Try These Advanced Push-up Options for a More Challenging Workout.
Push-ups are great, but when you can do 25 or more exercises perfectly, it’s time to cheer them up. Try adding elastic bands or other heavy objects or doing any of these tricky options for fun and challenging push-ups.
But before you start, make sure your form looks good. Even if you are using a simple body weight, you can seriously injure yourself without paying attention to the technique. This STACK article goes over the intricacies of good push-up technique ( like this one ), and dives into some simpler options that can help you achieve a full push-up.
Next, let’s start small. Remember, small changes can bring big results . Sometimes all you have to do is slowly perform the eccentric (downward) portion of the push-up. When you lower yourself in a regular push-up or any other variation, count to three crocodiles (one croc, two crocodiles …) and then try to forcefully return with all your might. Even if you end up doing slow push-ups, the urge to explode will cause your muscles to contract harder and generate better energy .
Simple hand mixing can make a difference. Sit narrower (like adiamond push-up ), wider, or evenwobble your arms (place one hand closer to the side of your belly).
Then, when you’re ready, these more challenging push-up options show you how to breathe life into push-ups and gain strength again.
Push-ups with an expander
Take any elastic band and wrap it around the middle of your back so that it is below your armpits. Make sure there is no slack in the strap. The point is to maintain enough tension to make it harder for you to complete the “top” part of the push-up.
Push-ups with extra heavy objects
The video above uses chains, but you don’t have to use them. Weights, sandbags, or even heavy textbooks that you can balance on your back can be a quick and easy way to put on weight and make push-ups harder again.
Push-ups on one leg
Surprisingly, simply raising the leg makes push-ups much more difficult. The challenge is to keep the hips from tilting and arching the lower back while focusing the weight on the other three limbs. Stay “tense” and keep in shape as firmly as if you were doing push-ups with both feet on the ground, but remember to alternate your legs. You may even find that you are better on one side than on the other.
Spiderman push-ups
After you learn to do one-legged push-ups, the next sequence is Spider-Man push-ups (shown in the second half of the video). Bring one knee out to the side as you go down and back as you go up again. You will work your obliques and hip flexors.
Elevation push-ups
Place your feet on a raised platform, such as a sofa or bench. By varying the angle of your body, you place different demands on your body, targeting a slightly different chest area and challenging your core’s ability to keep you balanced and stable. The video also showcases variations of one-legged push-ups and Spider-Man at this angle.
TRX push-ups
TRX is a trademark of special equipment that can be suspended from a high attachment point. Grasp the handles and tilt your body about 45 degrees. Suspension push-ups mean you are not only tense, but also struggling with shakiness and general instability.
Slideboard Push Ups
A towel on a smooth, smooth surface will also work. This option requires tremendous shoulder and core strength. I really recommend that you gradually move on to this. The more you extend your arm, the more difficult the task becomes, so it’s okay to start with the arm a little closer to your body first. As you build up your shoulder and core strength, you can move on and on.
Push-ups with the ball
Any ball with a weight will do; just make sure it’s big enough for you to comfortably hold the ball with both hands, and heavy enough to have a hard time hitting it with your face. The ball should be positioned directly under the middle of the pectoral muscles so that the middle chest touches the ball when lowering. Medicine ball changes the width of the grip and makes your body more unstable. This means that you will feel it stronger in your triceps and upper chest, and it will be harder for you to fight to stabilize yourself.
Push-ups with a ball on one hand
There are two main changes here: your overall grip will be wider than usual, and one hand is on the padded ball while the other stays on the ground. The advantage of this exercise is that the side with your hand on the ball will have a wider range of motion and will work harder. You can work one side at a time and switch; or alternating sides throughout the set.
Hindu push-ups
Hindu push-ups are another type of push-ups that can improve strength and flexibility in the shoulders, chest, arms, and hip flexors. When you lower it, the entire exercise should take place in one smooth forward motion. You target your triceps, upper shoulders, quads, hips, and chest at the same time. The host of the video, bodyweightlifestyle’s Joe, has clearly worked on this for a long time, so don’t expect your Hindu push-ups to look like his to begin with. First, you need to work on the flexibility of your hips, shoulders, and spine.
There are many options for push-ups , but instead of doing them all at once, figure out which ones will challenge you and help you get stronger with a small tweak to keep progressing over the long term.
Why push-ups are great – and five ways to make them harder | A heap