After finally joining the late majority and buying a knockoff 'Perfect Pushup' device, I figured it was high time to unlock some of the magic embodied in this push...up. Since pushups and pull-ups are perhaps the two best body weight exercises for complete upper body strength strengthening, it is only fair to dedicate a whole blog post as a way to pay our respect. Here is an abbreviated list with several ways you can vary your pushups and keep it fresh:
1. Old Fashioned: the most widely known pushup with arms a touch wider than shoulder width, so that when you lower, your elbows stack over your wrists.
2. Incline Pushups: do a pushup with your upper body elevated on a bathtub, bench or ball.
3. Decline Pushups: do a pushup with your legs propped up behind you on a bathtub, bench or stability ball.
4. Travel Pushup: similar the old fashioned, but after doing one, come back to plank, and cross the right hand over the left hand and then open the left up so that you have moved a few feet to the left. Do a pushup there. Then cross the hands again and push-up at center. Cross again farther to the right and do a push-up, then cross the hands and push-up in the center. Repeat to the left, center, right and center.
5. Close Hand Triceps Push-Up: put your hands much closer lined up under you shoulders and hug your elbows to your rips as you lower down. This will engage the triceps and shoulders more.
6. Spidermans: while doing a regular pushup, pull your right knee toward your left shoulder (same side) on your way down. Press back up and repeat on the right. This is great as well for the obliques.
7. Side Steppers: pushup into the plank with your left hand on top of a step or block. Do 20–30 baby push-ups here, then repeat with the right hand.
8. Knee Twist: Working you core, do a push-up and then twist your left knee toward the opposite (right) elbow. Push-up and repeat on the opposite side.
9. Diamonds: place your hands together just under your heart, which should form shape a diamond shape. Then do your pushup!
10. Side Plank Pushups: do a push-up and then do a side plank, balancing on your left forearm or hand, then push-up and plank on the right.
11. Glute Raise Pushups: do a pushup while you are balanced on your left toe, with the right leg lifted (keeping the knee straight) and then pulse it at the top of your move. Repeat while balancing on the right toe when finished.
12. Alternating Push-up: do a push-up using mostly your right are... then the left.
13. Row-ups: do a pushup while your hands are on two dumbells. When you are at the top of the pushup, lift the left weight off the floor and raise the left elbow to the sky (a row). Put the weight down and repeat on the other side.
14. Airplane Pushup: Do a normal pushup but lower yourself all the way to the floor and then extend you arms out to the sides so your body to form the letter “T.” Lift your hands, shoulders, head, knees and feet off the ground like Superman, balancing only on your belly. Lower yourself down and then return your hands under your shoulders to return to the pushup plank.
15. Down Dog Pushup: Put your hands a bit wider than shoulder width apart in plank. Raise your butt up so that your body forms and upside-down V with your head between you elbows. Bend your elbows so that your head almost touches the floor, and then return to starting position. This is also great for your shoulders.
16. Band Push-Up: Remember you can always always always throw in a pushup or pull up band to add an extra challenge as well as an ascending resistance.