We all agree that the push-up is a great exercise. But if your routine consists of just doing as many reps as possible, you aren’t getting the most you can out of this movement.
Take your ground game to the next level with the following 5 routines. Some are merciless muscle tests, and others are just plain fun, but they’ll all help you get more on the floor—than ever before.
SINISTER STAIRCASE
Why it works: Performing an ascending ladder—in which you add one rep of an exercise every round—forces your muscles to work longer and harder while battling fatigue, says Andy Speer, C.S.C.S., co-owner of SoHo Strength Lab in New York City.
Speer recommends doing two movements that work opposing muscle groups—like your chest and your back—during a ladder. That’ll give each set of muscles a brief chance to rest while the other one works, so you can crank out even more reps.
Do it: Alternate between the push-up and supine floor slide (watch the video below to see how to perform the movement with perfect form).
Do one push-up, and then immediately flip over on to your back and perform one floor angel. Without resting, perform two push-ups and two floor angels. Repeat this process until you reach 10 reps of both exercises. Each week, try adding one more “rung” to your ladder.
LETHAL LOWER
Why it works: Performing just the lowering portion of an exercise causes more muscle damage than the lifting phase.
In order to repair the damage, your body builds stronger, bigger muscle fibers, according to BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S.
Do it: You’ll do 12 reps of the push-up. For each rep, take 3 to 5 seconds to lower your chest to the floor.
When you reach the bottom, rest your knees on the floor, and then push up with your arms so you’re on all fours. Then return to a full push-up position by straightening your leg, and prepare for you next rep.
THE LONG GAME
Why it works: When you do a normal push-up, the floor stops your chest from going any further. Your muscles are working along a fixed range of motion.
But when you hold a push-up at an extended range of motion—past where your chest would normally stop—you’re stretching your pec muscles under load, says Speer.
Doing this can incite a process called hyperplasia, which causes new muscle fibres to grow at the ends of the muscle.
“It’s an often overlooked area to add total volume to the muscle,” he says. (Note: If the extended range of motion hurts your shoulders, skip this routine.)
Do it: Get into push-up position, but place your hands onto two low boxes or medicine balls, instead of the floor.
Perform 10 reps in a row, and then hold your arms so your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle for 10 seconds. Without resting, perform as many reps in a row as possible, and then hold your arms so your elbows are bent at an angle just below 90 degrees for 10 seconds. (About halfway between your previous position and the floor.)
Finally, do as many reps as possible in a row, and then lower yourself so your chest hovers just above the floor. Hold for 10 seconds.
Do this no more than once a week. (If you feel any painful pulling or tugging around your joints, stop immediately.)
THE PEC POPPER
Why it works: Performing plyometric exercises—or explosive movements—at the end of your workout helps to zero in on your Type II muscle fibers, the ones that have the greatest potential for growth, says Speer.
“When you completely fatigue all of your muscle fibre—Type I and Type II— during your workout, and then attempt a fast, explosive movement, your muscles are forced to fire your Type II fibres,” he explains.
Do it: Perform 10 reps of plyometric push-ups by pressing up from the down position so explosively that your hands leave the floor. Land softly each time.
Once you’ve done 10 reps, rest for 30 seconds.
Next, do eight reps, and then rest for 30 seconds. Finally, complete six reps, and then rest for 30 seconds.
Work up to higher rep ranges by adding one push-up to each set over your next five workouts. Do this one to two times a week.
Note: You’ll want to stay at top speed for the biggest payoff. If you start to slow down, rest 5 to 10 seconds before continuing.
MAIN SQUEEZE
Why it works: Squeezing your arms together in front of your body maximally engages your chest muscles throughout the entire rep, says Gaddour. This will help you hit often-neglected muscle fibres at the outer edges of your pecs.
Do it: Grab a pair of dumbbells and place them longways next to each other so both hands of each dumbbell are touching each other.
Grip the dumbbell handles (your palms should be facing each other) and squeeze them together as hard as you can while performing a push-up.
Do push-ups this way for a minute straight. Never stop squeezing the dumbbells together. After one minute of work, rest for one minute. That’s 1 round. Repeat 3 to 5 more times.
