A severe second wave of the Covid 19 is hitting India – gyms are shut, going out is proscribed. The only option left for working out is to do it at home. If you have access to weights and other equipment, then devising a training program is not difficult but what would you do if bodyweight exercises was the only option? Most people become bored of doing the same old pushups. Also, once you can hit 20 clean repetitions in a push up, it becomes more of an endurance exercise.
Here a Puh Up, there a Push Up
Progressive overload is the driving principle in the exercise science world. If you want strength and muscle size, then you have to create higher load on the muscle to force it to adapt. You can do this in bodyweight exercises by adding more sets and repetitions or you can do different and or harder variations! There is a limit to how many repetitions you can do for any bodyweight exercise. Doing the same pattern over a long(ish) period of time can lead to pattern overload and overuse injuries. But you don’t to fall into that trap and I am here to list many variations of the lowly pushup. Each of these different types of pushups can be scaled according to ability of the trainee.
•Wide Pushups: Hands are placed at twice the shoulder width. These can be made easier by doing them on the knees or putting the hands on an elevated surface – sofa, table or bed. They can be made harder by elevating the feet or taking one foot off the ground.
{{/usCountry}}•Wide Pushups: Hands are placed at twice the shoulder width. These can be made easier by doing them on the knees or putting the hands on an elevated surface – sofa, table or bed. They can be made harder by elevating the feet or taking one foot off the ground.
{{/usCountry}}•Narrow Pushups: Hands are brought in just inside the shoulders. Most people end up placing the hands too close and putting unnecessary pressure on the wrists. You can make these easier or harder by elevating hands or feet.
•Staggered Pushups: Place one hand high, close to the head and one hand under the shoulder. You should alternate hand positions in subsequent sets.
•Fingertip Pushups: These are great for building strength in the fingers, especially if you are interested improving your grip. The really hard core can do these on two fingers of each hand!
•Wrist Pushups: Place the back of your hands and crank out repetitions. These would have you using impolite language very quickly.
•Reverse Pushups: Place your hands with the fingers pointing towards the feet. This version of the push up really works the biceps.
•Handstand Pushups: Do a handstand against a wall. The feet lean against the wall. Now from this position do pushups. This is a bodyweight version of a standing shoulder press but with the added difficulty of being upside down and balancing your bodyweight on the hands. This version is for an advanced trainee and is not to be trifled with.
•Pike Pushups: This is an easier version of the handstand pushup. Put your feet on a bed or high chair and hands on the ground. Your upper body is at a 90-degree angle with the hips. Now do the repetitions. Pike pushups are fairly advanced and should be attempted till you have built some strength.
•Superman Pushups: These are also called LaLanne pushups, named after fitness fiend, Jack Lalanne, who popularized them. Both hands are placed high, the range of motion is pretty small but these are considered the hardest pushups to do.
•Explosive Pushups: These come in different varieties. From the simple clap push up, to the very advanced flying superman push up. In all the versions, the aim is to explosively push the body away from the ground. Chances of injury are high with these pushups so avoid doing till other forms have been mastered fully.
Technique, form etc
My recommendation is to take the time to learn the correct form. I see too many people doing pushups which look like fish flopping about on land. Keep in mind that the push up is a full body exercise. Not only are the pushing muscles like the chest, shoulder and triceps being worked, the core is also vigorously involved. The chest should come down to about 4 inches off the ground, the shoulders, hips, knees should maintain a straight line throughout the repetition. No matter which variation of the pushup being done, the form should not deviate. If tired, then reset and restart the set. There is no shame in accepting that a particular exercise is hard. After all, we are all works in progress. Now go and do it.
Kamal Singh is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who has been coaching for 15 years
From HT Brunch, May 2, 2021
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