The push-up is like the cockroach of the bodybuilding world. It’s been around forever and it ain’t going anywhere anytime soon. And why should it? This basic upper-body exercise is a gym staple to this day for one simple reason: it works.The push-up—like any type of press or pull—requires the use of several muscle groups working on concert. But unlike some of its barbell or dumbbell counterparts, the push-up calls several smaller muscle groups—which work as stabilizers—into play. Your abs, serratus, lower back, hip flexors and rotator cuffs all reap the benefits of a well-executed set of push-ups, even though your pecs are the main target. And strengthening that supporting cast will only help you on your bigger moves for your chest like heavy incline presses.But the standard U.S. Marine Corps “drop and give me 20” version shouldn’t be the only item on your push-up menu. By varying your hand spacing or calling extra equipment into play, you can make the push-up one of if not the most challenging exercise in your routine. Experiment with the following variations to start taking advantage of all the push-up has to offer your physique.
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Standard Pushup
Start: Lay your palms flat against the floor, arms extended and shoulder width apart, your legs fully extended behind you, your weight balanced up on the balls of your feet.Execution: Keeping your body rigid, descend slowly until your chest touches the floor, or as deep as you can go comfortably. Pause briefly and press yourself back up into the starting position. Repeat for reps.Benefits: Taxes your pectorals, deltoids, triceps and core musculature.Use it: Perform three sets of 15-20 standard pushups as a warm-up.
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Variable Arm-Width Pushup
Start: Lay your palms flat against the floor with your hands forming a triangle, arms extended and shoulder width apart, your legs fully extended behind you, your weight balanced up on the balls of your feet.Execution: Complete three reps at each of the following stages to make one full set. 1. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension. 2. Move your hands out so that they are shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension. 3. Move your hands out so they are well beyond shoulder width. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension. 4. Move your hand back to shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension. 5. Move your hands back under your chest, forming the triangle with your hands. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension.Benefits: Challenges your pecs, delts and triceps from many different angles. Use it: Perform three sets of this staggered-placement push-up.
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Swiss Ball Pushup
Start: Position a Swiss ball centered directly under your chest. Lay your palms on the ball about shoulder-width apart, arms extended and shoulder width apart, your legs fully extended behind you, your weight balanced up on the balls of your feet.Execution: Slowly lower your body toward the ball for a full, three-second count. Without bouncing off the ball, press your body back up in a controlled manner for a three-second count.Benefits: This exercise concentrates on stability and balance while targeting deltoids, triceps and pecs. The instability of the ball also places a major emphasis on the core.Use it: Perform three sets of 15-20 reps.
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Kettlebell Pushup
Start: Position two eight-pound kettlebells on the ground, the handle of each kettlebell laying flat on the ground. Place your palms on the tops of the kettlebells, arms extended and shoulder width apart, your legs fully extended behind you, your weight balanced up on the balls of your feet.Execution: Slowly lower into a deep chest stretch, taking three seconds on the way down. Pause briefly at the bottom, then press your body back up in a controlled manner, again taking a full three seconds.Benefits: This is an extreme stability exercise focusing on forearm strength, biceps, delts, triceps, pecs, lower back and abs. For an added challenge, substitute 6-8-pound rubber medicine balls for the kettlebells.Use it: Perform three sets of 10 reps.
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Group these exercises together for a total-service, upper-body routine, or use one or more of these exercises for a finishing pump on chest day.Brian Peeler’s Ultimate Push-Up WorkoutExerciseSetsRepsStandard push-up315-20Variable arm width push-up315Swiss ball push-up315-20Kettlebell push-up310
The push-up is like the cockroach of the bodybuilding world. It’s been around forever and it ain’t going anywhere anytime soon. And why should it? This basic upper-body exercise is a gym staple to this day for one simple reason: it works.
The push-up—like any type of press or pull—requires the use of several muscle groups working on concert. But unlike some of its barbell or dumbbell counterparts, the push-up calls several smaller muscle groups—which work as stabilizers—into play. Your abs, serratus, lower back, hip flexors and rotator cuffs all reap the benefits of a well-executed set of push-ups, even though your pecs are the main target. And strengthening that supporting cast will only help you on your bigger moves for your chest like heavy incline presses.
But the standard U.S. Marine Corps “drop and give me 20” version shouldn’t be the only item on your push-up menu. By varying your hand spacing or calling extra equipment into play, you can make the push-up one of if not the most challenging exercise in your routine. Experiment with the following variations to start taking advantage of all the push-up has to offer your physique.
Standard Pushup
Start: Lay your palms flat against the floor, arms extended and shoulder width apart, your legs fully extended behind you, your weight balanced up on the balls of your feet.
Execution: Keeping your body rigid, descend slowly until your chest touches the floor, or as deep as you can go comfortably. Pause briefly and press yourself back up into the starting position. Repeat for reps.
Benefits: Taxes your pectorals, deltoids, triceps and core musculature.
Use it: Perform three sets of 15-20 standard pushups as a warm-up.
Variable Arm-Width Pushup
Start: Lay your palms flat against the floor with your hands forming a triangle, arms extended and shoulder width apart, your legs fully extended behind you, your weight balanced up on the balls of your feet.
Execution: Complete three reps at each of the following stages to make one full set. 1. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension. 2. Move your hands out so that they are shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension. 3. Move your hands out so they are well beyond shoulder width. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension. 4. Move your hand back to shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension. 5. Move your hands back under your chest, forming the triangle with your hands. Lower yourself to the floor, pause for a moment then press your body completely off the ground until your arms are at full extension.
Benefits: Challenges your pecs, delts and triceps from many different angles.
Use it: Perform three sets of this staggered-placement push-up.
Swiss Ball Pushup
Start: Position a Swiss ball centered directly under your chest. Lay your palms on the ball about shoulder-width apart, arms extended and shoulder width apart, your legs fully extended behind you, your weight balanced up on the balls of your feet.
Execution: Slowly lower your body toward the ball for a full, three-second count. Without bouncing off the ball, press your body back up in a controlled manner for a three-second count.
Benefits: This exercise concentrates on stability and balance while targeting deltoids, triceps and pecs. The instability of the ball also places a major emphasis on the core.
Use it: Perform three sets of 15-20 reps.
Kettlebell Pushup
Start: Position two eight-pound kettlebells on the ground, the handle of each kettlebell laying flat on the ground. Place your palms on the tops of the kettlebells, arms extended and shoulder width apart, your legs fully extended behind you, your weight balanced up on the balls of your feet.
Execution: Slowly lower into a deep chest stretch, taking three seconds on the way down. Pause briefly at the bottom, then press your body back up in a controlled manner, again taking a full three seconds.
Benefits: This is an extreme stability exercise focusing on forearm strength, biceps, delts, triceps, pecs, lower back and abs. For an added challenge, substitute 6-8-pound rubber medicine balls for the kettlebells.
Use it: Perform three sets of 10 reps.
Group these exercises together for a total-service, upper-body routine, or use one or more of these exercises for a finishing pump on chest day.
