A while back I shared this article on 5 exercises that will improve your ability to perform push-ups. Once you master the fundamentals, the sky is the limit.
Here are 5 advanced and innovative push-up variations you might not have tried.
#1) Russian Push-Up Bear Crawl Combo
This advanced push-up variation involves combining a Russian push-up and bear crawl.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Position your hands so they are slightly closer together than during regular push-ups. In the bottom position, your elbows and upper arms should remain tight to your sides.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor.
- At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel to the floor, press your body backwards and touch your forearms to the floor. As you are doing this, bend your knees, pike your hips a bit and get into a bear crawl.
- Then pull your body forward and perform the reverse movements so your elbows are directly over your wrists and forearms are in a vertical position.
- Complete 4-10 reps of this, then press to the top position of the push-up.
- As you are performing these movements, do not sink into your shoulders, and do not allow your body to collapse towards the floor.
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Chaos Push-Ups
This exercise strengthens the chest, shoulders and triceps, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a resistance band across a squat rack. Make sure the band is extremely secure. Obviously this is very important. Choose a height that allows you to perform the exercise correctly.
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a stacked position.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement.
- In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists. Do not allow your elbows to flare out. In the bottom position, your body should resemble an “arrow,” not a “T”.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel (or slightly closer) to the ground, press up and return to the starting position.
- When you are pressing your body away from the surface and are returning to the top position, protract your shoulder blades. Think about spreading your shoulder blades apart, and moving them around your ribcage. Do not keep them pinned.
- Exhale after you have pressed away from the band and as your body is returning to the top position of the push-up.
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.
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#3) 360 Push-Up
My form here is a work in progress, but it’s good enough to share.
Coaching Tips:
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Position your hands so they are shoulder width apart or slightly wider. At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement.
- In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position. Do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel (or slightly closer) to the floor and as you are pressing up, if you are turning to the right you want to pick up your left foot and bring it across your body.
- Then you want to push off your feet and perform the 360. This will take a lot of practice and coordination.
- Land as softly as possible, and maintain proper push-up form.
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or ribcage to flare.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#4) Feet Elevated Long Lever Push-Ups + Band Resisted Psoas Marches
This push-up strengthens the triceps and psoas muscles, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. This is a push-up, but there is a LOT of core.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet, and elevate your feet against a wall. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position. Your body should be roughly parallel to the floor.
- Place your hands so they are well ahead of your shoulders, and place your hands so your thumbs and second fingers are touching. Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor.
- Now bend your elbows and completely touch your forearms to the floor, then extend your elbows and press back to the starting position. Do not let your elbows flare out.
- Then lift one foot off the wall and bring your knee in towards your torso. Return your leg and foot to the starting position with control.
- In the top/starting position, press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blades (move them away from your spine and around your ribcage). Don’t mindlessly hang out.
- Maintain a 360 degree brace, and keep your glutes engaged (on the side(s) that is in contact with the wall).
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Weighted Russian Push-Ups
This advanced push-up variation absolutely torches the triceps! Start out using bodyweight only before you attempt to add any weight.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a weight on your mid/lower back. Do not place the weight on your shoulder blades.
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Position your hands so they are slightly closer together than during regular push-ups. In the bottom position, your elbows and upper arms should remain tight to your sides.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor.
- At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel to the floor, press your body backwards and touch your forearms to the floor.
- Then pull your body forward and perform the reverse movements so your elbows are directly over your wrists and forearms are in a vertical position. Then press back up to the starting position.
- As you are performing these movements, do not sink into your shoulders, and do not allow your body to collapse towards the floor.
- Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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