Unleash Your Inner Warrior: The Surprising Benefits of Military Push-Ups Compared to Diamond Push-Ups

Are you looking to take your chest workouts to the next level? You might be wondering about the difference between a military push up and a diamond push up. Both exercises target your chest, but they offer distinct benefits and challenges. This blog post will break down the nuances of each exercise, helping you decide which one is right for you.

Understanding the Military Push Up

The military push up is a classic bodyweight exercise known for its effectiveness in building chest strength and endurance. It differs from the standard push up by emphasizing a wider hand placement. This wider grip engages more of your chest muscles, making it a powerful exercise for chest development.

Here’s how to perform a proper military push up:

1. Starting Position: Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your fingers should be pointing forward, and your body should form a straight line from head to heels.
2. Lowering: Lower your body down until your chest touches the ground. Keep your core engaged and your elbows slightly flared out.
3. Pushing Up: Push yourself back up to the starting position, extending your arms fully.

Delving into the Diamond Push Up

The diamond push up, as the name suggests, involves a unique hand placement that resembles a diamond shape. This narrow hand placement places more emphasis on your triceps and inner chest muscles, making it a great exercise for sculpting a defined chest.

Here’s how to execute a proper diamond push up:

1. Starting Position: Begin in a plank position with your hands close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers touching.
2. Lowering: Lower your body down until your chest touches the ground. Keep your core engaged and your elbows tucked close to your body.
3. Pushing Up: Push yourself back up to the starting position, extending your arms fully.

Comparing the Two: A Detailed Look

Now that you understand the basic mechanics of each exercise, let’s delve into a more detailed comparison:

Muscle Activation:

• Military Push Up: Primarily targets the pectoralis major (upper chest), anterior deltoids (front shoulders), and triceps. It also engages the serratus anterior (muscle that helps with shoulder blade movement) and the core muscles.
• Diamond Push Up: Primarily targets the triceps, pectoralis minor (lower chest), and anterior deltoids. It also engages the serratus anterior and core muscles.

Difficulty:

• Military Push Up: Generally considered easier due to the wider hand placement, which allows for greater leverage.
• Diamond Push Up: More challenging due to the narrow hand placement, which requires more strength from the triceps and inner chest.

Benefits:

• Military Push Up: Excellent for building overall chest strength, increasing upper body power, and improving core stability.
• Diamond Push Up: Ideal for targeting the triceps and inner chest, enhancing definition, and improving pushing strength.

Choosing the Right Push Up for Your Goals

Ultimately, the best push up for you depends on your individual fitness goals and experience level.

Consider the Military Push Up if:

• You’re new to push ups or looking for a more accessible variation.
• You want to build overall chest strength and power.
• You want to engage more of your chest muscles.

Consider the Diamond Push Up if:

• You’re looking for a more challenging push up variation.
• You want to target your triceps and inner chest muscles.
• You want to improve your pushing strength and definition.

Tips for Mastering Both Push Ups

Here are some helpful tips to maximize your results with both military and diamond push ups:

• Focus on Form: Maintain a straight line from head to heels throughout the exercise. Avoid arching your back or letting your hips sag.
• Control the Movement: Lower your body slowly and in a controlled manner. Don’t rush the movement.
• Engage Your Core: Keep your core muscles engaged throughout the exercise to maintain stability.
• Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the number of repetitions or sets as you get stronger.
• Listen to Your Body: If you feel any pain, stop and rest.

Beyond the Basics: Variations and Progressions

Once you’ve mastered the standard military and diamond push ups, you can challenge yourself with variations and progressions.

Military Push Up Variations:

• Decline Push Up: Perform the push up with your feet elevated on a bench or box. This increases the difficulty and targets the upper chest more.
• Incline Push Up: Perform the push up with your hands on an elevated surface, such as a bench or box. This makes the exercise easier and targets the lower chest more.

Diamond Push Up Variations:

• Close-Grip Push Up: Similar to the diamond push up, but with your hands slightly wider apart.
• Archer Push Up: Perform the push up with one hand slightly forward and the other hand slightly back. This variation targets the triceps and inner chest muscles on one side of the body.

Progressions:

• Wall Push Ups: A beginner-friendly variation that can help you build strength and prepare for standard push ups.
• Elevated Push Ups: Perform push ups with your hands on an elevated surface, such as a bench or box. This makes the exercise easier and allows you to gradually increase the difficulty.
• Clapping Push Ups: A more advanced variation that requires explosive power and strength.

Elevate Your Chest Workout: Incorporating Both Push Ups

You can incorporate both military and diamond push ups into your workout routine for a well-rounded chest workout. Here’s a sample workout routine:

Workout:

• Warm-up: 5 minutes of light cardio, such as jogging or jumping jacks.
• Military Push Ups: 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
• Diamond Push Ups: 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
• Cool-down: 5 minutes of stretching.

Frequency: Aim to perform this workout 2-3 times per week.

Final Thoughts: The Power of Push Ups

Whether you choose the military push up or the diamond push up, both exercises offer a powerful way to strengthen your chest, improve your upper body strength, and sculpt a defined physique. By incorporating these exercises into your workout routine and focusing on proper form, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your fitness goals.

Frequently Discussed Topics

Q: Which push up is better for building a bigger chest?

A: Both push ups target the chest muscles, but the military push up tends to be more effective for overall chest development due to its wider hand placement.

Q: Can I do both military and diamond push ups in the same workout?

A: Absolutely! You can incorporate both exercises into your workout for a well-rounded chest workout.

Q: How often should I do push ups?

A: Aim to do push ups 2-3 times per week, allowing for rest days to allow your muscles to recover.

Q: What if I can’t do a standard push up?

A: Start with easier variations, such as wall push ups or elevated push ups. Gradually increase the difficulty as you get stronger.