Push-ups (advanced variations)
There are many advanced variations of push-ups, so this workout includes a few options in order of increasing difficulty and you can use other variations if you know ones that work better for you.
These all start like regular push-ups with your arms straight and your weight on your hands and feet. Focus on keeping your abs tight and your body as straight as possible from ankles to shoulders. Stop if you feel pain in your back or if your low back cannot stay straight.
In a basic push-up, you bend your arms to lower your body towards the ground as far as you can control the movement. Then push your body away from the floor until your arms are straight, but not locked.
The first variation involves an additional movement at the top of the push-up. After extending your arms to the top position, keep one arm/hand where it is and start lifting your other arm and slowly rotating your torso until your hand is pointing towards the ceiling. In this position, your body should resemble a “T” with your arms being the top of the “T.” Then slowly return to the starting position and perform the next push-up with the other hand on the ground during the rotational movement.
The second variation is an advanced version of having your hands closer together and puts a lot more stress on your arms. In this version, start with your hands close enough that the index finger and thumb of one hand tough the index finger and thumb of your other hand. In this position, the space between your hands should form a triangle or diamond shape. Then perform the regular push-up movement. If you have any elbow or other arm problems, it’s probably best to avoid this variation.
If you can’t perform the movement without falling to the ground, it most likely means the position is too challenging for your stabilizer muscles. If this happens, continue working on other push-up variations and core stabilizer (ab, back, etc.) exercises. Perform up to 15 reps and breathe out when you are pushing away from the ground.
Safety Note: Push-ups can be hard on the wrists, so if they feel uncomfortable, you can use a different hand position. A common change is to perform push-ups on your knuckles instead of having your hand flat on the ground. A more advanced option is to perform them on your finger tips, but this is tough on the fingers. You can also use padding, such as a towel to make them more comfortable. Use whatever option feels best to you.
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