Push-ups
are a staple bodyweight exercise for
the chest and for good reason...they
work. But one of the BIG problems with
the push-up becomes apparent as you
get stronger...you're limited by your
bodyweight for resistance.
That's
where the One-Arm Bench Push-Up comes
in.
This
is a simple variation of the push-up
that's going to give you two major benefits...
1.
It puts more tension on one arm, similar
to a regular one-arm push-up, only focusing
more on the chest than on the triceps,
like regular one-arm push-ups do.
2.
It puts a great stretch on the other
non-working pec as you're coming down
into the push-up.
3.
You'll be able to use more resistance
than just plain bodyweight because the
tension of your bodyweight is more focused
on one side at at time, making this
exercise more effective for building
muscle mass.
Okay,
so that's 3 benefits...
In
order to perform this one fully, you'll
need to be able to do at least 15 to
20 normal push-ups, though if you really
wanted to, you could potentially do
these on your knees, too.
For
this, you'll need a bench or a chair
or even just stairs...basically anything
you can set your other hand on that's
about a foot and a half off the ground
or so. I'm using just a regular flat
bench.
Set
one hand flat on the bench and the other
hand on the floor a little ways away
from the bench. Keep your body stiff
and straight.
Now
lower yourself down, like you would
in a regular push-up.
As
you can see, my left side is getting
the brunt of the load, which works the
left pec more. My right arm is being
placed in a great pec-stretch position
every single time I come down to the
bottom.
The
other good thing is that this stretch
position is done against resistance
(because that pec is also supporting
your bodyweight). As you push up, that
right pec will also contribute to the
movement somewhat, so it's not a true
one-arm push-up where the whole load
is on one side.
You
get two type of work in one shot...then
you switch arms. Same exact execution.
The
second side you do, you'll not get as
many reps since you'll already be fatigued
from the first. It's fine to take your
regular rest period between sides, if
you want, in order to keep things more
even.
And
while this looks like a lot like a one-arm
push-up off the floor, it actually hits
the chest MUCH better because you don't
have to set your hand in the middle
of your base of support to perform the
exercise. The "normal" one-arm
push-up is a great exercise but it works
more tricep than chest. This variation
turns the focus to chest.
This
is also a great push-up variation for
when you're travelling for a couple
of reasons...first, you get more resistance
and second, that stretch helps counteract
the inwards-pulling position you tend
to acquire while travelling (sitting
for long periods in a plane or car).
Overall,
it's a great way to increase the intensity
of your bodyweight chest training using
very little equipment!
