Sunday, 21 May 2023 11:00

Why archer pushups are an absolute must to get better at.

These are an advanced strength movement, and most people will fall flat trying to do 'em - even well conditioned athletes that have not done them before. 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again pushups are not the big dog of fitness because Rahul mookerjee said so, and a whole host of other illuminaries have proven it, though that reason wouldn't be wrong either. 

Its that because with one simple movement and no equipment other than a wall or floor which you have even in isolation in a prison ward, hehe - not that you gotta be in jail to do pushups! - you can literally work the entire body from the inside out. 

Including, as I state in Pushup Central - the legs and cardio system like never before, and while Hindu pushups do a great job of that, there are others - so advanced I dont even mention them in the book that do an excellent job too. 

Plyometric pushups. 

Clapping pushups (from various positions, angles and such). 

These will all be detailed in the upcoming book on plyometrics, but ONE style of pushup I've always stressed you should get damn good at  - the extended arm pushup, or the floor humpers, or Jack La Lanne pushup. 

IF ALL you did was this one exercise for high reps, medium and low throughout your entire pushup workout, you'd build shoulders, lats and a core of steel and you'd be incredibly LEAN too all throughout your body, especially the core. 

As you perfect this movement though, and this will take a lot of time - remember this one truism - strengthening your body from all different angles and positions. 

Enter the archer pushup. 

If your hands are straight out in front of you almost touching the floor in the pushup mentioned above, then the archer pushup makes it even tougher by literally putting your arms at a 90 degree angle, forearm facing the floor, arm splayed out - as you do this pushup. 

The side to side motion mimics an "archer" shooting a bow and arrow, and this pushup heavily works the core, lats, thighs (yes), glutes (yes again, if you know how to) - the entire cardio system - and most of all, the upper chest and traps at a deep level. 

Bicep and foream work too, which you wouldn't think you got from pushups eh? 

But you do, my friend - big time! 

Thing about working the chest, most people focus on the "mid" to lower chest, which is fine, but it's the upper chest, and working the chest fibers from the inside out via deep breathing and exercise that really give you that broad shouldered, barrel chested look. 

And thats why I emphasize deep breathing with every workout my friend. 

I have to hear you breathing - at least from a few paces away - deep inhales, deep exhales, focus on form, omit all three, you might as well not be working out. I'd rather you NOT work out than do something with sloppy reps. 

My youtube channel has plenty on how to do these, including 50 rep workouts with these, and the other toughie - extended arm pushups. 

And believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg. 

I could think of 51 more pushups I could put in book number two, and will down the line as well ... 

For now though, I'm out. Thats an advanced style of pushup to workup to. And never forget the basics my friend -work pushups daily, no exceptions, zero excuses - literally. 

And as David Quiros rightly reviewed "learn how to do pushups Creatively and RIGHT" - emphasis on RIGHT - by the "by far the best book on pushups out there, nothing even comes close to coming close" - Pushup Central. 

That is that then, my friend. 

Best, 

Rahul Mookerjee