We all agree that the pushup is a great exercise. But if your routine consists of just doing as many reps as possible, you aren’t getting the most you can out of this movement. Take your ground game to the next level with the following 8 routines. Some are merciless muscle tests, and others are just plain fun, but they’ll all help you get more on the floor-than ever before. First, make sure you’re performing a pushup with perfect form. Why it works: Performing an ascending ladder-in which you add one rep of an exercise every round-forces your muscles to work longer and harder while battling fatigue, says Andy Speer, C.S.C.S., co-owner of SoHo Strength Lab in New York City, and creator of The Anarchy DVD Workout. Speer recommends doing two movements that work opposing muscle groups-like your chest and your back-during a ladder. That’ll give each set of muscles a brief chance to rest while the other one works, so you can crank out even more reps.
Do it: Alternate between the pushup and supine floor slide (watch the video below to see how to perform the movement with perfect form). Do one pushup, and then immediately flip over on to your back and perform one floor slide. Without resting, boost endurance perform two pushups and two floor slides. Repeat this process until you reach 10 reps of both exercises. Each week, try adding one more "rung" to your ladder. Why it works: Performing just the lowering portion of an exercise causes more muscle damage than the lifting phase. In order to repair the damage, your body builds stronger, bigger muscle fibers, according to BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S., creator of THE 21-DAY METASHRED, Titan Rise Male Enhancement a cutting-edge workout program that’s scientifically designed to blast fat and define every muscle in 21 days. Do it: You’ll do 12 reps of the pushup. For each rep, take 3 to 5 seconds to lower your chest to the floor.
When you reach the bottom, rest your knees on the floor, and then push up with your arms so you’re on all fours. Then return to a full pushup position by straightening your leg, and prepare for you next rep. Why it works: When you do a normal pushup, the floor stops your chest from going any further. Your muscles are working along a fixed range of motion. But when you hold a pushup at an extended range of motion-past where your chest would normally stop-you’re stretching your pec muscles under load, says Speer. Doing this can incite a process called hyperplasia, which causes new muscle fibers to grow at the ends of the muscle. "It’s an often overlooked area to add total volume to the muscle," he says. Do it: Get into pushup position, but place your hands onto two low boxes or medicine balls, instead of the floor.
Perform 10 reps in a row, Titan Rise Health and then hold your arms so your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle for 10 seconds. Without resting, perform as many reps in a row as possible, boost endurance and then hold your arms so your elbows are bent at an angle just below 90 degrees for 10 seconds. Finally, do as many reps as possible in a row, and then lower yourself so your chest hovers just above the floor. Hold for 10 seconds. Do this no more than once a week. Why it works: Performing plyometric exercises-or explosive movements-at the end of your workout helps to zero in on your Type II muscle fibers, the ones that have the greatest potential for growth, says Speer. "When you completely fatigue all of your muscle fibers-Type I and Type II- during your workout, and then attempt a fast, explosive movement, your muscles are forced to fire your Type II fibers," he explains.