Explosive Push-ups
How to do Explosive Push-ups?
Explosive push-ups, also known as plyometric push-ups, are a high-intensity variation of the traditional push-up that focuses on explosive power and fast-twitch muscle fiber engagement. This exercise involves pushing off the ground with enough force to lift your hands off the floor, providing a full-body challenge that enhances strength, speed, and muscle endurance.
Explosive push-ups are an excellent addition to any workout routine for building upper body power, strength, and endurance. Whether you’re an athlete looking to improve performance or simply want to challenge your body with a dynamic movement, this exercise offers a high-intensity, full-body workout that can be scaled for any fitness level.
Steps to Perform a Proper Explosive Push-up
1. Starting Position:
• Begin in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels. Engage your core and glutes to maintain proper body alignment.
2. Lower Your Body:
• Inhale as you bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the ground. Keep your elbows close to your body or at a 45-degree angle. Lower your body until your chest is just above the floor.
3. Explosive Push-off:
• As you exhale, push through your palms with maximum force to propel your body upward. Your hands should lift off the ground as you push. If you’re advanced, you can add a clap mid-air for extra difficulty.
4. Controlled Landing:
• As your hands return to the floor, land softly by slightly bending your elbows to absorb the impact. Ensure your body remains in a straight line and your core stays engaged.
5. Repeat:
• Perform the desired number of repetitions, maintaining power and control in each push-off.
Benefits of Explosive Push-ups
• Builds Explosive Power: By incorporating a fast, forceful push-off, explosive push-ups help develop power in the chest, shoulders, and triceps, improving performance in sports and functional movements.
• Improves Muscle Endurance: This exercise requires quick, repetitive contractions, helping to improve upper body endurance and stamina.
• Engages Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers: Explosive push-ups recruit more fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for power and speed, making this an excellent exercise for athletes.
• Enhances Core Strength and Stability: Maintaining a strong plank position while performing explosive movements requires significant core engagement, leading to improved stability and balance.
• Increases Cardiovascular Fitness: The fast, dynamic nature of explosive push-ups elevates your heart rate, providing a cardiovascular challenge in addition to strength training.
• Boosts Overall Athletic Performance: By building explosive strength and power, this exercise helps improve performance in various athletic activities, such as sprinting, jumping, and lifting.
• Functional Strength Development: Explosive push-ups simulate powerful, real-world movements that enhance functional strength, benefiting activities that require quick, forceful actions.
Tips for the proper execution of Explosive Push-ups
Controlled Landing: Focus on landing softly to prevent injury to your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. Keep your elbows slightly bent as you land to absorb the impact.
Core Engagement: Keep your core and glutes engaged throughout the movement to maintain proper body alignment and prevent sagging or arching in the lower back.
Powerful Push-off: To get the maximum benefit from this exercise, push off the ground with as much explosive power as possible.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower your body and exhale forcefully as you push off the ground. Proper breathing helps maximize power output.
Start Small: If you’re new to explosive push-ups, begin by lifting your hands just a few inches off the ground, and gradually increase the height as you build strength and confidence.
Muscles worked when doing Explosive Push-ups
Primary Muscles:
•Chest: Pectoralis major and minor
•Shoulders: Anterior deltoids
•Triceps: Triceps brachii (back of the arms)
Secondary Muscles:
•Core: Abdominals and obliques (for stabilization)
•Lower Back: Erector spinae (for spinal support and stability)
•Legs: Quadriceps and glutes (engaged to maintain body alignment and add power to the movement)
•Forearms and Wrists: Stabilizers that control the landing and prevent injury
Primary Muscle(s):
Forearm
Middle chest
Secondary Muscle(s):
Anterior delt
Triceps
Lower back
Abdominal
Equipment needed for Explosive Push-ups
No equipment needed for this exercise.
Adjust the difficulty of Explosive Push-ups
How to make Explosive Push-ups harder?
How to make Explosive Push-ups easier?
How to make Explosive Push-ups harder?
To make Explosive Push-ups harder:
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Add a Clap: Add a clap in mid-air after you push off the ground to increase difficulty. This requires more explosive power and coordination.
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Increase Push-off Height: Focus on pushing off the ground with more force to increase the height of your hands during each rep. The higher you push, the more challenging the exercise becomes.
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Weighted Explosive Push-ups: Wear a weighted vest or place a small weight plate on your upper back to add resistance, making the push-off more challenging.
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Plyometric Variations: Try more advanced variations like “Superman” push-ups, where your feet also leave the ground, engaging more of your body.
How to make Explosive Push-ups easier?
To make Explosive Push-ups easier:
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Perform Explosive Knee Push-ups: Keep your knees on the ground to reduce the load on your upper body, allowing you to focus on the explosive movement with less intensity.
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Small Explosive Push-offs: Instead of lifting your hands far off the ground, perform smaller explosive push-ups where your hands barely leave the floor. Gradually increase the height as your strength improves.
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Incline Explosive Push-ups: Place your hands on an elevated surface (such as a bench or step) to reduce the intensity while still performing the explosive push-off motion.
