Sample Chest Workout...

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Chest And Shoulder Workout...

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The Mighty Mouse Push-Up...

Here's one we filmed in 2008. And the how to is right here.

Gotch Ups (Revisited)...

Here's an exercise that we posted back in late 2009 and thought it was good enough to post twice. It's inspired Mr Karl Gotch and is a tough exercise requiring dexterity and upper body strength.

1. Stand to one side of a dip bar (or other suitable frame) and grab hold of the bar. Your training partner stands a few steps behind you and holds your feet/ankles at about waist height.



2. Lower your hips to the ground and feel the stretch in your chest and abs.



3. Contract your core and at the same time pull up so your chest is just above the bar and your arms bent.



4. Push away from the bar whilst raising your proud posterior in the air and unfortunately in your training partners face (or fortunately depending on how fond you are of your training partner).

5. Rinse and repeat.

Hindu Push-up...

The Hindu Push-up has its roots in Indian exercise culture and through the ages it's been a staple exercise of Indian wrestlers.

The move is similar to the divebomber push-up but instead of bending your arms to return you back to the start position you raise your hips up.

It's an all round exercise that promotes back flexibility and hits every major muscle group with particular emphasis on the chest, triceps and shoulders. As well as offering a great full body workout, if done at a fast pace Hindu Push-ups can be a great cardio workout.

1. Spread your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and place your hands on the floor in front of you, also slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Raise your behind up in the air and look backwards towards your feet whilst keeping your legs and arms straight. Your body should make an inverted "V" shape.

2. Bend at your elbows and swoop down in a controlled descent. First your forehead, then face, then chest, then abs should pass about an inch over the floor finishing with your arms locked out and straight.

3. Keep your arms straight whilst you raise your hips back into the inverted "V" position.

Here's a video of the movement.

Dip Tip...

To work your chest more when dipping change the angle of the move by curling your legs back so your body makes a crescent moon shape!

Dip deep till you feel a slight stretch in the shoulders then push up maintaining the same curl.

Rapper Does One Hand Push-Ups...

Rhymefest smacks it with this funny video but unfortunately the songs not really our cuppa cha! 6 outta 10 for the song but 11 outta 10 for the vid!!!

One Arm Push Up Progression. Stilettos Optional...

The one arm push up is a chaff separating feat, a chest beating act of a warrior, a physical metaphor for the struggles life throws at our gate or simply a good ole party trick (ridicule will ensue when slamming your face into the floor so perfect first).

Step one in mastering the one arm push up is to try it from an elevated position. This could be first a wall, then something slightly lower say a bike rack, then go lower with say a chair and so on and so forth.

Make sure you keep your body tight and braced throughout the move and do not let your hips sag down or stick up. The key to the one arm push up is to spread your feet shoulder-width apart and keep tension in your non-pressing arm and your lats, the wing type muscles either side of your back. The non-pressing arm should be holding the back of your thigh or laid across the small of your back.

Step two in mastering the one arm push up is mastering the position. Assume a slightly wider than shoulder-width two arm press up position. Your legs should also be wider than shoulder-width to balance the body. Place one arm on the back of your thigh or small of your back and tense. Feel the cross-tension through the body which goes from the pressing arm, across to the opposite leg. Get used to the amount of pressure required to maintain balance.

Hold this position for as long as is comfortable and if you wish add a weighted rucksack to make it more challenging.

(pic taken from Kettlebag)

When you feel you have developed enough strength step three is the one arm push up proper. At this point you can throw on your stilettos then assume the same position in step 2. If need be when pressing turn your torso and legs away from the pressing hand to make the move easier. Remember to maintain tension in the non-pressing arm and your lats.

Here's the finished product stilettos and all...

Wheelbarrow Walking...

A classic bodyweight exercise that works the chest, shoulders, triceps and abs.

1. Get into an elevated press up position with your feet/ankles in your partners hands.

2. Walk forward with your hands whilst your partner follows.

Tip - Bracing your core so that you minimise your body's rocking from side to side will work your abs more.

The Pisa Press...

Ify from London in Pisa.

Get your fizzYcaL tees here!

Donkey Dips...

Inspired by the Shakespearean thespians of a "Thugworkout" these jazzed up dips will blast your pecs and fry your abs.





Tip -
(1) On your way down lean forward and curl your legs back so you make a crescent moon shape. This will put loads of emphasis on your chest.

*NB* Please consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme.

Gotch Ups...

Inspired by Mr Karl Gotch (see yesterday's video update). The Gotch up is a tough exercise requiring dexterity and upper body strength.

1. Stand to one side of a dip bar (or other suitable frame) and grab hold of the bar. Your training partner stands a few steps behind you and holds your feet/ankles at about waist height.



2. Lower your hips to the ground and feel the stretch in your chest and abs.



3. Contract your core and at the same time pull up so your chest is just above the bar and your arms bent.



4. Push away from the bar whilst raising your proud posterior in the air and unfortunately in your training partners face (or fortunately depending on how fond you are of your training partner).

5. Rinse and repeat.

Bodyweight Training Progression and ConditioningDaniel

I like weight training but I have a particular love for bodyweight training and feel that its effectiveness is often underrated because of how one progresses and adds intensity.

With bodyweight training one needs to know a catalogue of increasingly complex moves or needs to exercise a little creativity to up the intensity and progress. The same does apply to weight training but often one simply increases the weight.

The best exercise to illustrate bodyweight variation/progression is the humble push-up. There are many variations of the push-up which should be explored.

Since the beginning of last year I’ve posted a few push-up variations - Push Chair Crunch Chair, Mighty Mouse Push-Up, Shapeshifters, Uneven Push-Ups, Dog-Pee Push-Ups, Washing Machines and Brokeback Mountys

And I’ve been meaning to post a vid showing the many push-up type exercises you can do but stumbled across ConditioningDaniel’s smartly put together collection.

He’s got 29 variations and my personal favourite is the Towel Push-up. Checkout the vid, make sure to favourite it and throw some of them push-ups into your workout armoury.

femme fizzYcaL - Zuzana

I've had divebombers on my to-do list of workouts to post but stumbled across Zuzana's video and Ladies and Gents, especially Gents I can't top this! The divebomber is a great alternative to the standard push up and works your shoulders and entire chest.

For more of Zuzana and her workouuts and tips checkout her website http://www.bodyrock.tv/ and youtube channel.

Dog Pee Push-Up/Press-Up

For this exercise I've spent the last few months in the park studying the hound at play.

Much to the disapproval of their ignorant, narrow minded handlers I'd liberated myself of clothing, gone native and enjoyed hours running wild and free at one with my canine companions.

The toughest of my daily challenges was the stability and strength required to relieve myself and mark my territory. Though challenging, this cathartic experience gave birth to the dog pee push-up.

The dog pee push-up will work the chest mainly but also your core, hips, glutes, shoulders and improve hamstring flexibility.

Tip - (1) If your hamstrings are too tight for this use a wider than shoulder width stance or first squat down and caterpillar your way back and forth.

*NB* Please consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme.

Uneven Press/Push Ups

A few people have been asking how I do the Shapeshifters so easily. The best way to work up the strength is to do Uneven Press/Push Ups.

Again these will work your chest, shoulders and core effectively!!

Remember to rinse and repeat on the other side.

Tip -
(1) Because the shoulders are in a slightly more vunerable position than in normal press/push ups don't go to failure.

*NB* Please consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme.

Shapeshifters

These are an evil beast of an exercise and the last couple of reps if you can do any will have even the biggest most strongest-est person screaming "Mummy"!!!!

Not only do they hit mainly the chest and shoulders but they also hit the lats/back and core.

Tip -
(1) The best way to work up to these is to start off with uneven press/push ups with books or a brief case under one hand.

*NB* Please consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme.

The Mighty Mouse Push-Up / Press-Up

(Rinse & Repeat this on the other side)

This is a beast of an exercise that'll mainly strengthen your chest and abs but also your shoulders (delts) and back (lats).

Tips -

(1) Make sure to tilt your pelvis up to prevent your back from sagging. If your back sags your core isn't strong enough so try doing it with your knees on the ground.

(2) Having a slight bend in your rolling arm helps to do The Mighty Mouse Push-Up / Press-Up.

*NB* Please consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme.

Push Chair Crunch Chair

This exercise hits every major upper body muscle and of course the abs.

The Push Chair Crunch Chair (sorry couldn't think of a quirky catchy name) is a real beast of an exercise that will develop not only your chest and abs but also your triceps, biceps, shoulders and back.

The cruch part of the exercise if done on thick carpet is intense but well worth the effort if you want nut cracking abs!!

Tips -

(1) Too increase the intensity on your chest try to go as deep as is comfortable between the chairs.

(2) Before you start to crunch your abs to bring your legs forward make sure to tilt your pelvis up to stop your back sagging. If your back sags too much that means you've gone farther than your midsection can cope with.

(3) Imagine your abs are a wet sponge and when you get to the top of the movement try to squeeze all the water out.

(4) Make sure the chairs you use are strong and sturdy.

(5) Make sure that immediatley behind the roller chair there is a wall or something really strong and sturdy to stop it from rolling away on your way back.

*NB* Please consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme.

Donkey Dips

Inspired by the Shakespearean thespians of a "Thugworkout" these jazzed up dips will blast your pecs and fry your abs.

Tip -
(1) On your way down lean forward and curl your legs back so you make a crescent moon shape. This will put loads of emphasis on your chest.

*NB* Please consult a doctor before starting any new exercise programme.