Upper Body Strength Training Made Simple
Upper Body Strength Training Made Simple
A closer look at the humble push-up
Upper body strength can be a trouble spot for many females and for certain sports and high-performing professions, it is essential. Focusing on upper body strength training also “builds a base” of functional capacity and stability surrounding the shoulder joint and the core muscles of the upper back (scapular muscle complex) which lends stability to the shoulder joint as we age. During the menopausal transition at midlife, muscle mass and power decline and the character of tendons and ligaments changes leading to less stability within the shoulder joint.
When we are in our reproductive years, there is a tremendous opportunity to optimize upper body strength and power to excel in sport and occupation, but also to build this base which will promote vitality and longevity into the later years.
One of my favorite upper body strengthening exercises is the push-up. It requires no equipment, can be done anywhere, and can be modified with numerous variations for any fitness level or limitation.
Anatomy of the Push-Up
The mechanics of executing the push-up require the recruitment of multiple muscle groups including the shoulder joint complex and core muscles of the upper back and mid-section. The complexity of this movement is what makes it an effective exercise for improving upper body strength and shoulder joint stability.
Picture credit: Quora
What to do and what NOT to do
It is critically important to do this exercise correctly, with sound mechanics to reap the most benefit and to avoid injury. I was unknowingly doing push-ups incorrectly for years and my shoulders paid the price! Fortunately, after a lot of time, patience, and hard work, I rehabilitated my shoulders and now they are stronger than ever! Don’t let this happen to you. Check out Push-Ups: 6 Common Mistakes (And How to Get Stronger) from WODprep.
The foundational movement is the strict push-up. However, there is a treasure trove of modifications derived from the strict push-up that provides options for any level of fitness of physical limitation. Below is an excellent video tutorial from the CrossFit archives that breaks down the mechanics of the strict push-up so that you can ensure that you are doing it correctly.
Push-up variations also target different muscle groups within the movement itself. For example, the hand-release push-up targets the muscles that are active at the lowest point of the movement - which is often the weakest point and the first to waiver during fatigue for many people - and that is pushing up from a position where the chest is resting on the floor.
Check out this read from The Professional Coach by CrossFit: A Fresh Take on the Lowley Push-Up. This article is for athletes and coaches alike covering a span of push-up options from beginner to more advanced proficiencies.
The Workouts
First things first: The warm-up. No matter what your age or fitness level, warming up the shoulders before doing push-ups is critically important for peak performance and avoiding injury. Some of my favorite exercises for warming up the shoulders are:
Y raises, T raises, Cuban Press, Scap push-ups
Banded Bully Series by The Ready State - This is a 3-part series that should be performed after warm-up exercises and before your workout begins. This helps with flexibility and optimizing range of motion.
Make it a habit to warm-up the shoulders for 5-10 minutes before your workout begins. This will go a long way in protecting you from injury and optimizing your performance!
Building Volume. The simplest way to build repetition volume and stamina with push-ups is to do them under time pressure. This simple, 8-minute accessory can be done anywhere, performed with other workouts, and can be progressed over time.
Select a push-up option that allows you to do 5 repetitions with excellent mechanics but becomes challenging by rep 4.
Set a timer for every 1 minute on the minute (EMOM) x 8 minutes.
Perform 5 pushups at the start of the minute. Upon completion, use any time remaining for rest.
As fatigue sets in, you may need to do short sets of 1 or 2.
Progression: Perform this exercise twice per week. Each week try to add 1 repetition (Ex- week 1: 5 repetitions per minute. Week 2: 6 repetitions per minute). Once you get to 10 repetitions per minute for all 8 minutes, select a more challenging push-up option and start the cycle again.
Building Volume 2.0. Another way to build repetition volume and stamina is a sequential repetition progression.
Select a push-up option that allows you to do 5 repetitions with excellent mechanics but becomes challenging by rep 4.
Set a timer for every 1 minute on the minute (EMOM)
Perform 1 push-up during minute 1. Then 2 push-ups during minute 2, then 3 push-ups during minute 3, and so on until you cannot perform the round of repetitions in the 1-minute interval.
Progression: If you can exceed 12 minutes, then select a more challenging push-up option.
Now that you have gained proficiency and stamina with your push-up option, we can add the complimentary movement to pushing, which is pulling!
Push-Pull. Here is another 10-minute accessory that incorporates both pushing and pulling and can be progressed in the same way as the Building Volume workout above.
Select a push-up and pull-up option where you can perform 5 repetitions with excellent mechanics but becomes challenging by rep 4.
Set a timer for every 1 minute on the minute for 10 minutes
Odd minutes: Perform 5 push-ups
Even minutes: Perform 5 pull-ups (if pull-ups are not accessible, substitute the barbell or dumbbell bent-over row.
Push-Pull-Jump. This segment incorporates pushing and pulling but adds cardiovascular fatigue
Select your push-up and pull-up options, again, selecting options where you can perform 5 repetitions unbroken with excellent form and become challenging by repetition 4.
Set a timer for 12 minutes and perform each movement sequentially for as many rounds of the three movements as possible (AMRAP 12) in 12 minutes. It is ok to break up sets with short rest intervals to pace yourself and complete the 12 minutes without tapping out:
10 push-ups
10 pull-ups
50 single-under jump rope (or 30 double-under jump rope). If no rope, substitute 7 burpees.
Your score is the total number of rounds/repetitions performed in the 12 minutes. Log your score and try this workout again in 3-6 months.
Level Up Your Push-Pull. This workout builds on the concept of pushing and pulling, but now incorporates a full-body movement called the Sumo Deadlift High Pull (SDLHP). This awesome workout appeared in the Performance Edge sister publication Athletic Aging and is summarized below:
Beginner
5 rounds for time
8 SDLHP - Two hands only/PVC pipe/broomstick
8 elevated push-ups
Intermediate
8 rounds for time
10 SDLHP (10-35 lb kettlebell, 25-55 lb weighted barbell)
12 hand-release/elevated/strict push-ups
Advanced
8 rounds for time
10 SDLHP (65# barbell)
12 hand-release push-ups
For the full workout warm-up, cool down, description, and movement video tutorials, check out his LINK.
So there you have it! Your guide to taking your upper-body strength to the next level! Good Luck!