Zombie push-ups are a very advanced push-up, and happen to be one of my favourites. They are a great serratus strengthener as well.
When it comes to push-ups (and really, anything you do), once you’ve owned the fundamentals and have mastered the basics, the sky is the limit!
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet.
- Unlike regular push-ups where you are on your forefeet, the tops of your feet (laces) should be in contact with the floor.
- Position your hands so they are slightly closer together than during regular push-ups.
- 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 (draw them together).
- 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 to the floor, unlike during Russian push-ups where you press your body backwards and touch your forearms to the floor, you will press your body backwards but will not touch your forearms to the floor. Your feet should glide along the floor during this component.
- In the end position, your elbows should be fully extended, and your hands should be well ahead of your shoulders.
- Once you hit your end range, 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 top/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.
- When you are pressing your body away from the floor and are returning to the top position, think about spreading your shoulder blades apart and moving them away from your spine and around your ribcage.
- 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, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
If you are looking for more advanced push-ups to learn, or if you want to master regular push-ups and troubleshoot form mistakes (I linked 5 different articles), check out this article I wrote a while back.
10 Advanced Push-Ups You Can Learn
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