Upgrade Your Pushup

Force your pecs and deltoids to work overtime with this challenging twist on the classic pushup

 

Few exercises test core and upper-body strength as well as the front-loaded pushup. The reason: It shifts your weight forward, forcing your pecs and deltoids to work overtime to keep your body balanced, says BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S., creator of Men's Health new DVD fitness system 10-Minute Torchers. 

Here's how you do it: Assume a pushup position. Lower your chest toward the floor, but as you do, push your body forward (your hands should end up near your waist). Return to the starting position.

Once you can perform the move with perfect form, try this grueling challenge: Do front-loaded pushups for 30 seconds straight. Shoot for 10 reps during that time. That's 1 set. Do 3, resting 60 seconds between each set. Too easy? Elevate your feet against a wall, pause at the bottom of each repetition, or lengthen the set and shorten the rest.

Pushup Variations

“You’re five minutes late for PE! Drop and give me 20!”

Ever since you were a petrified 11-year-old, pushups have been used as a form of punishment. The penalty is well worth it. Pushups are one of the best overall upper-body exercises that exist. They’re a staple of numerous exercise programs, including CrossFit, martial arts and military fitness. Funny thing is, they're often overlooked by many modern fitness enthusiasts, perhaps due to their simplicity. How can something so basic be so effective? While pushups are associated with the chest and triceps, they also work the upper back, shoulders, and core. Your lats, traps and abs need to stabilise your pushing muscles, while your lower back, legs and glutes need to stay engaged to keep your hips from sagging or piking up too high.

Once the perfect pushup is mastered, there are infinite ways they can be modified to suit any fitness level. Try these pushup variations and incorporate them into your exercise program. The best thing about pushups are that they can be done anywhere, as long as there is some ground. And if you can’t find any ground, you better start learning the pull-up instead...