Push-Up Variety

The classic push up is ubiquitous in gyms and rightfully so. It can improve dynamic force, joint stability, muscular recruitment, proprioception, neuromuscular coordination and upper body power to name a few benefits. This exercise need not be boring or feared for creating a shoulder protracted posture (a concern we’ve often heard). 

The explosive push up has excellent ecological validity as a test of upper body power (Zalleg et al. 2018), hence a great measure to gauge your fitness in this parameter.

Different forms of this ballistic exercise may catapult your upper body strength and power without placing excessive shearing forces on the musculoskeletal system. Using thick mats or soft boxes to land will reduce the impact and increase the stability demands. Try throwing in a medicine ball and/or different positions to further challenge yourself.