5 Unique Core Exercises For Better Push-Ups And Pull-Ups

The push-up is a moving plank, and the pull-up is a moving “slight hollow body.” Despite the fact I’ve been shouting this from the rooftop for YEARS, countless people of all fitness levels, ages, and genders overlook this!

In order to excel at push-ups and pull-ups you need to be able to keep your torso, spine, and hips in a relatively fixed position for the duration of the exercise. This will allow you to perform regular push-ups and pull-ups with ease, and will help you progress to performing more advanced variations. This is also true with muscle-ups!

While many people have ample upper body strength, they lack lumbo-pelvic stability so they cannot perform push-ups and pull-ups using proper form, or the reps feel WAY tougher than they should!

Here are 5 unique core exercises that will improve your ability to do push-ups, pull-ups, and also muscle-ups. I bet you haven’t tried many of these before!

#1) Chaos Plank + Kicks

This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular 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 elevate your ankles on the band. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels.

Your shoulders should be directly above your hands. Spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning them to the floor.

Brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze/flex your glutes.

While keeping your knees relatively extended, perform kicks against the band. While doing so, aim to keep the rest of your body as still as possible. This will be challenging.

For the duration of the exercise, push away from the floor/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blades (move them away from the spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.

#2) Prone Band Resisted Psoas Marches On Stability Ball

This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability and shoulder and scapular stability, and strengthens the hip flexors.

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band around your feet, and put your hands on a stability ball.

Adopt your preferred foot width. You may place your feet so they are together, shoulder width apart, or somewhere in between. The farther apart your feet are, the more stable your base will be.

Your shoulders should be directly above your hands.

Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels.

Spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning them to the ball.

Brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze/flex your glutes.

Now lift one foot off the floor and bring your knee in towards your torso. Return your leg and foot to the starting position with control.

Reset and repeat using the opposite leg, or perform all reps on the same side before switching legs.

For the duration of the exercise, push away from the ball/towards the ceiling and protract your shoulder blades (move them away from the spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.

#3) Advanced TRX Serratus Slides Bear Crawl Combo

This exercise strengthens the serratus muscle, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a bear crawl position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.

Place your thighs so they are in a vertical position, bend your knees, and keep them a few inches above the floor.

Adopt your preferred foot width. You may place your feet so they are together, shoulder width apart, or somewhere in between. The farther apart your feet are, the more stable your base will be.

Place the straps of the TRX around your forearms and bend your elbows to about 90 degrees. Your forearms should be parallel in width.

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/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze/flex your glutes.

Before you perform the “slide” and extend your arms, lightly and deliberately press your body away from the straps of the TRX and protract your shoulder blades. Think about spreading your shoulder blades apart and moving them away from your spine and around your ribcage.

Now, extend your arms and slide them towards a wall/ceiling. As you are doing so, simultaneously extend your knees. During this component of the exercise your shoulder blades should upwardly rotate and protract. Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned.

Once you have hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position. As you are doing so, your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movements as they did when you were extending your arms.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position (and in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels when your legs are fully extended). Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps.

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#4) Dead Bug Pallof Press Combo

This exercise develops lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. This exercise is both anti-extension and anti-rotation in nature. In this exercise, your body will be perpendicular to the point of attachment of the band.

Coaching Tips:

Lie on your back on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Loop a resistance band around a secure surface and hold the band so your hands are above your chest. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and your body should be perpendicular to the point of attachment of the band.

Lift your legs so your thighs are vertical, fully extend your knees, and maintain this position for the duration of the exercise, or keep your knees bent at 90 degrees. For most individuals, I recommend keeping the knees bent.

Keep your neck in a neutral position, chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt). You may either elevate your head a few inches, or keep it on the floor.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine).

Now steadily exhale through your mouth, contract your core muscles, slowly lower your leg towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. While you are doing this, simultaneously extend your arms and perform a Pallof press.

Return your leg and arms to the starting position. Stop when your elbows come into contact with your body.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps per side (of the leg lowering).

#5) Hollow Body Hold + Band Resisted Lat Push-Downs

This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. While the resistance isn’t too significant, this exercise strengthens the lats.

Coaching Tips:

Attach a resistance band around a secure surface and slide a dowel through the band. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and the resistance should be coming from behind you.

Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Lift your head and neck so they are several inches above the floor. Keep your chin tucked and neck in a neutral position. If this bothers your neck, you may rest your head on a yoga block/other object.

Grab onto the dowel, and adopt your preferred hand width.

Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, fully extend your knees, and point your feet away from you (plantarflex).

Brace your core muscles (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).

Now slowly lower your legs towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form (and feel your core muscles). Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.

While keeping your body in a fixed position and elbows relatively straight (but not hyperextended), lower your arms and the dowel behind you, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Once you hit your end range, really contract/flex your lats, and press the dowel down towards your thighs. Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.

Return your arms and the dowel to the starting position, and repeat for the target number of reps.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps.

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