This post marks the release of the first week of the Building Blocks Series Volume 1 powered by BridgeAthletic. Each week you and your athletes will be given the building blocks necessary for mastering the fundamental exercises that build elite athletic performance. Yes, these exercises will seem familiar, but you must remember that without a firm understanding of the basics there is no path towards greatness.
Volume 1 consists of four exercise progressions: the pushup progression, the squat progression, the body weight pullup progression, and the advanced pullup progression. Each week a new exercise will be introduced, followed by daily variations that add complexity while building strength, power, speed, and mobility.
This week I would like to introduce the pushup. As I am sure many of you know, the pushup is one of the most accessible but effective exercises for building base upper-body strength. It is an integral part of any athletes development because it can be done anywhere, without any equipment. The pushup does far more for athletic development then just strengthen the chest. The nature of the exercise targets an athlete’s chest, shoulders, triceps, scapula and midsection. I like to refer to this as fingertip to toe connection. We’ve all seen pushups, but we can not forget the importance of form and technique. Even for such a basic exercise, the pushup has a level of complexity that cannot be ignored, as bad form can inevitably lead to muscle imbalances and future injuries.
Join us on our mission to perfect the pushup and build better athletes.
The Incline Pushup is used to teach movement and the mechanics of the pushup by reducing shoulder pressure and engaging the athlete's core.
Want more Building Blocks? Check out the rest of the Pushup Progression.
Day 5: Kneeling Spiderman Pushup
Or download our e-book to receive an in-depth look at our full August Building Blocks!