I'm currently studying Physical Education and Health in university right now. The other day in one of our activity classes, we brainstormed as many different variations of the push-up. I thought I'd share my list with everyone since we all do push-ups. Feel free to add to the list.
-incline push-ups: you can put your hands on an exerball, this will add instability requiring more of your core muscles to stabilize your body
-decline push-ups: put your feet up on an elevated ledge making it harder and also requiring more of your anterior deltoids (front part of shoulder)
-elbows tight to body: using mostly triceps
-elbows wider apart: using mostly chest
-hands diamond shape placed above head: requires a lot of abs and core muscles
-one leg off the ground: hold one leg off the ground and perform push-up. Switch legs and repeat
Weight added push-ups:
-have a dumbell in each hand: do a push-up and then while balancing on one side do a one-arm dumbell row. Do another push-up and then do a dumbell row with the other arm
-add weight on back to add resistance: this can be also done with a partner pushing down on your back while you perform a push-up
Plyometric Push-ups:
-do a regular push-up but explode upwards and clap in the air
-do a push-up, and then walk up to a elevated ledge (like a bench or box), do a push-up on the incline, walk down and do a regular push-up, repeat
-like the one above but more explosive: do a push-up on the ground but explode upwards and land on the elevated ledge; do a push-up on the incline and then jump back down to the ground
-place RH on a medicine ball and LH on ground. Do a push-up and then roll the med ball to LH and do push-up. Repeat
Variation of hands:
-knuckle push-up: creates more instability because of decreased surface area (relative to palm of hand) and toughens up hands
-one-hand push-up: obviously harder
-finger-tip push-up: same as knuckle push-up as it creates more instability\
-incline push-ups: you can put your hands on an exerball, this will add instability requiring more of your core muscles to stabilize your body
-decline push-ups: put your feet up on an elevated ledge making it harder and also requiring more of your anterior deltoids (front part of shoulder)
-elbows tight to body: using mostly triceps
-elbows wider apart: using mostly chest
-hands diamond shape placed above head: requires a lot of abs and core muscles
-one leg off the ground: hold one leg off the ground and perform push-up. Switch legs and repeat
Weight added push-ups:
-have a dumbell in each hand: do a push-up and then while balancing on one side do a one-arm dumbell row. Do another push-up and then do a dumbell row with the other arm
-add weight on back to add resistance: this can be also done with a partner pushing down on your back while you perform a push-up
Plyometric Push-ups:
-do a regular push-up but explode upwards and clap in the air
-do a push-up, and then walk up to a elevated ledge (like a bench or box), do a push-up on the incline, walk down and do a regular push-up, repeat
-like the one above but more explosive: do a push-up on the ground but explode upwards and land on the elevated ledge; do a push-up on the incline and then jump back down to the ground
-place RH on a medicine ball and LH on ground. Do a push-up and then roll the med ball to LH and do push-up. Repeat
Variation of hands:
-knuckle push-up: creates more instability because of decreased surface area (relative to palm of hand) and toughens up hands
-one-hand push-up: obviously harder
-finger-tip push-up: same as knuckle push-up as it creates more instability\
