Push-ups are one of the favorite exercises of multiple athletes to work their pecks. This movement does not require an added weight, but only our own body intervenes, reducing the risk of suffering any type of injury or discomfort when performing the training itself. However, few know that push-ups have a series of accessories that allow the efforts to be focused on other muscles, such as the triceps. This is the case of the ones known as diamond push -ups, which also require a special improvement in the technique to perform the exercise correctly and not suffer any type of support during the movement. They are another type, as well, of shoulder push-ups.
What are diamond push-ups?
Diamond push-ups may seem like something really complex, but they are nothing more than a small variation of traditional push-ups that consist of placing the body parallel to the ground with two support points that are the tips of the feet and the arms. From here, and performing a strength exercise forming a 90 degree angle with the elbows and without arching the back, we lower our body until the chest touches the ground and return to our starting position. The main difference when performing what are known as diamond push-ups is in the position of the hands, much more closed and crossing both compared to the classic ones that are totally parallel.. Hence, the name diamond because this position of the hands forms what looks like a diamond when they are in contact with the ground and are one of the main points of support. These points are essential that they remain straight to squeeze out the work done. Therefore, previous abdominal work is very necessary to achieve success.
Another of the big differences compared to classic push-ups is the muscle groups that come into play. The position is much more closed and similar to that of a triceps dip as far as the hands are concerned. Therefore, it is not surprising that the triceps, which were already working in classic push-ups, are much stronger with this type of exercise. However, the shoulder also works and, although many believe that it does not, the pectoral muscle is the main muscle when it comes to doing push-ups. In this case, the point of impact is smaller, but performing diamond push-ups regularly will help us tone the area and show off good pectorals. If we combine it with other types of exercises that work the different areas of the chest such as a bench press varying the degree of inclination, or dumbbell press together with openings. However, prevention is better than cure. For this reason, we warn you that this type of push-up requires previous strength and resistance and, therefore, before getting down to work, it is better to perform some type of more basic exercise to strengthen the different areas of the body that are going to be affected.
Obviously, just like with traditional push-ups, there are beginner solutions that we can explore. The best known is to perform the exercise with your knees resting on the ground. We put a third point of contact with the surface and, therefore, the force that the upper body has to do is less, suffering less in each of the movements that we carry out. Another technique to suffer less when performing diamond push-ups is to perform the exercise standing up and using the wall as if it were the floor. Basically, with the feet on the ground, and the body totally parallel to the wall as if it were two lines, we will support the hands against the wall itself and placing them as we will explain in the final part, we will force against the wall until touching with the chest and we will return to our initial position. Going step by step and having patience will help us achieve our goals on a regular basis.
Benefits of performing diamond push-ups
All in all, performing diamond push-ups has multiple benefits to be taken into account by all those who put them into practice. The most prominent are the following:
- Train with your own weight. It is perhaps one of the great advantages of this type of training. We do not add an external load and, therefore, the chances of injury or some kind of discomfort when moving are drastically reduced compared to other triceps exercises such as the French press, among others.
- Very similar technique. The classic push-up is one of the best-known exercises in the world of fitness. Practically everyone knows its execution, and even in physical education classes at school it is performed. Therefore, with an almost similar movement in this case, it will not be difficult for us to adapt and start performing practically from the first day.
- Flexibility of places to train. The fact of not having to add any type of load to the training allows you to perform the push-up routine practically anywhere. It does not make you go to the gym or sports center to exercise but at home, or even in the office, it is possible to get down to work.
- Multiple muscle groups involved. In addition to the triceps, other muscles such as the deltoid, the heart or the pectoral as a secondary muscle group are also involved in this push-up that will give us results in the short term.
How to perform diamond push-ups
Once we know what diamond push-ups consist of, it’s time to know exactly what the correct technique is that we must carry out in order to take advantage of this type of movement and turn it into an exercise to lose weight at home. To begin with, the position of the hands is one of the first focuses of attention that we must keep in mind. If they are not well located, its effectiveness may be reduced. We will rest our hands on the ground so that the palms form a space with the ground. Let’s think of the hands of a frog and place the fingers and thumbs totally together and forming a line down leaving the hand dead. The hands themselves should look at each other and almost touch. Once we have this point achieved, the position of the hands themselves should be at the height of the middle of the pectoral or chest. Thus, when we perform the descent movement, the arms themselves will be completely outside the body as if it were a triceps bottom. The position of the rest of the body is totally similar to that of traditional push-ups... Points of the feet touching the ground, legs a little apart, abdomen tight so that the lower back does not move and head forward.
The execution of the exercise itself has a small variety compared to that of traditional push-ups. Thus, as in the classics, there is a downward movement until touching the chest and the initial position is up, in this case it is the opposite. We will start from a low position and with the strength of the triceps our objective will be to raise the trunk upwards until reaching the initial position of the classic push-ups. For this reason, its complexity is greater and it is difficult to be able to perform a repetition rate of 10 or 12 in the initial series, prior training being necessary to be able to carry out exercises with high repetitions with this technique. Maintaining the position of the arms described above, as well as a straight back, will be key to its correct execution. The back is especially sensitive and pain in the dorsal can appear with great ease. For this reason, it is recommended initially focus on the technique and when we have mastered the movement, start working with greater intensity to seek the muscular development that we have set as our goal.
The triceps is responsible for flexing the elbow and allowing the trunk to rise and fall continuously during the exercise. For this reason, it is the main muscle to be taken into account throughout the exercise... Despite everything, we must also take into account all the stabilizing muscles that come into play during the 8-12 repetitions that we can perform in each series. As we have said, keeping a straight back is one of the great challenges we face. To do this, having a good rectus abdominals and good oblique muscles is essential to achieve this goal. The pectoral is one of the muscle groups that needs a greater number of work to achieve the expected objectives and gain muscle mass. For this reason, it is necessary to include exercises that allow you to work from all possible perspectives. All in all, diamond push-ups are an opposite variant of classic push-upstate we must use as a complement in any type of routine since the enormous number of muscles that work in this movement gives us great flexibility to include it in any day, whether it is a chest, shoulder or even triceps workout. Valid for every day of the week in any place that suits us to train.