To make real progress and avoid injury, it is more effective to set your ego aside by returning to simplified versions of a movement (such as wall push-ups) in order to perfectly master the technique before increasing the difficulty.

noli's read

The community strongly converges on the idea that technical mastery takes precedence over volume or apparent difficulty. Scientifically, this approach aligns with the concepts of 'progressive overload' and 'motor control': by isolating the movement, the nervous system is better able to recruit the targeted muscles (in this case, the pectorals) rather than allowing the joints to compensate (a position supported by studies on muscle activation, such as those published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research). Research on injury prevention (notably work on biomechanics in physical therapy) confirms that correcting joint compensations, such as elbow placement, is crucial for long-term tissue health. The idea that 'easy' variants allow for deeper work through better control of time under tension is validated by empirical observation in strength and conditioning. What is sometimes exaggerated is the belief that a single variant suffices for everyone, as individual morphology also plays a role. There is no evidence that this method is the only path, but it is widely recognized as a fundamental safety strategy.

the sources

1. 1Gabbett TJ 2016
2. 2Carey DL, Blanch P, Ong KL, Crossley KM, Crow J, Morris ME 2016
3. 3r/bodyweightfitness