To meet the recommended calorie burn through push-ups alone, one would need to perform them for around 35 minutes straight, five days a week – totalling 245 push-ups per day.

This may not be feasible as the primary strategy for weight loss.

However, it’s important to note that strength training, including exercises like push-ups, is of paramount importance for a fitness journey.

Strength training aids in weight loss because muscle burns more calories than fat at rest.

Building more muscle can contribute to burning fat and achieving weight loss more effectively.

Push Ups: Excellent for Building Strength

Push-ups are compound movements, targeting multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Here’s an overview of the muscles worked and their roles during a push-up:

Chest Muscles: Control the descent of the torso during a push-up and power the upward “push” back to the plank position.
Triceps: Stabilize your torso at the bottom of a push-up and serve as the primary movers when extending your arms.
Deltoids (Shoulder Muscles): Assist in bringing your arms inward towards the chest during ascent and stabilize your shoulders during descent.
Core: Holding a plank position stabilizes and strengthens your entire core, including the lower back.

Moreover, incorporating a weighted vest during push-ups can activate chest muscles similarly to a bench press.

Research indicates that including regular push-ups in your workout routine can enhance body composition, promoting more muscle and less fat.

To learn more about how many push ups you should do to get results check out my article here.

Push up Variations to Increase Difficulty

While push-ups alone may not be the ideal weight loss solution, if you’re aiming for increased strength gains, you’re on the right track.

If you’re seeking a greater challenge, numerous variations can elevate the difficulty and target your upper body even more.

Decline Push Ups

Position your hands on the ground shoulder-distance apart, resembling a high plank position, but place your feet on a box or weight bench.

This increases the distance you have to cover to reach your chest to the ground, providing more tension and intensifying the work on your pecs.

Weighted Push Ups

Similar to the standard push-up, but with added weight. Utilise a weighted vest or position a barbell plate or dumbbell on your back.

Ensure proper form to prevent the weight from rolling off your back.

Pike Push Ups

A fusion of push-ups and yoga, great for targeting your triceps. Instead of reaching a standard plank, lift your hips back into a U-shape (similar to a down dog or pike), with your toes resting on the floor.

This introduces more tension to your shoulders and arms.

Spiderman Push Ups

Imagine combining a push-up with a variation of the mountain climber.

Start in plank position, lower into a push-up, and simultaneously bring your right leg up to your right elbow, bent at a 90-degree angle. For an added challenge, hold for 1-2 seconds before lifting back up.

Switch sides, bringing your left leg up to your left elbow.

T-Push Ups

Show some extra love to your obliques by incorporating a side plank.

Begin in a high plank, lower into a push-up, and after returning up, slowly rotate your body to the right side, with your left arm supporting your body and your right arm straight up in the air.

Need more challenge?

Lift your right leg too.

Hold for 3 seconds, return to high plank, do another standard push-up, roll over to your left side, and aim for five on each side.

Narrow Stance Push Ups

Also called a close-grip push-up, this type involves putting your hands closer together than your shoulders.

It works your triceps and the muscles in the middle of your chest better, giving your muscles a different challenge to help them grow.

These are just a few ways you can make your push-ups more interesting.

Try putting your hands in different spots, raising or lowering your body, or doing quick, powerful movements to surprise your muscles and help them get stronger over time.

Tips for Maximising Your Push Ups

If you’re committed to keeping push-ups in your strength training routine (and why wouldn’t you?), it’s crucial to maintain good form. Poor form not only reduces the effectiveness of your push-ups but could also lead to unpleasant injuries if not executed carefully. Remember:

Keep Your Back in a Straight Line: Avoid letting your back sag or pushing your hips high into the air, creating a U-shape. Both actions make push-ups easier but less effective.
Don’t Flare Your Arms: If your arms and torso form a T-shape, you’re doing it wrong. This posture strains your shoulders. Ensure your elbows are tucked toward your torso.
Control Your Descent: Maintain control during the descent; avoid losing control and dropping straight to the floor. This ensures you reap the full benefits of your push-ups.
Don’t Let Your Feet Slide: Choose your surface wisely to prevent sliding. If your feet are slipping, frustration sets in quickly, hindering the effectiveness of the exercise.

Do Push Ups Help You Lose Weight?: Summary

In the grand scheme of things, can push-ups contribute to weight loss?

They undeniably burn calories and aid in building strength, both crucial elements for weight and body fat loss.

However, relying solely on push-ups is not a magic solution.

For effective results, complement your push-ups with a healthy diet, incorporate cardio into your workout routine, and include push-ups as part of your fitness plan alongside regular strength exercises.

This holistic approach is likely to yield positive outcomes, as push-ups excel in enhancing upper body strength, muscle building, and overall fitness goals.

The quantity of push-ups to perform daily varies based on factors like age, gender, fitness level, and personal goals.

It’s important to acknowledge your own limitations and gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts over time.

Prioritise proper form and technique to prevent injuries and maximise the benefits of push-ups.

Consistency, patience, and progressive overload are key elements for witnessing results.

By maintaining a balance between training, rest, and nutrition, you can enhance strength, increase muscle mass, and achieve your desired fitness objectives.

Thanks for checking out do push ups help you lose weight?

That’s all for today.

Keep pushing.

Speak soon.

Danny Barrett is a personal trainer and body transformation specialist, but most of his clients come for his terrible jokes. Here’s how he’s spent twelve years helping people to burn fat without crazy workouts or restrictive diets.