Introduction to Knuckle Push Ups
Would you like to incorporate a new move into your exercise regimen? Are you getting trained in martial arts? Whatever the reason may be, it is still not too late to start your journey in knuckle push ups. However, you have to be dedicated enough to keep practicing the move to become an expert.
However, if you do not know about this workout, do not worry! You are not alone! Nonetheless, the term “knuckle push-up” is self-explanatory that it is one of the types of push-ups. And the body part that you would mostly use in this regard is your knuckles. In other words, your knuckles would take the weight of your body throughout the session in this regard.
In short, performing knuckle push ups is just like doing regular push-ups. But, the knuckles of the exerciser are used in this regard whereas palms are rested on the floor in the regular ones. When it comes to knuckle push-ups, one needs to touch their knuckles to the ground through their fists.
People, who are especially into martial arts, are mostly interested in doing knuckle push-ups. This move leaves no stone unturned to develop muscles in the anterior deltoids, pectoral muscles, and forearms of the practitioners. However, before diving straight into knuckle push-ups, one needs to practice regular push-ups as much as possible to develop the needed momentum with the push-up move. Beginners should take it slow and keep their journey moving at a slower pace.
Why go for Knuckle Push-Ups?
Do you wonder why you should devote your time and effort to practicing knuckle push ups? If yes, then rest assured- knuckle push-ups come with a bunch of benefits to help you lead a healthy and happy life. It is time to discuss the striking benefits of this move for your body:
Firstly, knuckle push-ups leverage the power of an expansive range of motion. Do you know what exactly happens when you start doing this move? You just create around 1-inch more space from the ground as compared to a regular push-up move. Thus, you can incorporate more range of motion into your move to add more intensity to your workout. As a result, you can expect to take the balance and strength of your body to the next level.
Knuckle push ups also help to strengthen the forearms of the exercisers. How? This move activates the practitioner’s forearm muscles more than regular push-ups. Would you like to gain a strong upper body? If yes, then it is a must for you to make your forearms muscular. Moreover, muscular forearms also help to strengthen the practitioner’s grip. When it comes to building muscular forearms, you would start realizing the importance of knuckle push-ups.
Note that knuckle push ups create less pressure on the wrists of the exercisers. If practiced properly, these moves can lessen the likelihood of developing wrist pain. Do not forget to opt for a padded gym mat when you decide to start practicing knuckle push-ups. It would help you to stay safe against any sort of injury during the move. Stay away from practicing on a solid surface.
Are you ready to strengthen your knuckles for stronger punches? Then, you can incorporate knuckle push ups into your workout regimen. For your information, the knuckle push-up workout had been sourced from martial arts. That is why knuckle push-ups can be an ideal option to strengthen the hands. Therefore, when it comes to improving the strength of your knuckles for powerful striking in martial arts, you can rely on knuckle push-ups. This benefit is especially significant for boxing fitness fans as well as inexperienced fighters.
When it comes to the double activation of one’s biceps, knuckle push ups can help a lot. It is because a knuckle push-up allows twice as hard the peak biceps contraction as the standard push-up. That means whenever you are putting your abs, forearms, chest, and other body parts to work by leveraging the power of knuckle push-ups, you are also working on your upper arms.
Knuckle Push-Ups: What are the Variations?
Did you know knuckle push ups are available in various forms? If you are a beginner, allow yourself some time to get used to the basic form of knuckle push-ups. Once you achieve some experience, you can step up your game with other advanced forms in this regard. Let us check out three different forms of knuckle push-ups below:
Decline Knuckle Push-Ups:
The name is self-explanatory in that it is an advanced form of the knuckle push-up move. This form is about lifting the practitioner’s feet on a chair (a bench is also acceptable) while maintaining the knuckle push-up position. Note that this advanced move works on the upper pectoral muscles more than standard push-ups.
Knee Push-Ups:
Have you just started your push-up journey? Then, knee push-ups can make an ideal move for you. The workout needs practitioners to keep their knees on the ground throughout the full range motion. In addition, knee push-ups incorporate less pressure on the lower-body muscles of the exercisers.
Diamond Push-Ups:
Would you like to try something new other than regular push-ups? Once you have gained enough experience in push-up moves, you can try out diamond push-ups. The move needs you to bring both of your hands together so that a triangle or diamond shape can be formed underneath your chest. Do you want to activate your triceps brachii muscle? If yes, then diamond push-ups can set an ideal option for you.
Knuckle Push-Ups: What is the Procedure?
I hope you are now somewhat interested in starting your journey with knuckle push ups. Note that as a beginner, you should start with two to three sets of knuckle push-ups. And the total count of reps in this regard would be 8 to 15.
Nonetheless, there is no hard and fast rule regarding the count of sets as well as repetitions for knuckle push-ups. Hence, you can opt for the sets as well as repetitions, according to your preference and comfort level. Note that it is important to maintain the specific posture throughout the entire session. You can start small, don’t worry! Are you excited to know about the steps of knuckle push ups to start your journey? Let us talk about it now:
Firstly, bring your knees and arms into the all-fours position. Do not leave your contact from the ground. Note that your toes need to be fixed to the floor. And obviously, you would need to keep your buttocks over the knees to get into the position for the knuckle push-up workout.
It is time to bring your fingers together to make a fist in both your hands. You have to position your fists a bit broader than your shoulder width.
This step is the key part of the knuckle push-up move that has made it different from regular push-ups. You have to put your body weight on the knuckles of both of your hands. The step also needs you to start revolving your shoulders outward so that your latissimus dorsi muscles can be worked on.
Next, maintain a straightened position for your legs to elevate your knees from the floor. As a result, you can get into the plank position.
Maintain hip width while positioning your legs. However, you can also maintain a wider gap than your hip width in this regard. Prioritize your comfort and convenience as much as possible throughout the session.
Next, it is time to pre-tension your buttocks as well as shoulders while putting your core to work. Then, start compressing your gluteal muscles as well as quads to move your journey forward. Keep your chin stuck during the entire knuckle push-up move. You can imagine the position as if you are trying to keep something breakable under your chin.
You have to keep up a neutral position for your wrists during knuckle push ups. While doing that, start pulling your chest in the direction of your hands. It is not hard- you just need to bend your elbows and voila!
While lowering your torso toward the floor to get back into the initial position, your shoulder blades need to start retracting.
Next, start lowering your torso until your back and upper arms are even. Moreover, there should be a 45 degrees distance between your elbows and your torso. Place your wrist under the elbows.
It is time to take a break for a moment at the bottom part.
Keep the alignment of your torso intact to start your journey toward the upward movement. You would need to compress your chest as well as keep your elbows straightened in this regard. While you would start pushing your torso to the top, your shoulder blades need to start extending.
Next, compress your triceps as well as chest to complete the movement of knuckle push ups.
You can keep repeating the steps as long as you feel comfortable. That means you can set the count of reps by yourself.
How to make your Knuckle Push-Up Journey Safe & Injury-Free?
Have you been suffering from any existing health condition? If yes, then you need to consult a healthcare practitioner before starting your knuckle push-up journey. That is why it is always mandatory to follow proper steps when it comes to performing an exercise. Thus, you can make sure of your safety and keep potential injuries at bay.
Moreover, you can only expect to get the optimum benefits of a workout by only following the correct set of steps. And knuckle push ups are no exception at all. You are also free to personalize an exercise to a certain extent to achieve your desired results.
While performing knuckle push ups, you have to pay heed to the reactions of your body. If you start feeling any sort of pressure, discomfort, or pain, stop at once. If needed, contact a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Would you like to see gradual progress throughout your knuckle push-up journey? Yes? Then, you have to take breaks as needed between the repetitions. In addition, proper warm-ups are also needed to boost your performance. Do not forget about the necessity of proper nutrition for your body to keep moving forward on your workout journey.
However, the outcomes of your effort depend on your capability of recovering from your workout sessions. It is a must to take proper rest for around one to two days before working on the same groups of muscles to ensure proper recovery of your torso.
Knuckle Push-ups: Are there any Drawbacks?
You are already familiar with the striking benefits of knuckle push ups from one of the above segments. Hence, are there any drawbacks to this move? Let us try to find out below:
You may end up injuring your knuckles by performing knuckle push-ups. Although this move does not create pressure on the practitioner’s wrists, putting the body weight on the knuckles may hurt the hands as well as the knuckles.
Don’t worry! Taking appropriate precautions would keep the possibilities of injuries at bay. It is recommended for beginners to use a soft surface (a soft yoga mat as an example) to streamline their journey.
Another safety tip to help you in the knuckle push-up journey is to maintain your body weight on your ring and pinky finger’s knuckles. Try to avoid the knuckles of the index and middle fingers as much as possible. Thus, you can eliminate some pressure from your knuckles and ease the move for you.
Do you still feel soreness on your hands after doing knuckle push-ups? Then, you can start small by practicing push-up moves on handles. Although your wrists would need to keep up the punching-style state, your fists won’t be stuck into the floor any longer.
It is okay if you want to start your journey with a small count of repetitions. You just have to prioritize your comfort and convenience throughout the session. On the other hand, it can also be a wise decision to start with small sets of knuckle push ups. Thus, you can complete more sets as a whole by getting exhausted or getting injured.
Do you want to keep slipping while performing knuckle push-ups? The answer is no, isn’t it? However, if you feel stress or pressure on your hands, you might not be able to stop it from happening. The solution is simple though.
Go for shorter sets and emphasize your form while doing the steps. And you already know how it is important to opt for a soft surface to avoid injuries.
Is there anything to worry about wrist injuries during knuckle push-ups? It is true knuckle push-up’s punching position does not pressurize the wrists of the practitioners. However, it does not make knuckle push ups free of risks associated with wrist injuries.
Therefore, before embarking on a journey with this move, you need to make sure of your wrist’s strength. Otherwise, how can you expect them to take your body weight? Once you get used to the momentum, you can increase the count of reps at a slower pace.
Wrapping Up
Are you a martial artist? Are you used to pain or pressure in your wrists throughout a standard push-up journey? Yes? Then, you can start your journey with knuckle push ups. Otherwise, you may stay away from this exercise unless you are fond of the move. Moreover, in case you want to experience the benefits of knuckle push-ups for your body, you may start small and find what it has in store for you.
Do not forget to keep checking your form. It is better to go for shorter sets of knuckle push-ups, in the beginning, to get used to keeping up a steady body line between each rep. Do not stop performing standard push-ups. Otherwise, you may lose your strength for performing push-up moves in the future. However, once you start getting used to knuckle push-ups, you can decide to increase the count of the move while alleviating the count of standard push-ups. It is time to decide whether you would like to get into the journey of knuckle push ups or not.
