Most of us started doing them when we were in school – perhaps in a gym class with a phys ed teacher closely monitoring our form and reps. Still, the common push up never goes out of style.

A basic strength-building exercise that strengthens your upper body while improving core strength, the push up is still a part of countless exercise regimens, including the ones favored by military personnel.

So, why do push ups? Here are six reasons you should.

They Strengthen Your Chest

Push ups work your pectoralis major muscles, which are the two large muscles in your chest. As you raise and lower your body during the push up, the pectoralis major is doing a large share of the work.

They Strengthen Your Shoulders

The key muscles used here are the deltoids, which assist the pectoralis major during the push up motion. They're considered a weaker muscle group, but are crucial to all movements of the shoulder. A well-defined deltoid gives your shoulders that rounded look.

They Strengthen Your Triceps

Located in the back of your arm, the triceps brachii helps you extend your arm outward. It makes up the majority of the upper arm mass and is the most exerted muscle during a push-up.

They Exercise Your Abs

That's right, your stomach also gets a workout during push ups. As the body is held in the prone position, your abdominal muscles help the body brace itself. Just make sure you're using correct form throughout the push up to help you exercise your abs without straining your lower back.

They Exercise Your Serratus Anterior

The serratus anterior is a muscle at the back of the chest that lies under the armpit. These muscles are activated during push ups and strengthened with repetitions.

They Strengthen The Coracobrachialis

This muscles runs from the shoulder blade to the upper arms. During a push up, it pushes the upper arm against the body, which is essential in performing the exercise. A well-conditioned coracobrachialis is key to building upper body strength.

What Are Some Other Benefits Of Push Ups?

They enhance your cardiovascular system. When you engage large muscle groups at the same time, you make your heart work harder in delivering blood to muscle tissue.

They prevent lower back injuries. Push ups force your entire torso to stabilize the body. In return, you strengthen the vulnerable lower back area.

They provides stretching. Another benefit of doing push ups is that they provide a stretch to your biceps and back muscles. This improves your flexibility and can help prevent injuries.

If you have questions about push ups or other exercises and routines, contact professional trainer Ralph Roberts in Amarillo.