How to Improve Push-Up Workouts
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Low point of a Swiss ball pushup
Do off-balance push-ups. For these, you are going to need a Swiss ball. Place your hands on the ball about shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be about hip-width apart. Slowly lower yourself down until your chest lightly touches the ball, then push back up. - 2
Midpoint of a seated military press on a Swiss ball
Strengthen your shoulders. The shoulders are an important muscle group when doing push-ups. You can strengthen them by doing seated military presses. Sit on a ball with dumbbells in your hands at about shoulder level. Press them above your head until your arms are almost locked out, then slowly lower them back to the starting position. Keep your palms facing forward the whole time and stop the dumbbells about an inch away from each other when you lift them. - 3
A BOSU balance trainer waiting to be used
Get out the BOSU. A BOSU is a functional training tool that looks like a Swiss ball that has been cut in half. It has an inflated-dome side and a flat side. To improve your push-up workouts, hold on to the edges of the BOSU and perform push-ups with the dome side facing down. Since it is off balance, it will recruit more muscle fibers in the chest and core. It will also increase your stabilization. - 4
BOSU runners in progress
Do BOSU runners. These are also done with the dome side down. Come into a plank position with your hands on the sides of the BOSU. Hold the plank as you alternate bringing your knees up toward your chest. You are basically running in a horizontal plane. - 5). Do handstand push-ups. These are very hard, but they can really improve your push-up workouts. Stand about 2 feet in front of a wall. Place your hands on the floor and flip your body over against the wall so your feet are touching it. Your body should be straight and have a slight angle to it. Now perform push-ups.
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Starting point of a pike push-up
Throw some pikes into the mix. Pike push-ups put a lot more emphasis on the upper body and back. To do them, start in a plank position. Now walk your hands back as you lift your hips up in the air. Come to a point where your body is in about a 90-degree angle. Slowly lower yourself down toward the floor, then push back up.