Proper Push-Up Ultimate Guide: How to Do Push Ups with Correct Form

Proper Push-Up Ultimate Guide: How to Do Push Ups with Correct Form

  November 04, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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The push-up is one of the best exercises on the planet.

It’s a foundational movement in strength training, and an exercise EVERYBODY should be doing regularly.

However, it’s also an exercise that about 95% of people get wrong and do incorrectly.

Fortunately, after reading today’s ultimate guide, you’ll know exactly how to do a proper push-up with correct form:

• How to set up for a proper push-up (initial staging).
• How to do a push-up (correct push-up form with video).
• How do you train to do push-ups? (Where to start if you can’t do a push-up.)
• What are some different types of push-ups? (advanced push-up variations)
• How to get better at push-ups.

Before we jump in, if you’re looking for a way to train anywhere (like with push-ups), you may be interested in the new app we built!

Nerd Fitness Journey will guide you through a workout routine that can be done anywhere, all while creating your very own superhero!

You can give it a free test drive right here:

How to Set up for a Proper Push-up (Staging)

When it comes to push-ups, your form is crucial. Each push-up needs to be done with proper form so that your total reps measured from workout to workout are on equal footing.

If you did 20 push-ups two days ago, and then today you did 25 push-ups by only going down halfway, sticking your ass up in the air, etc., it’s absolutely impossible to tell if you got any stronger.

Here’s how to get into proper push-up position:

1) On the ground, set your hands at a distance that is slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 

Draw a straight line from your chest/nipple down to the floor – it should be directly over your thumbnail.

Depending on your strength and experience, your hands should be angled in a way that feels comfortable to you. For me, my hands are set up so that my middle finger points straight up and away from me.

2) To alleviate wrist pain (if you have poor wrist flexibility) do your push-ups holding onto push-up handles (so your wrists aren’t as compromised), or a bar:

If you’re hardcore, you can do them on your knuckles (as long as you’re on a semi-soft surface like grass or carpet or broken glass. Wait, scratch that last one).

3) Your feet should be set up in a way that feels right and comfortable and in balance. For some, that might be shoulder-width apart.

For others, it might be with your feet touching. Generally speaking, the wider apart your feet, the more stable you’ll be for your push-ups.

4) Think of your body as one giant straight line – from the top of your head down through your heels. Your butt shouldn’t be sticking way up in the air or sagging. You’re essentially holding a plank throughout the entire movement.

5) If you have a problem getting the proper form with your body, try this: clench your butt, and then tighten your abs as if you’re bracing to get punched.

Your core will be engaged, and your body should be in that straight line. If you’ve been doing push-ups incorrectly, this might be a big change for you.

Record a video of yourself to make sure you’re doing it correctly.

6) Your head should be looking slightly ahead of you, not straight down.

I read somewhere that said “if you’re doing them right, your chin should be the first part of your head to touch the floor, not your nose.”

Looking up helps you keep your body in line, but feel free to look down if that helps you concentrate more.

7) At the top of your push-up, your arms should be straight and supporting your weight. You’re now ready to do a push-up.

8) I want to draw special attention to that first step with hand position: nearly EVERYBODY does push-ups with their arms out far too wide and their shoulders flared. This is bad news bears. 

If I was looking down at you from above, your arms and body should form an ARROW, not a T.

WARNING: If you have been doing push-ups with your arms flared, doing them with proper form will be significantly more difficult!

How to Do a Proper Push-Up (Correct Push-Up Form with Video).

In the 5-minute “Perfect Push-Up” video above, featuring yours truly and two of our coaches, we take you through EACH of the steps of a push-up, including some variations!

Here’s how to complete one perfect repetition of a proper push up:

• With your arms straight, butt clenched, and abs braced, steadily lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle or less. Depending on your level of experience, age, and flexibility, 90 degrees might be the lowest you’re able to go. Personally, I like to go down until my chest (not my face), hits the floor. That way, I know I’m going the same distance each and every time.
• Try not to let your elbows go flying way out with each repetition. Keep them relatively close to your body, and keep note of when they start to fly out when you get tired.
• Once your chest (or nose/chin) touches the floor (or your arms go down to a 90-degree angle), pause slightly and then explode back up until you’re back in the same position.

Do as many as you can until you start to feel your form slip (even slightly); you are done for that set.

Here’s why you should focus on form over quantity:

• 10 good push-ups and 5 crappy ones are tough to quantify against eleven good push-ups.
• If you can only do 10 of something, write down your results and aim for 11 next time.
• Perfect form allows you to keep track of your improvements week over week.

Want to know where push-ups should fall into your workout routine? I have three options!

1) Try Nerd Fitness Journey!

Nerd Fitness Journey will guide you through a bodyweight workout routine that can be done anywhere (yep, even there). You can try it for free right here:

2) Do them as part of our Beginner Bodyweight Workout Routine! This workout has been done by hundreds of thousands of people as their first strength training workout.

Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!

• Complete this workout at home, no equipment required
• Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises
• Learn how to finally get your first pull-up

3) Make your own workout with push-ups by following our “Build Your Own Workout” guide! It’ll walk you through everything you need to build an exercise program for your goals in 10 steps.

How Do You Train to Do Push-Ups? (Where to Start If You Can’t Do a Push-Up.)

Don’t worry if you can’t do a push-up yet. As we lay out in the video above, we have a plan that will help you get there.

You need to start with an easier push movement, and work up to progressively more difficult types of moves that will eventually result in you doing true push-ups.

This is the exact strategy used in our guide, “Get Your First Push-up!”

We’ll progress from Level 1 Push-ups to Level 4 Push-ups:

• Wall Push-Ups: Level 1
• Elevated Push-Ups: Level 2
• Knee Push-ups: Level 3
• Regular Push-ups: Level 4

LEVEL 1: HOW TO DO WALL PUSH-UPS

Stand in front of a wall. Clench your butt, brace your abs, and set your hands on the wall at slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Walk backwards with your feet until your arms are fully extended and supporting your weight (generally one decent sized step back with both feet will suffice). Keeping the rest of your body in a straight line, steadily lower yourself towards the wall until your nose almost touches the wall, and then explode back up to the starting position.

HOW TO TRAIN WALL PUSH-UPS:

Do 4 sets of wall push-ups with a 2-minute rest between sets, every other day. Keep track of how many repetitions you can do WITH PROPER FORM for each set in a notebook for easy comparison to previous workouts. Once you can do 4 sets of 20 repetitions of wall push-ups, you can progress to knee push-ups.

LEVEL TWO: HOW TO DO ELEVATED PUSH-UPS

As we demonstrate in this video above from Nerd Fitness Prime, elevated push-ups are just what they sound like – your hands are on an elevated surface, whether it’s something as tall as a kitchen table or as low as a few blocks that are inches off the ground. This will depend on your level of strength and experience.

If you’ve just progressed from wall push-ups, pick something that is at a level that’s right for you – I generally find the back of a park bench or the side of a picnic table to be a perfect height for doing incline push-ups. Like so:

HOW TO TRAIN ELEVATED PUSH-UPS:

Do 4 sets of elevated push-ups with a 2-minute rest between sets, every other day. Again, keep track of all of your stats for how many proper form repetitions you can do in each set. Once you can do 4 sets of 20 repetitions, it’s time to either move to regular push-ups, knee push-ups, or a lower height for your hands to be supported.

Once you can do 4 sets of 20 repetitions, it’s time to either move to regular push-ups, knee push-ups, or a lower height for your hands to be supported.

To work on progression, try to doing your elevated push-ups on the stairs in your house. As you get stronger, you can move your hands to lower and lower steps until your hands are on the ground.

LEVEL THREE: HOW TO DO KNEE PUSH-UPS

Once you’re comfortable doing wall or elevated push-ups, proceed to knee push-ups. Your shoulder and hand placement will look just like a regular push-up (an “arrow”, not a “T”), but you’ll stabilize yourself on your knees instead of your feet. As demonstrated here:

HOW TO TRAIN KNEE PUSH-UPS

Once you can do 4 sets of 20 repetitions on your knees, you can start thinking about doing regular push-ups.

To recap, if you can’t do a regular push-up, move from:

• Wall Push-Ups: Level 1
• Elevated Push-Ups: Level 2
• Knee Push-Ups: Level 3
• Regular Push-ups: Level 4

How do I know the above progression will work? Well, it’s the exact plan we use to help people crush push-ups in Nerd Fitness Journey!

You can see how we scale our bodyweight workouts right here:

What Are Other Types of Push-Ups? (Push-Up Variations)

Basic push-ups can get boring…

Fortunately, there are dozens upon dozens of variations to make things more difficult for you.

Once you’re cranking out perfect form push-ups like it’s your job,^[1] try some of these advanced variations on for size.

Click on each for a video demonstration (these are some of the push-up variations pulled from NF Prime):

#1) One-legged Push-ups: introducing some variety and balance by removing one of your legs for less stabilization:

 

#2) Side-to-Side Push-Ups – Get into the classic push-up position and move your hands farther apart. Now, lower yourself down towards one arm only – you should feel like you’re supporting a lot of your weight. 

To complete the rep, slide horizontally over to the other arm, and push-up. The farther apart your hands, the higher percentage of your bodyweight will be supported by that side of your chest/shoulder and arm (thus getting harder)!

 

#3) Decline Push-Ups – these work your shoulders and triceps more so than normal push-ups.

 

#4) Diamond Push-Ups – keep your arms tight at your side, rotate your hands outward, and keep your elbows tight as you lower your body. Works your triceps like crazy.

 

#5) Dive-Bomber Push-Ups – funky, difficult, but oh so fun. I’d explain it, but just watch the video

 

#6) Plyometric Push-Ups – these are brutal and will wear you out just after a few repetitions. Just don’t hurt yourself and smash your face during a failed attempt (not that I’ve ever done that. Shut up my face always looks like this)!

 

#7) Handstand Push-Ups – This goes without saying, but you should be able to do a proper handstand before attempting these!

Kick up against a wall, and without flailing your elbows way out to the side (which can wreak havoc on your shoulders and elbow joints), slowly lower yourself down until your head touches the ground softly.

Then raise yourself back up.

Rotate some of these advanced push-ups into your workout routine and you’ll be well on your way to a great strength training practice.

If you want more strength building tips, we also have a comprehensive guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know, when you sign up for the Rebellion (that’s our community) below:

Download our comprehensive guide STRENGTH TRAINING 101!

• Everything you need to know about getting strong.
• Workout routines for bodyweight AND weight training.
• How to find the right gym and train properly in one.

How to get better at push-ups

So you’ve learned how to do a push-up, you can do a few of them, but you want to get better! 

Here are some tips to help you along the way:

1. Get healthy! As you lose weight (which is 80% nutrition!), you will have to move less weight around than before, which will make your push-ups easier to manage. Have you had trouble losing weight in the past? Check out our article “Why Can’t I Lose Weight?” to find out why.
2. Don’t cheat on the last few push-ups – when you’re tired, it’s easy to skip out on good form for your last few reps. As soon as you do one bad form push-up, you’re done. Finish up your four sets, write down your numbers, and try to beat those numbers next time.
3. When starting out don’t do push-ups two days in a row. You need to give your muscles time to rebuild and recover – take off at least 48 hours in between your push-up adventure. However, when push-ups became a warm-up exercise for you – you can do them every day if you want. If you’re advanced, you can consider a PLP program.
4. Get enough protein into your system after finishing up your workout – protein helps rebuild the muscles you just broke down doing push-ups, and it helps them rebuild those same muscles stronger than before. You can read our ultimate guide on protein for some tips on how to up your protein intake.
5. If you can do 4 sets of 20-25 perfect form push-ups no sweat, then it’s time to start looking into push-up variations to keep things interesting.
6. Build up your core with planks – this will help keep your core strong so that it’s not the weakest link in your proper form push-ups.

These 6 tips will be a great addition to your strength training plan. Keep at it and before you know it you’ll be doing one-arm push-ups like Batman.

What’s that? You don’t have a strength-building plan!!! Well then…

What’s Your Strength Building Plan?

It makes me sad when we get emails from people who struggle and try and work hard to get healthier, and to be better at push-ups, and just can’t seem to make any progress.

If that’s you, you’re not alone!

1) Consider working with an online coach (or in-person trainer).

Helping people learn push-ups and other bodyweight exercises is why we built our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program: We build programs for busy people to cut through the noise and just get results

2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!

Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Try your free trial right here:

3) Join our community! We have hundreds of thousands of people, and I send out two free emails every week to help them level up their lives. Join our free community today, and I’ll send you a dozen free ebooks, including TONS of workout plans you can do anytime, anywhere. 

Join the community by signing up in the box below:

Grab Your Beginner Bodyweight Routine Worksheet. No Gym Required!

• Complete this workout at home, no equipment required
• Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises
• Learn how to finally get your first pull-up

YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT: go home, set up a camera, and check your form on your push-ups.

I hope you’ll find that your form is as good as you expected, but it’s okay if it’s not, it’ll give you something to work on.

Go do some push-ups, and work on getting better with them every day.

You’ll be moving from Level 1 to Level 4 push-ups and beyond!

-Steve

PS: Not to brag, but I typed this entire article while doing 1-handed push-ups. 

PPS: Okay no I didn’t. But it would have been cool if I did, right?

PPPS: No? Fine. Sigh.

###

Photo source:^[2]

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

1. I guess doing push-ups is technically part of MY job, after all.
2.  Army Push-ups, Jason Ternus: Stormtrooper Pushups

The post Proper Push-Up Ultimate Guide: How to Do Push Ups with Correct Form first appeared on Nerd Fitness.

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How to Use a Rowing Machine (Beginner’s Workout)

How to Use a Rowing Machine (Beginner’s Workout)

  November 04, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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The rowing machine – it’s so hot right now.

Rowing classes are everywhere. It’s easy to find professional and Olympic athletes hyping up the machine’s ability to provide a full-body workout.

All well and good…but how do you actually use the thing?

Well my friend, you’ve come to the right place to find out.

Many clients in our Online Coaching Program tell us they want to start rowing, but they don’t know how. Today, we’ll explain how we get them going with row machine workouts.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• How to use a rowing machine (with video tutorial).
• What are the benefits of using a rowing machine?
• Rowing Machine 101: Terms to Know
• The four parts of the rowing stroke.
• When to add the rowing machine to your workout.
• Should a beginner use a rowing machine? (Next Steps)

Alright, you ready?

Let’s row, row, row your rower.

How to Use a Rowing Machine (Video Tutorial)

In the video above, Coach Staci explains the ins and outs of using a rowing machine.

What? Who’s Staci?

Welp, she’s a Senior Coach here at Nerd Fitness and an all-around badass powerlifter.

She also knows a thing or two about using a rowing machine, since she’s gotten several CrossFit certs (they love the rowing machine at CrossFit).

If you’re going to learn about using a rowing machine, she’s not a bad person to talk to.

But first, let’s back up here a bit…

What Are the Benefits of Using a Rowing Machine?

The rowing machine was originally invented for water rowers to train offseason.

You might hear the indoor rowing machine called an ergometer, or “erg” or “ergo.” They get this name since rowing machines often measure the energy produced from the workout in units of ergs.

They’ve grown in popularity, because of the many benefits offered by this one stationary machine.

For example, the rowing machine offers:

• A Full-Body Workout. If we use proper rowing technique, we’ll hit every major muscle group in our body. Upper, lower, core, we’ll work it all. This is one of the main reasons they’ve become so popular.
• Low-Impact. While a workout from a rowing machine can get intense, it’s considered to be little to no impact. That’s why it’s sometimes recommended to patients with osteoarthritis.^[1]
• Versatility. We can do a lot with an ergometer. We can train for duration and/or intensity. We even do a HIIT workout. Or we can combine it with bodyweight movements in a circuit. Plus, since some of them fold up, they’re perfect for those who need to train in small spaces.

Alright, let’s now go over some terminology so you know what’s what with the ergometer.

Rowing Machine 101: Terms to Know

When it comes to the rowing machine, there’s some vocabulary that would be worth discussing quickly.

First, let’s chat about the rower itself:

#1) Foot Plate – no matter the rower, there will be a place for you to strap your feet in.

You’ll want to set your feet so that the strap goes over the ball of your foot. This will allow you to have the most powerful stroke.

You should be able to lift your heel in this position.

#2) Handle – also called “the bar.” This replicates the handles of an oar.

Your hands should be approximately shoulder-width apart.

#3) Rail – the central beam of the rower, which allows the seat to roll forward and back.

#4) Display Monitor – while these will differ from model to model, the rower will normally have a screen to show some basic info:

• Strokes per minute (Stroke Rate)
• Split Time (more on this momentarily)
• Duration of workout

Etc.

For the Concept2 model – the rower Coach Staci demonstrates above – you can hit any button and select “Just Row.”

This will be the easiest way to get going.

#5) The Damper – The lever on the side of the flywheel housing (or fan cage) that controls airflow.

The difference in Damper settings:

• The higher the setting, the more air is allowed to flow. This requires more work to spin the flywheel.
• The lower the setting, the less air is allowed to flow. This requires less work to spin the flywheel.

Think of this sort of like bicycle gears – it affects how the rowing feels but does not necessarily reflect the resistance:

• A setting of one will feel fast and easier to pull, but you’ll need to move quickly to generate power.
• That said, cranking the damper up to ten doesn’t mean a better workout either. It just means a tougher pull – like trying to move a rowboat.

We recommended you aim for a Damper setting between 3 and 5 (which is also where most competitive rowers have it).

Note: some indoor rowers use a water tank to create resistance, so any similar Damper setting controls the amount of water moving through the system. You can still use the same recommendations for damper numbers.

More on that here:

Next, let’s talk about some terminology for the sport of rowing itself.

Rowing has been around for centuries and a lot of the vocabulary has carried over to the indoor sport.

Rowing Terms to Know:

#1) Split

Split time refers to the time it takes to row 500 meters, also known as the “split per 500.” This will likely be shown prominently on your Display Monitor.

If the number goes down, it means you’re going faster! Woot.

#2) Strokes Per Minute (SPM)

This is also called Stroke Rating and it’s exactly what it sounds like: the number of strokes you take per minute.

A higher SPM doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going faster – you can also go faster by putting more power into each stroke.

#3) Paddle (or Rest)

Normally in the sport of rowing, you never stop completely. You just row or “paddle” a little bit easier.

Sort of like you do in HIIT workouts.

However, if you need to stop completely in your workout, don’t stress it. It’s fine to even get off the rower from time to time…it’s not actually a boat.

You do you.

Next, we need to discuss the four parts of the rowing stroke, but we’ll jump to a new section for that.

The Four Parts of the Rowing Stroke

The rowing stroke is broken out into four parts:

1. The Catch
2. The Drive
3. The Finish
4. The Recovery

It’ll look like this:

Let’s cover each.

#1) The Catch

This is the start of the stroke:

• Our knees are bent and our shins are roughly vertical.
• Our body leans forward slightly to about a 1 o’clock position and our arms are straight.

Like so:

This puts us in the ideal position to generate power.

#2) The Drive

As the name would suggest, this is where we’ll be driving and generating power for the stroke.

The order in which we generate power is key:

• It should go legs first
• Then lean back with the body
• Then pull with the arms

It’ll look like this:

They should blend smoothly right into each other, so a good reminder is:

1. Legs
2. Body
3. Arms

A great drill to practice the Drive: 

Start with JUST the legs:

THEN the legs and a slight backward lean with the body:

FINALLY, the legs, body, and arm pull together:

This can be done with or without the rowing handle.

Common mistakes with the Drive:

A) Pulling hard with the arms first. We’ll see the elbows bend early. This greatly decreases the amount of power we can put into the stroke.

We want to keep the arms straight and wait until the handle passes the knees BEFORE we first bend the arms.

B) Letting the body pull forward while we’re driving with the legs.

Instead, we want to keep a strong and stable midsection so that we can go smoothly from the leg drive to the body lean.

#3) The Finish

This will be our position after the Drive:

• Our legs are extended and our body is leaning back slightly.
• The handle is about at our solar plexus.
• Our shoulders are down and our wrists are straight.

It’ll look like this:

A great drill to practice the Finish: just work on the arm motion. 

Keep the legs extended and lean back slightly. Then pull with just the arms.

Common mistakes with the Finish:

A) Shrug the shoulders up by the ears.

This is often accompanied by bent wrists and chicken wing arms.

Instead, we want the shoulders down and the elbows closer to the sides, with enough space between the arms and body for a grapefruit to fit.

B) Pulling the handle too high – to the neck or face.

We want the handle down at the solar plexus, not up orbiting in the solar system!

C) Leaning back too far – we’re not trying to perform the one-person luge here!

We only need to lean back slightly, at about an 11 o’clock position.

#4) The Recovery

This is how we return back to the starting position.

• Just as we had a proper order for the Drive – legs, body, arms – we’ll have a proper order for the recovery by reversing it – arms, body, legs.
• Straighten the arms, then lean the body forward slightly, and finally bend the legs to head back to the Catch.

Common mistakes with the Recovery: Bending the legs too early when recovering from the stroke. You’ll know you’re doing this when you have to lift the handle up and over the knees.

Instead, wait for the handle to PASS the knees before fully bending the legs.

There you have it, the four parts of the rowing stroke.

You’ll get better at this as you go, I promise.

Rowing is like golf: the relentless pursuit of the perfect stroke.

One way to check your form would be to record yourself doing a rowing stroke.

If it looks close to the gifs and videos found in this guide, you’re doing great!

Oh, and if you want an expert to review your form, you can do so in our snazzy Coaching app.

You can learn more here:

When to Add the Rowing Machine to Your Workout

A rowing machine can fit into our workout in all sorts of ways.

We can row:

• At the beginning or end of a workout routine.
• As part of interval (HIIT) or circuit training.
• For the entire workout itself.

If you want to give the rowing machine a whirl, including it as part of your warm-up wouldn’t be a bad idea. Since it’s a full-body exercise, it’s a great way to prep our body for the workout ahead.

To warm up with the rower, aim for about 5-10 minutes at a steady pace. 

Once you get the hang of the rower, you can look to incorporate it with some of these ideas:

#1) Interval Training

Interval training or HIIT is all about flipping between intensity.

Going hard one moment, then resting another.

So after your warm-up, you could row intensely for two minutes, rest or “paddle” for a minute or two, then back to intensity.

A fun way to do this is to build up the duration and then pull it back with a “Meter Pyramid.”

To Row a Meter Pyramid:

• One minute of intensity, followed by one minute of paddle.
• Two minutes of intensity, followed by two minutes of paddle.
• Three minutes of intensity, followed by three minutes of paddle.
• Four minutes of intensity, followed by four minutes of paddle.
• Three minutes of intensity, followed by three minutes of paddle.
• Two minutes of intensity, followed by two minutes of paddle.
• One minute of intensity, followed by one minute of paddle.

If you start this off with a 5-minute warm-up, it’ll take about 37 minutes.

#2) Circuit Training

You could also mix in some other exercises as part of your rowing workout. Flipping between rowing and some bodyweight exercises, for example.

Here’s an example Row Machine Workout Circuit:

• Row for 500 meters
• 10 push-ups
• 10 bodyweight squats

Repeat.

We could aim for 3-4 circuits here, but even 1-2 is a great start.

#3) Steady State

This is exactly what it sounds like: rowing at a constant pace.

After a warm-up, find a pace that you can stay with. Then stay with it.

A good frame of mind here would be about 50% of your effort, but don’t overthink this.

Put on a good podcast or your favorite playlist, find a Stroke Rate you can maintain for 10-30 minutes, and get rowing.

You can pretend you’re in a competition if it helps!

Also, mix and match! The important thing is that you’re doing some type of workout. Don’t fret if it doesn’t fit into the exact format you find here or on other websites.

For more ideas here, check out How to Build Your Own (Full-Body) Workout.

Should a Beginner Use a Rowing Machine? (Next Steps)

There you have it, my friend.

You now have everything you need to get started rowing.

Don’t overstress if you’re not doing anything 100% right as you start.

Like anything, you’ll get better at it as you go.

Plus, it’s not like you’ll be ejected into the water from an indoor rower.

But, if down the road you do want to take it outside, there are all sorts of leagues and clubs you can join.

It could be a great way to get out and make friends!

Granted, you’ll need SOME type of body of water around you, but if you live next to a lake or large river, there’s likely a team out there that would love to meet you.

Practice indoors for a bit, then take 20 seconds of courage to put yourself out there.

What’s 20 seconds of courage?

We explain it all to you in this video:

Oh, and if you want to continue having Nerd Fitness propel your journey, here are three ways we can help:

#1) Our Online Coaching Program: a coaching program for busy people to help them make better food choices, stay accountable, and get healthier, permanently.

If ever you come across a snazzy piece of equipment and what to learn how to use it, your very own coach can help you!

Plus, they can guide your nutrition and help you level up all areas of your life. 

You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you. Just click on the image below for more details:

#2) If you want an exact roadmap for building a full-body workout, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app tells you exactly what days to exercise, what days to rest, and helps you track it all so you know if it’s working for you.

Interested?

Try your free trial right here:

#3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our Rebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out at home” guides, our Strength Training 101 eBook, and much more!

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Photo source: vadymvdrobot © 123RF.com, Legoland Somerville (Boston), indoor rower, nd3000 © 123RF.com, malkovkosta © 123RF.com.

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

1. The Arthritis Foundation takes a closer look.

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How To Take Care Of A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

How To Take Care Of A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

  November 03, 2021    Pratik Bandagale

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Sharing tips on how to take care of a fiddle leaf fig tree, how often to water it, how much water, how much sunlight, all of those important questions!

Meet Frida Kahlo. She’s our gorgeous fiddle leaf fig plant that greets everyone who walks into our home. Frida receives SO many compliments both in real-life and online, and I often get questions about how to take care of these tips of plants. I hesitated to write this post because I used to be a notorious plant killer. Over the past handful of years, I’ve FINALLY found my groove, and while I feel pretty confident about my routine, I’m still scared to jinx anything. I can’t help but wonder if Frida will recoil her leaves and burst into flames once I press publish on this post, but I’m going to go for it. I hope you find some helpful tips here and my fellow fiddle leaf lovers, please share your top tips in the comments!!

A fiddle leaf fig plant is also called a Ficus lyrata. They’re tropical trees that do extremely well outdoor in moderate and humid environments. Over the past 10 years or so, they’ve surged in popularity. Fiddle leaf figs commonly grace magazine covers, Instagram and Pinterest posts. It is a beautiful houseplant that can add to the aesthetic appeal to your space, and can be a stunning, architectural statement in your home. It makes a decor impact, and is also  notorious for being a challenging houseplant to keep alive. In this post, I’m sharing tried and tested tips on how to take care of a fiddle leaf fig tree and keep it looking lush, healthy, and thriving for a long time.

How To Take Care Of A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Proper Placement and Lighting Requirements

The key with fiddle leaf figs, tropical plants, and house plants is to find a place in your home where they’ll be happy. Usually this is a north or south facing window, where it can get lots of sunlight. These plants also tend to do well in areas with high ceilings, sky lights, and large windows. If you live in an area that is not well-lit, you can use a grow light. I’m in a fiddle leaf Facebook group (obsessed) and many members use grow lights on their plants. Take a look around the area and make sure you don’t have AC vents that will be blowing directly on the plant. 

While sun is a good thing, watch out for too much hot son on the plant because it can cause sunburn. We have another fiddle leaf, Fred, who was forgotten outside and was sunburned. He had brown spots for quite a while, but has finally recovered. 

Watering

Ok, so there are quite a few methods here: the cup method (watering a small amount frequently) or the more infrequent method (LOTS of water every 7-12 days). I found that the cup method did NOT work for me. She was dropping leaves like crazy and I was pacing around the plant, trying to figure out what the heck was happening. A game changer: the water meter! I ordered this off Amazon and check her water every 7-10 days. I ONLY water the plant when the soil dries and the meter reaches a level 2 or 3, and then I soak the heck out of it. I’ll use 4 large measuring bowls full of filtered water and drench the soil. (Frida prefers filtered water from the fridge and not from the sink. Our levels here in Tucson are too acidic and it was affecting her leaves.) Before watering, use the water meter or a chopstick to poke holes in the soil – it will not disturb the roots. This will help to oxygenate the soil and the water to flow through more freely. A good rule of thumb: water until it starts to come out of the drainage holes and then leave it alone. 

A note: fiddle leaf figs LOVE rain and I feel like rain water is so much better for plants than sink water. Call me crazy, but they respond differently. If it rains, drag your sturdier plants outside!

Potting Medium

Tip: before you pot your fiddle leaf fig, keep it in the pot from the nursery in the area of your house where it will live. This way, it can have time to adjust to the lighting and environment before you further shock the plant by repotting. For potting soil, make sure that you use something that enables water to flow through instead of holding the water, which can cause root rot. They sell special soil for fiddle leaf figs, and I know many who have had good luck with cactus/succulent soil. I used Miracle Grow potting soil and it worked well. Check with your nursery to see what they recommend for your climate.

When you pot the fiddle leaf fig, you don’t need an enormous pot as the roots don’t need a ton of room to expand. They actually do better when they’re slightly bound, and many fiddle leaf figs do well in the initial pot from the nursery. I’d pick something around that size, or slightly bigger. Important: make sure the pot has a drainage hole so the water can easily flow through. I also like to put small rocks at the bottom of a pot before adding the plant and soil, so water can easily move though and prevent root rot. 

Fertilizing

You don’t *have* to fertilize your plant if the soil is healthy and the plant is thriving. If you notice that it needs a little boost, I like this fertilizer mixed with filtered water. (It was too acidic with our sink water and caused problems, to I stopped using it.) If you choose to use fertilizer, do this twice a year: once in the summer and once in the winter. 

Routine Maintenance

Misting! Like I mentioned before, FLFs love humid environments. If you live in a dry climate, misting can make a positive impact on the leaves. You can place a humidifier on low close to your plant, or occasionally mist by hand. I use this mister from Amazon and only mist the leaves when I water (once every 7-12 days). I mist the leaves, and then wipe off any dust with a paper towel. This way, dusty leaves don’t hinder the ability to get sunlight. 

Weak trunks: I’ve heard of people gently shaking their tree’s trunks every few days, especially if they’re weaker/smaller. This is to stimulate the high winds and encourage a stronger trunk. I haven’t done this for Frida, but may try this for Fred. 

Fun note: fiddle leaf figs will grow as high as their ceiling allows. Our ceilings are 30 ft and I HOPE SHE GROWS THIS HUGE with all my heart. 

Repotting

I’ve found that these plants are best left alone, so I’d only recommend repotting if absolutely necessary. (It can cause stress for the plants and we don’t want to stress them out!) Some sites recommend repotting every 2-3 years to get fresh nutrients from the soil, but I feel like if the plant is happy, leave it alone haha. Some indicators you might want to repot: the soil is pulling away from the edges and you can see lots of roots, a bacterial infection (lots of brown spots on the leaves),or root rot. You can avoid root rot by making sure there’s lots of drainage and avoiding overwatering. If you need to repot, shake off the excess soil from the roots, and trim away any of the roots’ ends that are overgrown. (It’s like giving it a haircut.) If you see any mushy roots, trim these off too. Place into a pot with a few inches of soil, surround with lots of fresh new soil, and water. 

Ok friends! That’s all I’ve got for ya, and I’ll add more to this post as I think of new tips. 

Do you have plant babies? Any great tips you’ve learned over time? Please share all of the plant tips with us!

xo

Gina

The post How To Take Care Of A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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