The push-up, known as the Pike Push Up, looks like a mix of downward-facing dog and dolphin, and this move can build great strength.
This exercise can be used as a springboard for more difficult movements or as a goal to increase shoulder strength. The trick is to make sure we maintain proper technique to keep our shoulders healthy. Shoulder flexion is powerful. They require minimal equipment, allow us to move and challenge at our own pace, and are effective.
However, some functional muscle groups are more difficult to work with bodyweight alone, particularly for building overhead strength. The only exercise that really takes the place of a military shoulder press is a push-up, but since they’re so hard at first, we’ll master the Pike push-up and progress from there.
Keep in mind that if you can’t complete a set of “normal” push-ups, it’s best to slowly increase your strength before going too hard with push-ups.
How is it done?
This exercise is essentially a variation of a shoulder press that doesn’t require any sports equipment. However, like most bodyweight exercises, proper form and technique will dictate progression and results.
- To begin, we’ll get into a normal push-up position on the floor or mat. The hands should be directly below the shoulders and should be straight. The back is strong and the core is activated.
- Keeping the legs and arms straight, we will begin to walk with the legs towards the hands and we will raise the hips towards the sky, forming a “V”. If we can’t keep our legs and arms straight, it’s okay to allow a slight bend or start with some of the modifications.
- Maintaining this “V” position, bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle away from your body and let your head slide toward the floor or mat. The head should fall straight down between the hands.
- We will gently hit the head (or nose) on the ground, and then we will bring the elbows to the chest and stretch the arms. To protect ligament strain, it’s recommended not to lock your elbows completely on each rep, so allow for a slight bend.
- We will make sure to breathe slowly and smoothly, inhaling as we go down and exhaling as we push up.
Advantage
Shoulder curls have several health and muscle-building benefits. Therefore, it is recommended to include them in the weekly training routine.
Work multiple muscles
Fortunately, this exercise pays off, as it targets a bunch of essential, functional muscle groups. The main muscles targeted are the front deltoids (anterior deltoids) and the triceps (triceps brachii). The secondary groups are the pectorals (pectoralis major) and the middle delts (lateral deltoids). In addition to these basic groups, push-ups work a host of stabilizing muscles, including but not limited to the quads and obliques.
Balance and strength exercises like these are one of the most effective ways to strengthen your stabilizer muscles, all of which are important in enabling effective multiplanar motion and creating natural swing motion throughout your workout.
shoulder strength
The shoulders are the nerve center of the push-up movement, and the A-frame shape puts more emphasis on the shoulders than the chest (as in regular push-ups).
Shoulder strength helps with many everyday movements while reducing the risk of injury. It also helps protect the rotator cuff in other upper body movements.
Improves upper body strength
In addition to strength, maintaining proper form throughout this exercise builds muscular endurance, allowing you to hold or shift weight overhead for longer periods.
Both strength and endurance are important for activities like trimming tall trees, moving heavy objects overhead, and will also help performance in many sports like tennis and badminton.
Trampoline for harder self-loading exercises
Once we master pike pushups, we’ll have built the foundation for other awesome bodyweight exercises. The necessary balance and upper body strength are the stepping stone to achieving a perfect handstand, while the vertical pushing movement is practice for an even bigger challenge: push-ups or handstands.
They also benefit in the practice of yoga, by having more strength in the shoulders and wrists to support our body weight.
activate the core
It is core strength that is vital during this movement to keep us from losing balance and maintaining a straight spine. Engaging the core while also shifting the weight overhead makes shoulder curls a great exercise for functional movements.
Tips
Like most bodyweight exercises, if we use proper technique and form, the risk of injury is decreased compared to intense weight training. However, there are always things to keep in mind with each exercise to stay safe and efficient.
- Avoid staying inverted for too long – When we invert our body, blood rushes to our head, which can cause unwanted effects. If we start to feel dizzy or nauseous, we will come out of the pose for a few breaths before continuing.
- Strain – Shoulder injuries are no joke. We’ll be sure to stretch before and after these exercises to promote warm-up and recovery, prevent injury, and increase flexibility.
- Work on mobility : If we have difficulty stabilizing the body during this exercise, we will work on postures that develop strength. Working on regular push-ups or even staying in plank pose for an extended period will build muscle, engage your core, and build stability and mobility.
