Bootcamp and Push Ups

Bootcamp and push ups go hand in hand. If you sign up for a fitness bootcamp it is safe to assume that you will perform copious amounts of push ups. The thought of doing so many push ups might seem tedious but truth be told this exercise can't be replaced. This article provides an overview of the push up and why it is an integral part of bootcamp.

The push up is the single best upper body exercise. It builds the triceps, shoulders, chest, and abdominals. The reason it is used in bootcamp is that it can be easily modified to accommodate any fitness level. Those who can’t complete ten or more full push ups can do push ups on their knees until they build a solid foundation. Those who need more of a challenge can use a park bench to elevate their feet as illustrated in the picture above. Even an advanced athlete can continue to benefit from this exercise.

For those new to this exercise it is best to position your hands shoulder width apart. As you become more advanced you can try to increase this distance to focus more on the chest and front deltoid or decrease this distance to focus more on the triceps.

For those who want to really challenge themselves they can perform a few partial reps or burns at the end of each set. Partial reps (burns) are performed using the top third portion of this exercise. As your elbows reach full extension you are at the strongest part of this movement. Doing partial reps at the end of the set forces your muscles to work beyond the point of failure. When doing partial reps it important to not lock out the elbows at the top of the movement as this takes the stress off the muscles and places it on the joints. The idea is to make the exercise as hard as possible.

It is also important to thoroughly warm up the elbows and wrists before doing push ups. Those who are not used to this movement often experience wrist and elbow soreness. Be sure to keep your elbows in and don’t let them jet out. Try to keep your upper arms at about a 45 degree angle with your body. Letting your elbows jet out too far can open up the shoulder and increase your chance of injury.

A common routine I like to use in my bootcamp involves alternating push ups and crunches. I find these two exercises go together really well to build the abdominals and get you breathing heavy. This superset involves pyramiding the repetitions performed as follows: 10 push ups, 10 crunches, 11 push ups, 11 crunches, 12 push ups, 12 crunches, and so on until your reach a plateau. At that point you decrease your repetitions similarly until you are back at the number you started with. The amount of reps your start with and plateau is based entirely on your fitness level. At the end of this pyramid I will usually have participants perform a timed plank hold to completely finish of the mid section.

Another activity involving push ups I incorporate into my bootcamp doubles as a fitness assessment. I usually have participants do this routine at least once every second week to assess progress and mix things up a little. In this routine I allow participants one minute to perform as many push ups as they can while I carefully watch for proper technique. Each participant is responsible for counting the reps they perform. If a participant can't do a full minute of push ups they are encouraged to rest for 5 or 10 seconds and then doing a few more until time runs out. The amount of repetitions each participant performs is recording in my journal for later reference. Without regular assessment participants will have no idea if any real progress is being made.

The amount of knowledge I have to share about this exercise and the numerous ways it can be incorporated into bootcamp is endless. The pushup is an integral part of bootcamp and is the single best upper body exercise. The push up is one of the most basic bootcamp exercises and is often used for fitness assessments. If you join bootcamp expect to perform a copious amount of push ups. There is no substitution for this exercise.

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