This week I am sharing 5 unique pressing exercises you can do from home. These exercises require minimal equipment.
#1) Band Resisted Overhead Presses From L-Sit
This exercise strengthens the shoulders, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Sit on the floor, fully extend your knees, and plantarflex your feet (point them away from you). Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Place a band under your glutes, and hold onto the band in either hand. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise, and the resistance should be even on both sides.
- Now lift your feet and legs from the floor, and lean back a slight amount.
- Before each rep, 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.
- Now extend your elbows and perform an overhead press. Do not perform the movement by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, excessively shrugging your shoulders, laterally flexing your spine, or a combination of the above.
- In the top position, your arms should resemble close to a straight line, and your biceps should be in close proximity to your ears. Pause for a count and gain control.
- Now lower your arms to the starting position with complete control.
- In the bottom position, your elbows should remain at approximately a 45-60 degree angle with your torso.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from hip to hip.
- Aside from your arms and shoulder blades, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position for the duration of the exercise.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Tall Kneeling Single Arm Overhead Presses With Hanging Jug + Isometric Press
This exercise strengthens the shoulders, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (on the pressing side), shoulder and scapular stability (on the isometric pressing side), and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a weighted object to a resistance band. The band adds in an element of instability to the exercise.
- Get into a tall kneeling position.
- On the non-pressing side, make a fist and put your hand against a wall (or other solid surface), and so it is around the height of your armpit. Push your body away from the surface and protract your shoulder blade. Think about moving your shoulder blade away from your spine and around your ribcage. For the duration of the exercise, maintain this pressure against the surface, and scapular 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.
- Now extend your elbow and perform an overhead press. Do not move the object overhead by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, excessively shrugging your shoulder, laterally flexing your spine, or a combination of the above.
- In the top position, your arm should resemble close to a straight line, and your biceps should be in close proximity to your ear.
- Now lower your arm to the starting position with complete control.
- In the bottom position, your elbow should remain at approximately a 45-60 degree angle with your torso.
- Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from leg to leg.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#3) Band Resisted Single Arm Presses From Bear Crawl
This deceptively tough exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (on the side that is moving), and stability (on the side that is planted).
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band under one foot, and hold the band in the hand that is on the same side of your body.
- Get into a bear crawl position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Place your thighs so they are in a vertical position, bend your knees, and keep them a few inches above the floor.
- Your shoulders should be above your hands. Spread your fingers and pretend you are suctioning them 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.
- Now extend your elbow and perform an overhead press. Do not perform the movement by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, excessively shrugging your shoulders, laterally flexing your spine, or a combination of the above.
- In the top position, your arm should resemble close to a straight line, and your bicep should be in close proximity to your ear. Pause for a count and gain control.
- Now lower your arm to the starting position with complete control.
In the bottom position, your elbow should remain at approximately a 45-60 degree angle with your torso. - Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned. It is meant to move.
- On the planted side, do not mindlessly hang out. Press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribs to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.
- Aside from your arm and shoulder blade, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position for the duration of the exercise.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#4) Single Arm Assisted Couch Push-Ups
This exercise strengthens the chest, shoulders, triceps, and serratus, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (and stability on the planted side), and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Place one hand on a couch, wall, or other surface. On the other side, get into a push-up position, and 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.
- Adopt your preferred foot width.
- At the top of the push-up, on the side that is performing the push-up, your shoulder, elbow and wrist should be in a relatively stacked position.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hand and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hand 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, and squeeze your glutes.
- Now perform a push-up.
- On the side that is performing the push-up, descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blade. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blade towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement.
- In the bottom position, on the side that is performing the push-up, your elbow should be positioned over your wrist. Do not allow this elbow to flare out.
- On the side that is performing the push-up, once your upper arm is approximately parallel (or slightly closer) to the floor, perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not let your lower back hyperextend, ribs flare, torso, spine or hips rotate, weight shift from foot to foot, or hips pike or collapse.
- Use as little assistance from the supporting side as possible.
#5) Feet Elevated Side Plank + Band Resisted Single Arm Presses
This innovative exercise improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility (and stability on the planted side), and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Elevate your feet up a wall.
- Place a resistance band under one foot, and hold the band in the hand that is on the same side of your body. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Get into a side plank position on your hand. Unlike during regular side planks your hand should be ahead of your shoulder as this will allow you to drive your body into the wall. Otherwise your feet will slide down the wall. Avoid this position if it bothers your shoulder, or other joints.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hand and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hand 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, and squeeze your glutes.
- Now extend your elbow and perform an overhead press. Do not perform the movement by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, excessively shrugging your shoulders, laterally flexing your spine, or a combination of the above.
- In the top position, your arm should resemble close to a straight line, and your bicep should be in close proximity to your ear. Pause for a count and gain control.
- Now lower your arm to the starting position with complete control.
In the bottom position, your elbow should remain at approximately a 45-60 degree angle with your torso. - Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned. It is meant to move.
- On the planted side, do not mindlessly hang out. Press your body away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- Aside from your arm and shoulder blade, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position for the duration of the exercise.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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