Chest

Explosive Push Ups

Explosive push-ups are a dynamic variation of the classic push-up and are particularly suitable for athletes looking to improve their explosiveness. During the exercise, the body is pushed upwards so powerfully during the upward movement that the hands briefly leave the ground. This primarily trains the chest, triceps, and front shoulders, while also increasing speed strength and explosiveness.

Explosive Push Ups - the correct execution

  • Start in the push-up position
  • Place hands shoulder-width apart
  • Make sure core is firm and push lower back out (PPT)
  • Bend the elbows and lower the chest towards the floor
  • Explosively press back into push-up position
  • Release your hands from the floor for a short time with extended arms

The exercise Explosive Push Ups is intended to be used as a hypertrophy exercise.

Which muscles are trained by Explosive Push Ups?

Primary trained muscles for Explosive Push Ups

  • Chest - The pectoralis major muscle is the large muscle on your chest. It helps you bring your arm towards your body and rotate it inward.

Secondary trained muscles for Explosive Push Ups

  • Triceps - The triceps brachii muscle is located at the back of your upper arm. It extends your arm at the elbow and also helps move the arm backward.

  • Front Delts - The front part of the deltoid muscle, also known as the anterior shoulder, is located at the front of the shoulder. It is primarily involved in the forward movement of the arm, such as lifting the arm forward. It also assists in the internal rotation of the arm. This muscle is engaged in activities that involve lifting objects in front of the body or pushing forward.

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Similar exercises to Explosive Push Ups

Chest

Push Ups on the rings

Ring push ups are an excellent exercise for the chest muscles. Since the rings move freely in space, the chest can be stretched and contracted more effectively during the push up. In other words, we have a greater range of motion compared to regular push ups on the floor. Additionally, we have observed that many people who experience shoulder pain with push ups on the floor can perform push ups on the rings without pain.

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Kneeling Push Ups

Kneeling push-ups are a simplified version of classic push-ups, where the knees stay on the ground to reduce intensity. This exercise strengthens the chest, triceps, and shoulders and is especially suitable for beginners or as a gentle reintroduction after an injury.

In addition, kneeling push-ups are an excellent preparatory exercise for regular push-ups: anyone able to do more than 20 clean reps can progress to the next level, negative push-ups. This helps build a solid foundation for gradually transitioning to classic push-ups.

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Cobra Push Ups

Cobra push-ups are one of the simplest push-up variations for beginners. They’re even easier than knee push-ups, as the movement involves pushing up in a way that resembles a cobra rising. The name comes from the way the upper spine lifts first, followed gradually by the rest of the body—much like a snake raising itself. A common myth suggests that this movement is a sign of improper form. While that may be true if done unintentionally, here it is a purposeful technique and therefore correct. A similar back position can also be seen in the ring cobra stretch.

Cobra push-ups are thus an excellent introductory exercise for beginners learning classic push-ups, while also promoting flexibility and strengthening the lower back.

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