As I've mentioned in other articles, the push up is most likely the first exercise that you learned and the one lay-people do almost instinctively when they try to work out. Yet, the Push Up still remains one of the most valuable and effective movements, provided you know how to use it to its fullest potential.
It's my goal to give you a new appreciation for the push up and how to use creative push up variations to develop incredible upper body strength.
When it comes to building strength, I have not heard many coaches incorporating the push up. This is most likely because they don't feel it provides enough overload. In general I would have to agree. However, there a few style of the push-up that can humble even the strongest athlete.
The One Arm Push-Up
The one arm push-up is by far one of the best exercises for developing incredible upper body strength and torso stability, yet it has basically been forgotten.
I feel that the one arm push up is the king of all push-ups and therefore it's a staple exercise at our facility among our advanced athletes.
Because of its difficulty we use a specific progression strategy to help our athletes accomplish the one arm push up.
Click here to see pictures of this push up progression
Stage 1- One Arm Plank
The one arm plank develops the body awareness and torso control required to perform the one arm push up successfully.
The goal is to maintain a flat pelvis and avoid rotation at the pelvis and lumbar spine.
The one arm plank actually has its own mini-progression.
We start with a wide base of support and gradually progress to a closer base which requires more torso stability.
Stage 2- Lock offs
This exercise builds off of the stability developed in stage 1 and starts to add some single arm strength. This stage also develops the ability to "lock off" at the top position, hence the name.
Stage 3- Roll Over's
Now that a solid foundation of torso stability and lock off strength has been achieved, we can add the roll over push up. The roll over push up can be done in alternating fashion or one side at time.
This exercise teaches correct body positioning and builds the strength required to push out from the bottom of the one arm push up while still allowing some assistance from the other arm.
In order to ensure proper strength progression, make sure to gradually use the arm on the side you're leaning toward (the working side) more and more and the opposite arm (the non working side) less and less.
Example;
The percentages are how to distribute your bodyweight from arm to arm on the roll over push-up
70% - 30%
80% - 20%
90% - 10%
Once you're able to achieve a 90% -10% weight distribution from both arms for at least 6 reps, you will be more than ready to start performing the full 1 arm push up.
Feet Elevated Push-Up w/Plate
If one arm push-ups aren't your style then you might want to try this variation. This style push up can actually work to develop hypertrophy or strength depending on the weight, tempo, reps and rest used. Use a heavy enough plate and your abs will be talking to you as well.
Click here to see pictures of each exercise listed above
how to do push ups
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