8. Classic Pushup
Pushups activate a chain of muscles—particularly in your arms, shoulders, chest, and back—that are key for everything from getting up off the ground to shoving something heavy into the back of an SUV. The humble pushup beats the bench press for developing this functional push strength because the pushup doesn’t take your back and legs out of the movement.
Technique
- Start in a plank position, holding the spine neutral, no sagging.
- Stabilize the shoulder joints by pulling shoulder blades down toward your heels (this is fundamental to all push-and-pull exercises).
- Place hands so that when you drop, your nipples line up with the base of your palms. Lower until your chest touches the ground.
Advanced Move
- Bosu Pushups: To engage your core even more, add an unstable surface to your pushup with a Bosu ball. With the round side down, grab the handles at the edge of the flat disk and do pushups as described.
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