exercise

Push Your Game Up

Travis Guesnon

Feb 19, 2015 • 7 min read

Why Calisthenics May Be King
Calisthenics are a form of exercise that are challenging, require no equipment (but benefits can be enhanced with the use of it), can be performed virtually anywhere, increase both strength and flexibility, and improve balance, agility and coordination, all while improving muscular and cardiovascular fitness. We’ll be taking a look at some great calisthenics exercises over the course of the next few issues that will help improve your jiu-jitsu.

Need More Proof?
If you don’t think calisthenics can get you in extreme shape then I suggest you search “Baristi workout” on the Internet. Baristi workouts have been growing in popularity year after year, so much so, that there are Baristi competitions at the Los Angeles Fitness Expo, and all over the world. They even have world championship events. You may ask yourself just how good of shape you can get in. If you look at individuals such as: Frank Medrano, the Bar Brothers and probably the most well known pioneer of extreme calisthenics movement, Hannibal For King, you will see that their physical strength is off the charts! Olympic gymnasts are also extremely strong and use their body weight to gain that strength!

Old Faithful
Much like a dog being man’s best friend, the push-up is one of, if not the most loyal of exercises for someone to use to get in shape. For those of us who don’t have gym passes it is the poor man’s bench press. It’s essentially the same movement, but instead of pushing a bar upward above you, your body weight is used as the resistance. Like its counterpart, the pectoral muscles, triceps and deltoids are worked, but you also work your core (which we need to be strong for jiu-jitsu) and can even stress your biceps on certain variations! Speaking of variations, there are hundreds of them as compared to the limited versions of bench press! Even though you don’t need equipment (as mentioned earlier) for variety, we’ve added some in to make it more challenging; however, you can perform them without it as well.

What They Do

Muscles that are used during a push-up include your pectoralis major and minor, triceps brachii (long, lateral and medial heads), anterior deltoid, coracobrachialis, serratus anterior, anconeus, and abdominal muscles; with the first four as the primaries. Our pectorals control movements of our arms by pulling on the humerus allowing for lateral, vertical or rotational movement. Straightening of our arms is the main responsibility of our triceps muscle. As contractions of muscles exert a pulling force on connected bones our anterior deltoids place them in an ideal position to aid with shoulder flexion.

Keep Tradition Alive

The granddaddy of them all, the traditional push-up is the most basic of all the variations. While it may only be basic, the results it can yield are anything, but.

A01 — 1. Kneel down on all fours and place your hands just beyond shoulder-width apart. Put your feet next to each other, post on your toes and straighten your arms and legs.

A02 — **2. Pull your elbows in toward your sides, lower your chest to just above the floor and push back up to the starting position.**

Prescription: As a warm-up: 10-15 reps; as a workout: 3-4 sets of 10-25 reps

Know When To Change Levels

Staggered push-ups, AKA high and low push-ups, involve placing each hand at a different position where one is higher or further away compared to the other that remains in the standard position. This variation also increases the muscle activation of the external obliques due to the placement of the higher hand. Our hands are rarely in the same placement during jiu-jitsu, so this is excellent for it.

B01 — 1. Get in the same starting position as in step 1 of the traditional push-up. Then place your left hand slightly above your left shoulder and your right hand slightly below your right shoulder so they are 4-6 inches apart.

B02 — **2. Pull your elbows in toward your sides, lower your chest to just above the floor and push back up to the starting position.**

B03 — **3. Complete 1 set then alternate hand placement and do another set.**

Prescription: As a warm-up: 5-10 reps on each side; as a workout: 1-2 sets of 10-25 reps on each side

Work The Guillotine

Yes, there really is a guillotine push-up, but instead of getting a deep chokehold on your opponent, you’ll be dropping your head and neck further. The movement is done from an elevated position where your hand is on two objects (chairs, bricks, medicine balls, etc.) and you are able to lower your head, neck and chest past the plane of your hands. This stretches the shoulders, while putting them to work more as well.

1. Either find an area where this movement can be done or set up the objects as illustrated. To make it more challenging you can add a third and even a fourth prop for your feet to rest on.

2. Place each of your hands on the prop nearest to them. Put your feet next to each other (or in the case of 4 medicine balls, one foot on each), post on your toes and straighten your arms and legs.

3. Pull your elbows in toward your sides, lower your chest past the objects and push back up to the starting position.

Prescription: As a warm-up: 10-15 reps; as a workout: 3-4 sets of 10-25 reps

Move Like A Spider

You may not have spider sense, but this move will have your body tingling with muscle spasms and shakes if done properly and enough times. It will also get your legs going up and down, back and forth, just like that spider guard you use in class.

D01 — 1. Get into the traditional push-up position from earlier.

D02 — 2. Begin lowering your body, and as you are doing so, lift one foot off the floor, abduct at the hip so your leg is sideways and try to touch your knee to your elbow.

D03 — 3. Reverse the movement, while pushing your body back to the starting position.

D04 — 4. Repeat on the opposite side, alternating each rep.

Prescription: As a warm-up: 10-12 reps; as a workout: 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps

Try Yoga

Hindu (or Yoga) push-ups are probably the best variation for overall body conditioning. Your entire body is engaged, so it’s a compound movement that targets all the major muscle groups, while also strengthening and toning the internal organs. They are said to increase lung power, and improve digestion and stamina.

E01 — 1. From the start of a traditional push-up position, walk your hands backwards until they are in front of you and your butt is up in the air. Position your legs wider apart than your hands.

E02 — 2. Bend your elbows, making your body come forward in a swooping motion so that your hips come down toward the floor while your chest moves upward. Do this by arching your spine and looking up to the ceiling, as you straighten your arms.

E03 — 3. While keeping your arms straight, move your hips back to get to the starting position and immediately start another rep.

Prescription: As a warm-up: 10-15 reps; as a workout: 3-4 sets of 10-25 reps

Take Up Judo

Many people believe that judo (AKA dive bomber) push-ups are the same as Hindu push-ups. They are similar to an extent; however, the return to the starting position is different with judo push-ups, which are performed in reverse instead of bringing the hips back to the starting position. By doing so it is almost a calisthenics version of a shoulder press, save for the handstand push-up.

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 as performed in the Hindu push-ups.

F01 — 2. Reverse the entire position by bending your elbows a second time, pushing up and back with your arms.

Prescription: As a warm-up: 10-15 reps; as a workout: 3-4 sets of 10-25 reps

Tools You Can Use

These are just a few props that you can use to enhance your push-up routine. (photo for each)
• Bosu Ball
• Medicine Ball(s)
• Elevated Step

These are just a few variations of push-ups, but all can aid you in terms of improving strength, flexibility, your cardio, and more; which will all help your conditioning for jiu-jitsu. Give them a try. If you get strong enough, and move onto more difficult variations, like the planche, you may near Chuck Norris status, but then again, he doesn’t do push-ups, he pushes the world down.

Thanks to Kyle Nuby (our model), Nray Lavitrungsima and the crew at DNJ Fitness in Chino California for the use of their facility. www.dnjfitness.com and facebook.com/dnjfitness

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