Plyometric Incline Push-Ups

In this lesson you will learn how to do plyometric incline push-ups. The incline plyo push-up is a good exercise to improve the reactive shoulder-chest-tricpes strength and punches in general. Before you do this exercise, you should warm up your shoulders and your elbows. There are 2 variations of this exercise (see technical description) The illustration above only shows variation 1 - the easier one. Find more plyometric exercises at track & field main.

Description: Plyometric Incline Push-Ups

• You can do plyometric incline push ups on a stomach high bar, a box or a table. There are 2 variations of this exercise.
  • 1) Only push away.
  • 2) Keep your fingers on the bar and pull yourself back towards the bar with the strength of your back muscles (when the elbows are almost extended). Variations 2 is a bit faster and more intensive, but you should learn variation 1 first. Start from an incline push-up position with your chest about one inch from the bar. Keep your shoulders still - Don't shrug your shoulders forward. Keep your abs tight - don't hollow your back. Stand on the balls of your feet and adjust the distance to the bar, so that your shoulders and the hands maintain in one line when you push yourself away.
• Push yourself away from the bar and keep your shoulders still. This should be an explosive movement and you should feel the fast contraction in your chest muscles. Keep your abs tight. Don't hollow your back. You should almost stand up from a very short, but intensive contraction. When your arms are almost extended, you can either open your hands and release the bar for a short moment, or keep your finger tips on the bar and pull your chest back towards the bar with your back muscles. The second variation (var 2) makes this exercise more intensive, because you don't just work with your body weight and gravity. By pulling yourself back to the bar, you accelerate even more and make the reactive contraction more intensive.
• Let yourself fall (or pull yourself towards the bar) and then push away again, at the point where you want to increase your reactive strength. Make sure you keep your shoulders still and don't hollow your back. Do 6 to 15 repetitions and 3 sets of this exercise. Stop immediately if your shoulders or your elbows feel uncomfortable. Don't let your chest bounce off the bar.

Trainer advice: Plyometric Incline Push-Ups

• Do 6 to 15 repetitions and 3 sets.
• Keep your abs tight and never hollow your back.
• Combine this exercise with free weight exercises like bench press or flies. Do plyometric exercises for the upper body 2 times a week and weight training 2 to 3 times per week.
• Stop immediately if your shoulders or your elbows feel uncomfortable.

Related instructions: Plyometric Incline Push-Ups

• Introduction to Plyometrics
• The Push-Up
• Barbell Bench Press
• Incline Bench Press
• Decline Bench Press
• Dumbbell Fly
• Butterfly
• Cable Cross
• One-Arm Push-Up

Videos: Plyometric Incline Push-Ups

• None