3 Ways To Increase Your Push-Ups (In Just 30-Days!)

Cori Lefkowith, of “Strong at Every Age”, shows us how:

Pushing it up

A lot of people who struggle with push-ups will do make-it-easier modifications; doing them one one’s knees is a popular one, for example. However, more reps of a modified push-up only makes you stronger at that modification, not at the full push-up.

So, how to get around this problem?

Three ways:

1. Cluster sets: do 3–5 rounds at the start of your workout; set a target of 6–10 total reps per round, and do 1–3 reps of the hardest variation you can, resting 15–30 seconds between mini-sets until the round is complete (rest for at least a minute between rounds).
2. Slow eccentric push-ups: for 3–5 seconds, focus only on lowering yourself down, then reset at the top. This lets you train harder variations and build control even if you can’t push back up yet.
3. Push-up holds: hold the push-up at weak points (e.g. bottom, halfway, or top—whatever it is for you) to build slow-twitch tension and improve your form (so that you no longer find yourself wobbly). This helps develop mind–muscle connection, which in turn helps pretty much all other parts of this endeavor.

For an extra upwards push, you can combine these three ways with incline push-ups. As a very strong general rule, it’s almost always better to push towards harder variations rather than higher reps of the same easier version.

Why “almost always”? Well, if you’re doing some push-up challenge and specifically want to do very many reps for the sake of it, then building rep count will be what you want. But for anything that’s not “high reps for the sake high reps”, the above method will stand you in better stead.

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Want to learn more?

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Take care!