The Most Underrated Exercise
The press-up has been dismissed by gym-goers as a beginner exercise — something you do before you graduate to the bench press. This is a mistake. A strict, full-range press-up performed with a controlled tempo is a demanding exercise for anyone. More importantly, it is one of the only exercises that can be performed anywhere, at any time, with no equipment whatsoever. Thirty years of training and I have never stopped doing press-ups. They have a permanent place in any serious programme.
How to Perform It Correctly
Place the hands slightly wider than shoulder width, fingers pointing forward or very slightly outward. The body forms a straight line from the top of the head to the heels — not a sagging mid-section, not a raised backside. Lower the body until the chest is an inch from the floor, elbows at roughly forty-five degrees from the torso. Hold briefly at the bottom, then press back to the starting position. The core should be braced throughout as if bracing for a punch. Every repetition should look identical. If the form deteriorates, stop. Partial press-ups with poor form are worse than fewer repetitions done correctly.
The Plank Position is Everything
The biggest mistake in the press-up is treating it as an arm exercise. It is a full body exercise. The core must be tight, the glutes must be squeezed, the body must be rigid. A press-up with a sagging middle is not a press-up — it is a lower back injury in progress. Before attempting a single press-up, hold a plank for thirty seconds. If you cannot maintain a rigid plank position, you are not ready to add the pressing component. Build the foundation first.
Progressions and Regressions
If full press-ups are not yet achievable, elevate the hands on a bench or step — the higher the hands, the easier the movement. Progress by gradually reducing the height of the surface until the floor is reached. From full press-ups, progress to decline press-ups — feet elevated — which shifts more load to the upper chest and shoulders. Wide grip press-ups emphasise the chest more. Close grip press-ups — hands shoulder width — emphasise the triceps. Diamond press-ups — hands together beneath the chest — are an excellent tricep exercise.
Programming
Three to five sets. The rep range varies depending on the goal and the individual. Beginners working toward ten strict repetitions should treat it as a strength exercise. More advanced trainees can use it for higher repetitions — twenty to thirty — for muscular endurance and as a finisher at the end of a session. The press-up is also one of the finest outdoor training exercises available. Park, garden, playing field — no equipment required. Two hundred press-ups in a session, spread across sets, is not an unreasonable goal for someone who trains consistently.
