Push-ups are simple yet effective. You can do them anywhere.

Many of my clients got stuck at home with no equipment last year so they were useful to fill the void.

This thread presents 10 variations to maximize the timeless exercise.
1/ Standard

The standard Push-up has both hands flat with your fingers pointed straight ahead, placed right under your shoulders.

You get a good balance of chest, deltoid, and triceps.

Now, changing position will emphasize different muscles.
2/ Incline

The Incline Push-up decreases the range of motion, so it's easier when you lack the strength for the standard variation.

You can use a bench, a cardio step, or even a wall.

It's also great to add extra reps to your standard sets.
3/ Negatives

This variation focuses on the negative phase of the movement. You take 4-6 seconds to lower yourself, then help yourself back to the top.

This method is effective for developing the strength needed for the Standard Push-up.

You can also do it on an incline.
4/ Decline

The Decline variation has your feet higher than your hands.

This position is harder, and emphasizes the upper chest and the front deltoids.
5/ Deep

Deep Push-ups increase the range of motion. You can use parallette bars, a bench, or dumbbells.

The bottom position is an excellent of a stretch for your chest and your shoulders.

I often prescribe Incline Deep Push-ups for clients with chronic shoulder or neck pain.
6/ Knuckles

This variation significantly increases the load on your:

- Biceps
- Forearm extensors
- Supraspinatus (rotator cuff)
- Upper traps
- Pec major (sternal and clavicular heads)
7/ Hands above standard shoulder level

This variation is useful to fix scapular winging as it decreases the work on the pecs.

Placing your hands ahead of your shoulders increases the load on your:

- Triceps
- Supraspinatus
- Upper traps
- Rear delts and serratus anterior
8/ Hands below standard shoulder-level

Placing your hands inferior to your shoulders increases the load on your:

- Front and mid deltoids
- Pec major (sternal head)
- Infraspinatus (rotator cuff)
- Lower traps
9/ Externally rotated hands

Pointing your hands outward increases the load of your biceps.

Great way to grow your pipes.
10/ Unilateral

Last but not least, the One-Arm Push-up.

You feel the muscles between your ribs, your abs, your glutes, and everything else intensified.

A bunch of my joints along my spine/rib cage popped like bubble wrap the first time I did them, it felt amazing.
Do you want to improve your Push-up performance and be self-sufficient with your workouts?

Subscribe to one of my online mentorships to achieve Sovereign Fitness status:
onlineschoolofexercise.com/subscription

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More from @mythoughtfood

22 Mar
Release excess jaw tension with a Temporalis massage, the fan-shaped muscle on the side of your skull:

- Press 1 or 2 fingers into the muscle and drag them in a circular motion along the outer edges.

- Work your way to the middle.

- Open/close your mouth as you're doing it. Image
Your Temporalis is a powerful muscle that closes your mouth and moves your lower face.

Chronic teeth clenching creates a lot of tension that disrupts your jaw joint over time.

Do this massage before bed to relax and slip into a deep sleep, or in the morning if you feel tense.
Chronically tense muscles constrict your blood vessels.

This type of release work opens up your arteries and veins, which improves circulation in the area.

You feel the effects fast if you hold a lot of tension up there. Your blood flows freely again.

Image
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8 Mar
Thread of threads on the neck and the head:

- Fix your breath
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Take slow, deep breaths through your nose as you read these threads:

Exercise your eyes to counter high screen time:

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19 Feb
Our faces shapeshift to convey emotions.

You use twenty muscles to animate your words and reflect your thoughts.

They work together when you breathe or eat, and weaken as you age.

This thread explores your facial muscles and gives exercises to keep them active over time. Image
The strength of the connection between your brain and your facial muscles fades as the years pass.

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A group of adults aged 60-99 recently benefited from one week of facial expression exercises and tongue training.

They trained the muscles that closes the eyes and lips, along with the ones that assist swallowing and compress the cheeks.

The program improved their oral health. Image
Read 9 tweets
12 Feb
We spend a third of our lives asleep, yet all our health depends on this vital process.

Your slumber affects a host of factors ranging from body composition to memory, performance, and mood.

This thread shares the story of my sleep conquest after years of chronic insomnia.
The Sleep Medicine Research journal states nearly 20 to 41.7% of the global population have a sleep disorder, whether it be insomnia or obstructive apnea, narcolepsy, and snoring.

You might be a part of this group, or likely know somebody with those ailments.

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Sleep deprived nights were the norm in my youth. I remember dreading my bed time knowing it would take forever to doze off, if at all.

Every day was the same:

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Read 16 tweets
11 Feb
Many lower leg issues stem from negligence.

Your ankles stiffen because you never move them through a full range of motion.

Do these rotations daily to prevent pain and restrictions down the line.

15 clockwise circles
15 c-clockwise circles
Repeat 3x
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30 seconds/ankle
2 to 3 sets

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Weak arches/tight ankles lead to excess stress in the knees. The amount of steps taken in a day creates loads of tension. For some, it is palpable with your thumbs. Some of my clients were unable to withstand even a bit of pressure.

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10 Feb
The space behind our knees gets real tense when we walk or run a lot.

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Hold the pressure as you move.

2- Sit down. Press your thumb on the upper end of the space behind your knee, then extend your leg 10x.

These self-massages won't solve every issue. The excess tension can mimic more serious symptoms such as pain and restricted range of motion.
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