Arm placement for pushups....

[Drewskie]

I have lately been doing pushups to start out my day. I know the pushup is supposed to be a good core exercise as well as good for chest development. When I do the pushups, I always feel the strain/movement in my arms rather than chest. I have heard the way the arms move, i.e. out to the sides or parallel to the body, make a difference. What is the proper way to target chest muscles? Thanks.

 

[( . )( . )]

Wide pushups would better target your chest, Keep your hands around 4 feet apart.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=GlVfSM4QRDE

 

[Mr Autobahn]

If you are a skinny guy and want to gain muscle... then my advice is to learn how to eat right first. Because you can do all the latest techniques and all the chest workouts in the world and never see any results.

 

[Metacomet]

Do you have a fair amount of muscle on your chest already?
If you're trying to build muscle that isn't already there - you aren't going to 'feel' it that much.

It's a strange concept but I'm familiar with it.

Think back to when you're 5 years old. Did you have biceps? Did you have muscles to flex? Not really. Now that you're older and there is muscle on the arm, you can feel it... feel the mass of it, feel it get tense.

Hold both arms out in front of you, then clasp your hands together. Can you flex your chest muscles? If not - eat lots of protein, keep working the chest. Lift weights, don't just do pushups.

Pushups are awesome for the arms... don't worry about feeling the arms more than the chest. You will appreciate it once your triceps develop, trust me.

 

[Drewskie]

Do you have a fair amount of muscle on your chest already?
If you're trying to build muscle that isn't already there - you aren't going to 'feel' it that much.

It's a strange concept but I'm familiar with it.

Think back to when you're 5 years old. Did you have biceps? Did you have muscles to flex? Not really. Now that you're older and there is muscle on the arm, you can feel it... feel the mass of it, feel it get tense.

Hold both arms out in front of you, then clasp your hands together. Can you flex your chest muscles? If not - eat lots of protein, keep working the chest. Lift weights, don't just do pushups.

Pushups are awesome for the arms... don't worry about feeling the arms more than the chest. You will appreciate it once your triceps develop, trust me.

That's sort of what I was thinking. I have bigger chest muscles than arm muscles, so maybe the arms take more of the load. What are some good good exercises with dumbells I can do? Thank you.

 

[Metacomet]

Obviously dumbbell flies - you should know that though!

For chest it's always been variation of bench press and pushups for me. I think I myself should throw in dumbbell flies.

Anyway I also had alot more muscle on my chest then my arms it seemed...

now that I've been doing pushups and working my arms well it seems my arms have finally caught up. Pushups definitely build the triceps.