According to the ‘Strength and Conditioning Journal’, Push-up workouts are practiced by fitness professionals to develop the upper part of the body, and increase muscular endurance, so they be a challenging for those people who are not habituated with those exercises.

Push-ups can be stressful for your upper body if you are a novice fitness enthusiast. Therefore, don’t worry if you are not comfortable with push-ups. There are smart alternatives to push-up workouts. You can tone your shoulders, arms, core, chest, and legs with the help of those dynamic push-up alternatives.

Effective Alternatives to Push-Up

Some workouts hit the major muscle groups of your body, and those exercises are the best alternatives to push-ups. You just need to practice them correctly in the best multigym near you because wrong steps may lead internal or external injury. If you practice the alternatives in a correct method, then those workouts will strengthen the muscles and bones of your upper body and lower body. Have a look at a few of those workouts:

1. Dumbbell Bench Press

There are many bench press workouts, among them, Dumbbell Bench Press is the most effective exercise which is the alternative of push-ups. This exercise increases muscle hypertrophy, increases strength, develops the stabilization muscles, and helps you grow the muscles of your chest, biceps, and triceps.

Steps:

• Lie straight on a bench.
• Hold two dumbbells with your palms facing towards your waist, outside to your shoulders.
• Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the downward position.
• Repeat these steps 10-15 times for better results.

2. Overhead Press

This exercise is also one of the best alternatives to push-ups. It works on the muscles of your pectorals (chest), triceps (arms), deltoids (shoulders) and trapezius (upper back). Moreover, this exercise also tones up your abdomen and helps in growing six-packs.

Steps:

• Grip dumbbells in both hands.
• Take it to the level to your shoulders.
• Keep your core engaged and knees soft.
• Press the weight up to overhead and focus fully on your arms.
• You can lift the weight and keep it down ten times.

3. Bear Crawls

Bear Crawls strengthen your shoulders, core, and quadriceps, which is done by push-ups. This exercise also increases the endurance of your bones and muscles of the arms. It also improves your blood circulation and heartbeat.

Steps:

• Focus on your hands under your shoulders.
• Keep your knees under your hips and abdominal muscles.
• Lift up your knees about 1-2 inches off the ground.
• Maintain this lift throughout the entire exercise.
• Now, move your right hand and foot a few inches forward.
• Alternate the same steps on the other side.

4. Forearm Plank

This exercise tone-up and strengthen your abs, core, and legs. It is good for stretching the arches of your feet. It also strengthens your shoulders, calves, and hamstrings.

Steps:

• At an extend your legs in a straight line.
• Brace the muscles of your abdomen.
• Pull your belly button.
• Hold your breathing for 20-60 seconds, and then release.

5. TRX Chest Fly

This exercise is not only an alternative of a push-up but also a balanced workout that helps you maintain the coordination of your body, engage your muscles, and hardens your core. This exercise is like Calisthenics that targets your chest, forearms, calves, abs, glutes, and triceps.

Steps:

• Stand straight by keeping your shoulder-width apart.
• Grab the handles of the TRX cable and overhand the grip.
• Extend your arms in front of the shoulder height.
• Completely lean forward until your body is at about a 40-degree angle.
• Bend your elbows and your lower body down until your upper body and your chest reaches the handles.
• After completing the steps, push yourself back and do one repetition.

6. Standing Punches

This is one of the best arm exercises that help you strengthen and develop the muscles of your arm. This is like dumbbell workout which shapes up your muscles, improves your cardiovascular endurance and burns the calorie of your body. If you are preparing yourself for a boxing game, then this workout is better than push-up.

Steps:

• Stand straight with your feet widely beyond your shoulder-width.
• Hold dumbbells in both hands by facing your palms in front of your ribs.
• Now, start rotating your torso to your left by pivoting your right foot.
• Start punching a bag straightly by taking dumbbell on your right hand.
• You can punch it from ten to twenty counts or more than that.

7. Floor Press

Floor Press increases the strength of your upper body and saves your shoulder. It is an alternative of push-up and bench press workout. It also reduces the pain of your shoulder and neck.

Steps:

• On the floor place a mat or a carpet.
• Now, set your back into the mat straightly.
• Hold a dumbbell in one hand
• Bend your elbow to a 90-degree angle.
• Switch arms and now repeat.

8. Rotating Plank

Along with the triceps and back portion, Rotating Plank also works on your back, legs, and core. You can do this exercise from the upward plank position so that the pressure falls on your wrists. This workout activates your abdominal muscles and helps you tighten and shrink your waistline. Moreover, this exercise boosts your endurance level, improve balance of your body and increases the strength of your core.

Steps:

• Engage your core muscles tightly as you balance on your right side.
• Raise your left arm into the air by pointing your fingers towards the ceiling.
• Try to engage the lower portion of your right arm back to the starting position.
• Repeat these steps for 10-12 times.

9. Pec Fly

This is an excellent alternative to push-up workout. It works on your chest, triceps, and shoulders. If you finding a correct way for your posture correction, then Pec Fly is a great activity, which you can practice in home, ground, and gym.

Steps:

• Hold the ends of a resistance band around your hands.
• Hold your arms after wrapping a tubing behind your hand.
• Bent your elbows slightly down by facing your palms forward.
• Try to keep your feet about 2 feet away from a wall.
• Lean your back against the wall.
• Bend your elbows softly.
• Bring your hands in touch to the front portion of your chest.
• Now, slowly open your arms back to the starting position.
• You can repeat the steps for 10-15 times.

10. Reclined Chest Press

For Reclined Chest Press, you will need a barbell or a dumbbell. If you are planning to build the muscles of your body, then practicing Reclined Chest Press will definitely help you. the pectoral muscles of your upper portion will be developed if you practice this workout. This exercise also helps in reducing the pain of your shoulders and shaping up your shoulders.

Steps:

• Grab dumbbells in each hand with an overhand grip.
• Lie flat on a bench by carrying weights at your shoulders.
• Keep your elbows parallel to the floor.
• Lie beneath a barbell.
• Take the help of a spotter who will help you carry the weight.
• Now extend your elbows to press the weight upwards the ceiling.
• Bend your elbows and return back to the starting position.
• You may repeat the steps one more.

11. Lat Pullover & Crunch

Lat Pullover and Crunch help in improving the endurance of your body. This exercise also strengthens your muscles, improves your posture and develops the muscles of your chest.

Steps:

• Lie on the ground by grabbing one dumbbell.
• Hold the dumbbells from both the end and lift it straight over your chest.
• Now, straighten your legs and lift your legs towards the ceiling.
• Extend both the arms back overhead from the ground.
• Now, bring your arms back from the commencing position by holding weight over your chest.
• Repeat the steps again from the starting position.

12. Triceps-Dip

Not only your triceps, but this exercise strengthens your upper body and increases mobility of your body. This exercise is also highly effective for your shoulder.

Steps:

• Bent on your knees and sit on the floor.
• Keep your hands behind you with your fingers.
• Lift your hips from the floor.
• Now, slowly start bending your elbow together.
• Repeat after extending your arms.
• You can repeat the steps 10-12 times.

13. Weight-Free Rows

This exercise works on various muscle groups, especially on your back. Your upper-back and mid-back muscles will be conditioned if you practice this workout. Moreover, you will get a well-shaped waistline if you regularly practice Weight-Free Rows.

Steps:

• Stick your elbows on your waist.
• Hold your forearm away from your body.
• Start rotating your forearms like you are rowing a boat.
• You can do repeat the steps of this exercise as much as you can do.

14. Thumb Arm Figure 8

This exercise turns your figure in the shape of the numeric eight. Thumb Arm Figure 8 strengthens the muscles of your arms and shoulders. Moreover, this exercise helps you in shaping up your waist.

Steps:

• Stand straight with your thumbs up and arms out.
• Now tip you both the thumbs back and move them down.
• Turn the thumbs forward at the bottom of the circle and continue the steps 10-20 times.

Gone are those days when we used to practice classic and old workouts like push-ups and pull-ups. Nowadays, workouts have brought dynamism to your lifestyle. The aforesaid alternatives to push-ups can give you fast results than push-ups.