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Let’s get the damn hard push-up right.
The push up is an amazing all round arm exercise that targets all the superficial muscles in the arms. However not much intense work occurs in the biceps except when they need to flex the shoulder as you extend the elbow.
The trick is to get this movement done in such a way that the shoulder joint is smiling and happy. Most push-ups make the composition of the shoulder feel compressed and vulnerable. In fact, once you are able to do the correct push-up you will realize how much tension is created in all the wrong places with the ‘wrong’ push-up.
So what is the trick?
- You need a good serratus anterior
- You need a secure plank position with a small posterior tilt in the pelvis
- You need good neck alignment so that you don’t create an illusion of how deep you are bending.
- You need to get the feeling of pulling your C7 away from the floor as your elbows bend. This will encourage serratus Anterior to kick in before the movement starts.
- You need to feel serratus anterior activated on the lateral rib cage.
Imagine a flame is lit on the floor just below where your C7 is (Adams Apple). When you bend your elbows, the ‘Adams Apple’ must pull well away from the flame. Therefore you are lifting your torso off of your arms in order to activate Serratus Anterior.
FEELING: It is a feeling of lifting higher in the body as the elbows bend.
Now there is no loss of Serratus Anterior.
BE CAREFUL: DO NOT imagine the flame is at the sternum….why? Because when you want to pull away from the flame, you will be flexing your thoracic spine with dominance happening in the Pectoralis Major.
Do Not let the Pectoralis Major dominate the tricep push-up because you are encouraging less Serratus Anterior activation.
What is the most important scapular stabilizer? The SERRATUS ANTERIOR.
THE BONUS:
- Quicker muscle tone
- Strong stable shoulders
- Healthy shoulders in one of the worlds most popular arm exercises
- You won’t need loads of reps to achieve great results
It is not about how deep and how many you can do, it’s about HOW WELL YOU DO THEM!
THAT IS THE HEALTHY TRUTH!