How to Perform Feet-Elevated Band-Resisted Pushup
Take your upper body workouts to the next level with Feet-Elevated Banded Resisted Pushups! This powerful and effective bodyweight exercise is not only great for building strength but also helps increase shoulder mobility. This movement involves doing a standard pushup with your feet elevated on a box or bench, while holding onto resistance bands that pull the chest down toward the floor. Doing this variation of the pushup challenges all muscles in the upper back, shoulders, arms, and core more intensely than regular push-ups. The primary muscles worked during this exercise include the pectoralis major (chest), anterior deltoid (front of shoulder), triceps brachii (back of arm), and core stabilizers. Benefits: In addition to building muscular strength, it can also help improve shoulder stability through a greater range of motion as you stretch against the band's tension during each rep.
Instructions:
- With the power of your arms, feel the strength in your muscles as you lower yourself down with the grace of a Greek god! Push through, keeping your chest proud and firm, with your shoulder blades squeezing together like two rival suitors.
- Let gravity pull on you with all its might, but let nothing pull you out of position. Keep your abs engaged and ribs tucked in, as if a drill sergeant is standing behind you!
- Don't forget to stay strong on the way back up, pushing like Poseidon against the tide and spreading those shoulder blades apart as if they are wings ready to take flight. At the top, feel your shoulders pulled down away from your ears like Atlas pushing the world off them!
- Throughout, keep those hips and spine in a straight line – no rotations allowed! Keep your core engaged and feel the power of Hercules coursing through you as you conquer this exercise.
Equipment needed: All that is needed for this move is an elevated surface such as a sturdy chair/bench/box and one set of looped resistance bands.
How it changes you aesthetically: By performing this exercise, you'll not only strengthen your muscles and stabilize your shoulders; it will also help to tone the muscles in your upper body. With these results, you can expect a more toned chest, shoulders, arms, and core with visible definition.
Sports it carries over to, and other contexts in life where it could be helpful: This exercise can be beneficial for athletes of all sports. It is also a great way to get strong and increase shoulder stability, which can help with everyday activities such as pushing furniture or carrying heavy items.
Distinctions between this and other pushups: One of the unique things about this exercise is that you are able to use the resistance bands to add extra resistance and increase the difficulty. This can help take your strength and muscular endurance to the next level, as well as challenge your core more than a standard push-up. It also has the added benefit of stretching out the chest muscles during each rep, which can help improve shoulder mobility.
Tips and modifications: To make this exercise easier, you can reduce the tension of the bands or lower your feet further away from the box/bench. For a more advanced variation, increase the resistance on the bands and elevate your feet higher up on the box/bench.