Note: It's important to incorporate pulling exercises if you're doing a lot of pushing exercises like the ones in this routine. To prevent imbalanced shoulder strength, try this companion plan to master a pull-up in 8 weeks.
Plank Hold
This move develops a strong, stable core while engaging your glutes and thighs. Position hands directly beneath shoulders and curl toes to grip floor. Lift up, and check your form in a mirror to make sure your body creates a straight diagonal line from shoulder to hip to heel. Squeeze your glutes tightly, brace through abs, and hold tension throughout the body.
Pec Presses
This move will help you gain chest strength. Lie flat on back on mat or bench. Bend elbows to 90 degrees with dumbbells in hands (they should each weigh as much as 15–20% of your body weight). Exhale and press dumbbells together over chest. Inhale and return to starting position.
Push-Ups On Knees
By practising push-ups on your knees, you begin to develop strong, mobile shoulders. Lie on mat with belly facing down and hands wider than shoulder-width, just below shoulder-height. Bend knees and apply pressure of body weight to bottoms of quadriceps, not directly on kneecaps. Exhale and lift up until elbows are fully extended, but not locked out. Inhale and return to starting position.
Hollow Rock Hold
This one sculpts a stronger core. Lie belly up on mat, and turn palms up. Engage abs and lift head, neck, and upper back off floor; likewise, squeeze legs together, point toes, and lift feet 60 to 90 centimetres off floor. Reach your fingertips long toward feet.
Push Planks
This final exercise strengthens your wrists and stabilises your shoulders. Assume plank position. Bend right arm to drop forearm to floor, then drop left forearm in the same way, anchoring yourself in low plank. Extend right arm, then left to return to high plank. Repeat, bending left arm first.
Your Schedule:
WEEK 1:
• 4 sets of 15-second Plank Holds, followed by 15 seconds of rest
• 10 Pec Presses
• 10 Push-Ups on Knees
• 4 sets of 15-second Hollow Rock Hold, followed by 15 seconds of rest
• 4 sets of 15-second Push Planks, followed by 15 seconds of rest
WEEK 2:
• 3 sets of 20-second Plank Holds, followed by 20 seconds of rest
• 12 Pec Presses
• 12 Push-Ups on Knees
• 3 sets of 20-second Hollow Rock Hold, followed by 20 seconds of rest
• 3 sets of 20-second Push Planks, followed by 20 seconds of rest
WEEK 3:
• 3 sets of 20-second Plank Holds, followed by 10 seconds of rest
• 14 Pec Presses
• 14 Push-Ups On Knees
• 3 sets of 20-second Hollow Rock Hold, followed by 10 seconds of rest
• 3 sets of 20-second Push Planks, followed by 10 seconds of rest
WEEK 4:
• 2 sets of 30-second Plank Holds, followed by 15 seconds of rest
• 16 Pec Presses
• 16 Push-Ups on Knees
• 2 sets of 30-second Hollow Rock Hold, followed by 15 seconds of rest
• 3 sets of 30-second Push Planks, followed by 15 seconds of rest
WEEK 5:
• 2 sets of 45-second Plank Holds, followed by 30 seconds of rest
• 18 Pec Presses
• 18 Push-Ups On Knees
• 2 sets of 45-second Hollow Rock Hold, followed by 30 seconds of rest
• 2 sets of 45-second Push Planks, followed by 30 seconds of rest
WEEK 6:
• 2 sets of 50-second Plank Holds, followed by 45 seconds of rest
• 20 Pec Presses
• 1 push-up on toes, followed by 19 Push-Ups on Knees
• 2 sets of 50-second Hollow Rock Hold, followed by 45 seconds of rest
• 2 sets of 50-second Push Planks, followed by 45 seconds of rest
WEEK 7:
• 1 set of 55-second Plank Holds
• 22 repetitions of Pec Presses
• 2 push-ups on toes, followed by 20 Push-Ups on Knees
• 55-second Hollow Rock Hold
• 1 set of 55-second Push Planks
WEEK 8:
• 1 set of 60-second Plank Holds
• 24 Pec Presses
• 3 push-ups on toes, followed by 21 Push-Ups on Knees
• 60-second Hollow Rock Hold
• 1 set of 60-second Push Planks
Photographs courtesy of Brook Benten.
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