Updated November 21, 2014.
The simple, unassuming push up is a fitness king. If you only have one "go to" upper body and core exercise in your bag, this one will provide benefits for years to come. But even this perfect exercise can become tedious and routine. So if you want to liven up your push ups, here are a few of the many varieties you can mix into your push up rotation.
Simple modifications make it easier for beginners to get started, and some modifications offer a challenge to even the fittest athlete. Check out the difficulty level, and start where you are.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to spice up the push up exercise:
Level of Difficulty: Basic
The standard push up is the place to begin your push up journey. If you can't yet complete this exercise with perfect form (no sagging or arching) then keep at it until you can do 10 perfect push ups. There is no point adding a lot of variety to this one until you have mastered the basics. More »
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
This variation adds core stability as well as a modified range of motion during the basic push up movement. Roll the medicine ball between each hand after a reps and add a new balance challenge.More »
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
This variation has you perform a push up while holding the handles of two dumbbells. At the top of each push up, stabilize your core, and add a lat row. Alternate one lat row on the right and left side after each push up and you have nice 'push-pull' upper body workout. This modification increases the intensity of the exercise, activates the core stabilizers and engages the latissimus dorsi (back) muscles.
Tip: Spread your feet wider for more stability, and use lighter dumbbells until you have good form.More »
Level of Difficulty: Advanced
If you want to add some core stability work start with a basic plank hold on an exercise ball, and then progress to stability ball push ups. This variation of the push up increases the difficulty and effectiveness of the standard push up. Adding the balance requirement takes some practice an good core strength, so make sure you can do about 20 basic push ups before trying these.More »
Level of Difficulty: Advanced
This a variation increases the difficulty significantly by placing your feet higher than your hands. Raising your feet up a bit slightly changes the angle of movement, providing a slightly different range of motion. This minor change works the muscles in a whole new way. The decline push up is one of many different ways you can modify a push up, so go ahead and add it to your workouts once a week or so?More »
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Done properly, this becomes a compound exercise that uses muscles in the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and even the legs. Start by selecting dumbbells of a light enough weight that you can perform 10 overhead presses with solid form. The key to this exercise is to perform a push up while holding the dumbbell handles, step (or jump) forward into a squat and then perform an overhead press. Check the proper technique on YouTube.More »
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Dolphin push-ups are a Yoga move the will strengthen your abs and arms, and increase your shoulder stability and range of motion. Check out the video for pointers on progression and safety.More »
Level of Difficulty: Easy
This modification of the basic push up allows you to slowly progress until you get strong enough for basic push ups. You can start by doing push ups against a wall, a table or a sturdy chair. Stand several feet away from the object you are using and use the same push up technique as above to lower yourself until the elbows are 90 degrees and then raise back up. Keep you core tight the whole time.
Level of Difficulty: Easy
This is a modified version of the standard push up performed on the knees rather than on the toes. Be sure to keep the knees, hips and shoulders all in a straight line; most people have a tendency to bend at the hips as though you are bowing, but this is incorrect technique.
The basic push up is universally recognized as an excellent measure of upper body strength and endurance. For this reason, the push-up test is an essential part of military (Army, Navy, Air Force) and law enforcement (police and firefighter) physical fitness testing. If you want to ace your upcoming test, here are a few pointers for doing more push ups.More »
The simple, unassuming push up is a fitness king. If you only have one "go to" upper body and core exercise in your bag, this one will provide benefits for years to come. But even this perfect exercise can become tedious and routine. So if you want to liven up your push ups, here are a few of the many varieties you can mix into your push up rotation.
Simple modifications make it easier for beginners to get started, and some modifications offer a challenge to even the fittest athlete. Check out the difficulty level, and start where you are.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to spice up the push up exercise:
1. The Basic Push Up
Level of Difficulty: Basic
The standard push up is the place to begin your push up journey. If you can't yet complete this exercise with perfect form (no sagging or arching) then keep at it until you can do 10 perfect push ups. There is no point adding a lot of variety to this one until you have mastered the basics. More »
2. Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
This variation adds core stability as well as a modified range of motion during the basic push up movement. Roll the medicine ball between each hand after a reps and add a new balance challenge.More »
3. Push Up Lat Row
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
This variation has you perform a push up while holding the handles of two dumbbells. At the top of each push up, stabilize your core, and add a lat row. Alternate one lat row on the right and left side after each push up and you have nice 'push-pull' upper body workout. This modification increases the intensity of the exercise, activates the core stabilizers and engages the latissimus dorsi (back) muscles.
Tip: Spread your feet wider for more stability, and use lighter dumbbells until you have good form.More »
4. Stability Ball Push Ups
Level of Difficulty: Advanced
If you want to add some core stability work start with a basic plank hold on an exercise ball, and then progress to stability ball push ups. This variation of the push up increases the difficulty and effectiveness of the standard push up. Adding the balance requirement takes some practice an good core strength, so make sure you can do about 20 basic push ups before trying these.More »
5. Decline Push Ups
Level of Difficulty: Advanced
This a variation increases the difficulty significantly by placing your feet higher than your hands. Raising your feet up a bit slightly changes the angle of movement, providing a slightly different range of motion. This minor change works the muscles in a whole new way. The decline push up is one of many different ways you can modify a push up, so go ahead and add it to your workouts once a week or so?More »
6. Push up to Overhead Press
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Done properly, this becomes a compound exercise that uses muscles in the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs and even the legs. Start by selecting dumbbells of a light enough weight that you can perform 10 overhead presses with solid form. The key to this exercise is to perform a push up while holding the dumbbell handles, step (or jump) forward into a squat and then perform an overhead press. Check the proper technique on YouTube.More »
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7. Dolphin Push-Ups (video)
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Dolphin push-ups are a Yoga move the will strengthen your abs and arms, and increase your shoulder stability and range of motion. Check out the video for pointers on progression and safety.More »
8. Incline Push Up
Level of Difficulty: Easy
This modification of the basic push up allows you to slowly progress until you get strong enough for basic push ups. You can start by doing push ups against a wall, a table or a sturdy chair. Stand several feet away from the object you are using and use the same push up technique as above to lower yourself until the elbows are 90 degrees and then raise back up. Keep you core tight the whole time.
9. Bent Knee Push Ups
Level of Difficulty: Easy
This is a modified version of the standard push up performed on the knees rather than on the toes. Be sure to keep the knees, hips and shoulders all in a straight line; most people have a tendency to bend at the hips as though you are bowing, but this is incorrect technique.
10. How to Do More Push Ups
The basic push up is universally recognized as an excellent measure of upper body strength and endurance. For this reason, the push-up test is an essential part of military (Army, Navy, Air Force) and law enforcement (police and firefighter) physical fitness testing. If you want to ace your upcoming test, here are a few pointers for doing more push ups.More »