Tip Not the Same Boring Push-Up Challenges Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Not the Same Boring Push-Up Challenges Nothing new here Wrong Check out these two smart challenges for more advanced athletes by Charley Gould May 9, 2020May 11, 2020 Tags Training Push-ups build strength and muscle, hammer the anterior core, allow for the shoulder blades to move freely, and challenge the entire body to work as a single, functional unit. But push-ups aren't as exciting as the bench press. Part of the problem? They're often considered to be a newbie exercise reserved for noodle-armed lifters. Another problem? They're not challenging or "fun" enough for experienced lifters. Let's change that. These push-up challenges can humble even the strongest of lifters, regardless of how much they can bench. Best (or worst) of all, they can be done anywhere and at any time, which means there's no excuse to skip out. 1 Push-Up T-Hold Ladder This one is guaranteed to do three things: elicit a brutal pump throughout your entire upper body; keep your shoulders healthy and happy; serve you a big piece of humble pie. Here's how it works: Do 2 push-ups followed by a 10-second T-hold Do 4 push-ups followed by a 10-second T-hold Do 6 push-ups followed by a 10-second T-hold Do 8 push-ups followed by a 10-second T-hold Do 10 push-ups followed by a 10-second T-hold Once you reach 10 push-ups, work your way back down the ladder: 8 push-ups and a 10-second T-hold 6 push-ups and a 10-second T-hold 4 push-ups and a 10-second T-hold 2 push-ups and a 10-second T-hold Note: For length purposes, the video only shows the ascending portion at 1.5x speed. Not only are you getting 50 push-ups in a short amount of time – creating massive amounts of metabolic stress in the chest and triceps – the T-hold portion throws the upper back into the mix. Why does it matter? Because a strong upper back bulletproofs the shoulders against pain and injury. While push-ups are a great exercise, they need to be offset with targeted upper-back work. In this case, the T-hold targets the posterior deltoid and its surrounding musculature for a total of 90 seconds, which can work wonders for combating (and offsetting) front-sided shoulder pain. 2 Descending Range of Motion ROM Push-Ups This sequence is a hybrid of a mechanical drop set and a partial-rep protocol. It involves progressively decreasing the push-up's range of motion, which subsequently makes the movement "easier" as fatigue begins to set in. The idea is that you're extending a set at a point when you'd otherwise have to stop due to failure. The execution is simple: Start by placing an object down that's about 2-4 inches in height (Airex pads, books, pillows, etc.). Using the object as a target, perform as many push-ups as possible before stopping 2-3 reps short of failure. Immediately after stopping, add an additional 2-4 inch object and do another set to just shy of failure. Keep raising the target until the range of motion is virtually non-existent, at which point you'll be moving a few inches on each rep. What sets this apart from other push-up finishers is that it shifts the focus away from the chest and more towards the triceps as the set goes on due to the progressively smaller range of motion. This is similar to the triceps of death protocol popularized by Louie Simmons, except it involves push-ups rather than the bench press. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Hepburn Solution for Strength and Power A time-tested way to get strong from old-time weightlifter and strongman Doug Hepburn. Check it out. Powerlifting & Strength, Training Mike Mahler June 23 Training Tip The Best Exercise Order for Triceps Build your tri's and avoid elbow pain by using this sequence for triceps training. Arms, Bodybuilding, Tips, Training John Meadows January 10 Training The Eight Keys - Part 1 In this first part of this series, Tate discusses coaching, teamwork, and conditioning. Powerlifting & Strength, Training Dave Tate June 6 Training Tip Rows for Pros Here's a new way to do the seated row and a favorite of NFL athletes. Tips, Training Joel Seedman, PhD February 14