Paused Push Up 101 Video Tutorial
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Overview
The "Paused Push-Up" is a challenging variation of the traditional push-up that primarily targets the chest while also engaging the abs, shoulders, and triceps as secondary muscle groups. This exercise involves pausing at the bottom of the push-up movement for a few seconds before pushing back up, which increases time under tension and enhances muscle activation. It requires no equipment, making it ideal for bodyweight training and can be performed anywhere. The added pause helps build strength, stability, and control, improving overall push-up performance and upper body strength.
How to Perform
Start by getting into a quadruped position on the floor. Place your hands directly under your shoulders, with your knees beneath your hips, and your toes tucked.
Slowly extend one leg at a time behind you, ensuring both legs are straight and your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Keep your elbows extended and your head in a neutral position, focusing your gaze on the floor.
Begin lowering your body by retracting your shoulder blades, keeping your core engaged to maintain a straight body alignment. Unlock your elbows as you descend.
Lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor or your chest gently touches the ground. Pause at the bottom for a predetermined amount of time, ensuring full control of your body.
Push through your palms to lift your body back up by extending your elbows, maintaining a steady and controlled movement.
Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions, keeping your body aligned and engaged throughout the exercise.
Tips
Start by positioning your body in a straight line, with your hands placed directly under your shoulders and feet together. Engage your core and ensure that your body stays rigid throughout the movement, similar to holding a plank.
As you lower yourself toward the floor, maintain a straight arm alignment, ensuring that your elbows don’t flare out too wide. The arms should form an arrow shape at the bottom, not a "T" shape.
Prior to descending, tighten your glutes and brace your core to keep your ribcage neutral, preventing any arching in your lower back.
Keep your chin tucked and your gaze downward, avoiding looking forward or upward. This helps maintain proper neck alignment.
As you push up, think about driving your palms into the floor while simultaneously imagining pushing your thumbs towards each other. This mental cue helps activate the chest muscles more effectively.
Focus on keeping your chest and nose touching the floor at the same time as you reach the bottom of the movement, avoiding letting your head protrude forward.
At the top of each repetition, push yourself as far away from the floor as possible, extending your arms fully while allowing your shoulder blades to move around your ribcage.
Complete each repetition fully, ensuring you don’t cut it short, to maximize the benefits of the exercise and achieve better chest activation.
Repeat for the desired number of reps, ensuring each movement is controlled and intentional.
How Not to Perform
Avoid letting your lower back sag: Don’t allow your lower back to arch excessively during the movement. This can strain your spine and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. Keep your core engaged and maintain a straight body line from head to heels.
Don’t flare your elbows too wide: When lowering your body, don’t let your elbows move out too far from your torso. This can put unnecessary stress on your shoulder joints. Instead, keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle relative to your body to protect your shoulders and focus on your chest muscles.
Don’t rush the descent or the pause: Avoid speeding through the movement. Descend too quickly or skip the pause at the bottom of the push-up, and you won’t get the full benefit of the exercise. The pause is meant to increase time under tension and activate the chest muscles more effectively.
Don’t neglect core engagement: Failing to engage your abs and glutes while performing the push-up will reduce overall stability and may lead to an inefficient movement pattern. Always brace your core before lowering yourself to keep your body rigid and prevent excessive movement in the torso.
Avoid pushing your head forward: Never let your head move forward during the push-up, especially at the bottom of the movement. This can strain your neck and misalign your body. Keep your chin tucked and focus your gaze on the floor.
Don’t stop short at the top: Ensure that you’re fully extending your arms and pushing all the way through the floor at the top of the movement. Stopping short reduces the effectiveness of the exercise and doesn’t fully engage the chest or triceps.
Don’t let your body shift out of alignment: If your body shifts or twists during the exercise, you’re wasting energy and not focusing on the target muscle group. Keep your body in a straight line, from head to heels, throughout the entire movement.
Avoid holding your breath: Don’t hold your breath during the push-up, especially at the bottom. Breathing is important for maintaining proper oxygen flow and stability. Exhale as you push yourself up, and inhale as you lower yourself.
Don’t perform partial reps: Avoid cutting the repetition short by not lowering yourself all the way to the floor. This reduces the time under tension and the activation of your chest. Lower yourself fully until your chest touches the floor or your upper arms become parallel to the ground.
Variations
Variations of fitness exercises refer to different ways of performing a specific exercise or movement to target various muscle groups, intensities, or goals. These variations aim to challenge the body differently, prevent plateaus, and cater to individuals with varying fitness levels.
Alternatives
Alternative exercises in fitness refer to different movements or activities that target similar muscle groups or serve the same training purpose as the primary exercise. These alternative exercises can be used as substitutes when the original exercise is unavailable or challenging to perform due to various reasons such as equipment limitations, injuries, or personal preferences.
