How to Get Better at Push Ups
Push ups can be frustrating. On one hand they’re a simple exercise, no equipment required and something that many people believe they should just be able to do.
You can get away with bad push ups for a long time too.
Eventually, poor technique will halt your progress. Whether your shoulder starts to feel aggravated you’ve plateaued and can’t tack on many reps, it’s likely that both strength and technique are your issue.
Here’s a checklist to make sure you’re doing everything to build the strength and technique required for big set of perfect push ups.
They should be hard but not too hard.
Reaching failure is a sure fire way to slow progress down. We want you to use variation that is challenge to get the reps done, but not impossible leading to frequent misses. When you train your body to fail, it doesn’t adapt as well. Whatever the goal reps are, always try to leave one or two more reps ‘in the tank.’
Frequency
If push ups are really on your mind, talk to your coach and add in an additional day to get the reps in. One day should be hard, grinder reps and the other day should be an easy volume building day. Maybe on Monday you do eccentric only reps, building up some time under tension and on Friday you do hands elevated push ups to get some smooth reps in and groove your technique.
Place a premium on accessory movements.
A push up is just a plank where you bend your arms. Really lock in your plank technique, grip the ground, engage your glutes, breathe purposefully and realize that the more robust you are here, the better transfer over to push ups.
Mobilize those wrists.
If your wrists are really stiff, it can place more pressure on your shoulder while doing push ups. Stretching them out prior to your set can make a significant difference. Sometimes this is all it takes to unlock better technique.
Even if you were to never get a push up on the floor, chasing one is a worthwhile training pursuit to build total body strength, awareness and control.
Justin Miner
@justinminergain
