Best Push-up Tip

Immediately Increase Your Push-up Volume

You would be very surprised to know that even though push-ups are a very remedial exercise, most people perform them incorrectly.  In fact, push-ups are a very technical movement and there  are many tips that can help anyone perform push-ups better and more efficiently. And if you can master your push-up form, you will be able to not only build more muscle for your chest and triceps, you will be able to remain injury free while you begin to overload the horizontal pressing movement with dumbbells and a barbell.

When young athletes or new clients come into my program, the push-up is one of our body weight assessment indicators.

What do we look for when they perform push-ups?

Push-up Assessment

Issue 1:  Are the hips sagging or moving side to side?

Potential Problem:  Could be a core stabilization, tension or technique problem.

Issue 2:  Does their upper back collapse?

Potential Problem:   Upper back weakness, tension issue or technique problem.

Issue 3:  Is there head looking up?

Potential Problem:  Probably just a technique flaw.

Issue 4:  Do they favor one side or the other, i.e. don’t move in a straight up/down pattern?

Potential Problem:  Might be a shoulder issue, flexibility / mobility or technique issue.

Issue 5:  Are their elbows flaring out?

Potential Problem:  Might be a shoulder issue, flexibility / mobility or technique issue.

How to Correct the Bad Movement Pattern?

Step 1: Instruct client to perform the movement with no direction.  Do not give them any tips or cues, just have them do the exercise how they normally would do it.

Step 2: Give them feedback, show them what they did wrong and then show them the right way to perform the movement.

Step 3: Have them perform the movement again.

Step 4: Repeat Step 2 and remember that you will continue repeating Step 2 as long as this client trains in your program.  The assessment never ends and it is your job to continue to ensure they  perform exercises the right way. 

Awesome Push-up Tip

One of the tips I use is to engage the lats during the movement.

Creating tension in the lats and “pulling” yourself down, instead of just relaxing, will fix the majority of issues with the push-up.  It is a very simple coaching cue, but very effective.  You will see stability, volume (sets x reps) and strength immediately increase.  It is just a very useful cue.

Check out the video and try it out. I would love to hear your feedback!

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