Why Pushups Hurt Your Shoulders

As a fitness enthusiast and personal trainer, I've encountered many clients who struggle with shoulder pain during push-ups. Today, I want to share some insights on why push-ups might hurt your shoulders and how to fix this common issue.

First, let's address the elephant in the room: "Do push-ups hurt your shoulders?" Well, if they do, there are typically two main reasons. As the expert in the transcript states, "One, you're probably doing them wrong... and two, you're probably doing the wrong variation for you." Let's dive deeper into these points.

The number one mistake people make when doing push-ups is flaring their elbows out and internally rotating their shoulders. This position puts unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint. As explained in the transcript, "When we flare our elbows out like this as we bring our chest down to the ground, it requires a ton of flexibility in the PEC muscles to be able to come down without internally rotating your shoulders."

To correct this, we need to focus on proper form. The key is to keep your elbows closer to your body. The expert advises, "Taking the elbow from being a 90° angle to the Torso and bringing it down to a 45° angle or even less closer to the body." This position allows for a fuller range of motion without compromising shoulder health.

Another crucial tip is to imagine "spiraling your hands outwardly" as you lower yourself. This action helps to "pull the shoulders back and down into a good position, protecting your shoulders and also encouraging you to bring your elbows down towards your ribs."

Now, let's talk about finding the right push-up variation for your fitness level. It's essential to choose a variation that allows you to maintain perfect form for at least 10 repetitions. The transcript outlines four levels of push-up variations, starting from the easiest and progressing to the standard push-up.

Level 1 is the seated thigh push-up. This variation is perfect for beginners as it allows you to practice the pushing motion with good form while activating the necessary muscles. As described, "You're going to place your hands on top of your knees... Now just like we talked about, you're not going to let your elbows flare up or out like this. Instead, we're going to keep the elbows down to our sides and we're going to imagine spiraling the hands out like this."

As you progress, you can move on to Level 2, the high chair push-up. This variation introduces a plank position while still providing some support. Remember to "assume a good plank position" and "squeeze our glute and core" throughout the movement.

Level 3 introduces the low chair push-up, which brings you closer to the ground and increases the challenge. The same principles apply: maintain a stable plank position, spiral your arms out, and keep your elbows close to your ribs.

Finally, Level 4 is the half kneeling push-up, which serves as a bridge between modified push-ups and the standard form. This variation allows you to lower yourself in a full push-up position but rise back up from your knees, helping you build strength and maintain proper form.

In conclusion

By following these guidelines and choosing the appropriate variation for your fitness level, you can effectively perform push-ups without shoulder pain. Remember, the goal is to practice good form consistently before progressing to more challenging variations. As you build strength and improve your technique, you'll be well on your way to mastering the perfect push-up.