Push-ups are the manliest and most foundational muscle exercise for your upper body. They’ve been transforming boys into men since the dawn of physical fitness. You don’t find anything about their benefits (i.e., they need no equipment, they’re great for the entire upper body, etc.) — you already know all that, right! Instead, I’ll be explaining the question, “Why is it that even though push-ups provide amazing results, in the start, but you stop seeing any serious progress after a few months?” 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
No more soreness, no new muscle gains…you don’t actually feel as if you’re becoming or looking any stronger. All you get is an improvement in repetitions (reps), and that’s the problem. Most of you can do too many push-ups after a specific point. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
But you might question, “Isn’t that good? Isn’t doing extra repetitions (reps) is a sign of progress?”
Well, it depends. If you’re attempting to break the Guinness push-up record, then the answer is yes. But, if you want to get a stronger and more distinguished body, it’s clearly the wrong way to do them. Here’s the point: if you can do more than 25 repetitions (rep’s) in any strength-related exercise, it only means that its concentration is not challenging enough for you anymore. You’re not inciting your body muscles to any serious degree, and that’s why you’re not growing any more muscle and strength. All you’re doing is building stamina and some strength at pushing yourself up and down on the floor. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
To solve this problem you have to get a break free from your old boring and conventional push-ups and try some variation. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
So, What Push Up Variations Can You Do?
There are five push up modifications that will build sober strength. Even the heavy lifting bench pressers will feel like they have the strength of a nine-year-old girl when attempting to do these for the first time.
Band-Resisted Push Ups
Band assisted push-ups are usually supported as a way of adding push-ups to your exercise plan if you still can’t do bodyweight reps. Reverse this round, and band resisted push-up is a method of kicking your butt once you notice bodyweight reps too easy. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
Grab one end of the band in each hand and loop it over from your upper back, then do your push-ups as you would normally. These have the added benefit of improving the load at the back as the band tightens, which develops triceps activation. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
Incline Extended ROM Push Ups
Like band supported push ups, common incline push-ups are an easy-going variation. That is until you extend the area of motion. Think of the dumbbell press – you get a much larger range of motion (ROM) with these as opposed to simple bench presses, as your chest doesn’t come in the way of the exercise. The same is true of push ups – if you try to go low, your chest will hit the floor before you’ve reached your full ROM.
This problem is resolved with incline extended ROM push-ups. You can use push up handles, dumbbells, or any other equipment you like, but kettlebells are favourite of most of the peoples. These put you a fair way off the ground, implying you can get a bigger ROM, plus they add a small element of instability. While this isn’t as much instability as doing push-ups on gym rings would add, the fact you don’t have to bother too much about balance suggests you can focus on getting a better mind muscle connection. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
Band Resisted Extended ROM Push Ups
Add The Band resisted and Incline Extended ROM push-ups together and you get a new set of push-ups that’ll help you in getting bigger and stronger. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
Drop Push Ups
Drop push ups are an excellent way to teach your nervous system how to use maximum force. They also look super cool. By dropping from the box onto the floor, you reduce contact time with the ground, pushing your muscles and central nervous system to act quickly, and exert a high amount of force in a pretty short space of time. Just like powerlifters do dynamic effort variants of deadlifts, squats, and bench presses to enhance their speed, power, and ultimately strength on the big three, drop push-ups work in a comparable way.
They also act as a unique activation exercise. Do a simple set of three to five drop push-ups before a massive set of bench presses. These get your nervous system superior and your chest muscle firing, indicating you can do heavy bench press. As with all plyometric workouts, your focus should be on quality, not quantity, so put the sets short, and stop the exercise when you feel you’re not going as quickly. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
Offset Close Grip Push Up Combo
The offset close grip push-up combo or OFCG push-up places extra stress on your triceps but is a lot more exciting and challenging than your usual close grip push-ups. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
Put a kettlebell on its side on the floor, and begin with your right hand on it, and left hand out to the side on the flat ground. Do a push-up like this, then put your left hand on the kettlebell too, do next push-up, then take your right hand off on the floor, and do the next rep. Keep switching around like this, and do as many reps as you can.
Instead of going for a specific number of reps and sets, these work better going for time. Set a stopwatch for 25-30 seconds and go as quickly as you can. 5 Ways to break free from boring push ups
Note* – If you want to challenge your body even further, wear a weighted vest.
Conclusion – Hopefully, push-ups don’t look so boring now, and they surely shouldn’t seem so easy. Dumbbell presses, Bench presses, and dips are all still wondrous exercises, and no training system should be complete without them. But if you want a switch from your regular exercises, need a way to break through these basic exercises.
Not only push-ups but many other bodyweight exercises like squats, dips, pull-ups can be modified to challenge your body.
