Quick Fix: Push ups
Hello friends. Let's talk about push ups - one of the most simple, yet often butchered, exercise techniques across all the land. I cringe every time I see those push up challenge videos on social media, because 98% of the time they're done flat out wrong and shoulder surgery is in the near future. Bye bye rotator cuff.
Most flare their arms, (show on the left) resembling a 'T' if you were to draw a line from head to elbow. Other common mistakes: sagging hips, head bob, and a short range of motion.
The right picture is correct, where the arm position looks more like an 'A'. Start from the floor, set up your hands behind your shoulders, and keep a 45 degree angle bend by imagining you're trying to lightly hold a sheet of paper in the armpit.
Other keys for an ideal, safe and effective push up are: a neutral head position (no clucking chickens), and hips and core engaged by drawing your belly button in toward your spine and squeezing a penny between your butt cheeks.