Is the Pushup a Full Body Exercise?

CM SEAL Team blogger: Stew Smith

This blog is a reply to comments from a few of our YouTube Teammates. The first, commenting on the Perfect Pushup Power 10 Arms Workout, said "This stuff really works, I got one of 'em myself and I'm getting ripped! The only problem is that you don't work your legs!!! *%$@!"

You actually work several muscle groups...

Another Teammate posted to the Perfect Pushup - Power Punch Workout that punching itself is the best exercise these push ups generate only the arms and they are only a small part of the body.

Actually, your chest / shoulders / triceps are doing the actual pushup - BUT you also have to have the following muscles flexed ("working") during the entire movement or you would not be able to do a pushup:

abs / lower back / upperback / hips / thighs / calves

In order to straighten your legs you have to use your leg muscles - that is why the pushup is truly a full body exercise compared to a bench press that does the same basic movement.

It is an isometric flex in the legs but it still an effective exercise. To really work the legs you should add squats or the 8 count pushup...where you stand up in between each rep of a pushup.

Stew
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Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL, and author of several fitness and self defense books such as The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness, Maximum Fitness, and SWAT Workout. Certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and as military fitness trainer, Stew has trained hundreds of students for Navy SEAL, Special Forces, SWAT, FBI, ERT and many other law enforcement professions. See him at StewSmith.com.

Don't miss Fight Science Special Ops with Stew Smith on the National Geographic Channel.

Stew Smith on 8 Count Bodybuilders and Push-sets

Guest blogger: Stew Smith

Here’s a question from PerfectPushup2008 YouTube channel: I wanted to say to say GREAT DEVICE!!!! I bought 4 and kept one and mailed the other three out to (1) Iraq & (2) Afghanistan (family in the Military). I have two question regarding 8 counts and push-reps/sets.

"First 8 count: My brother-in-law and nephew went through Great Lakes (mid 90s) and the 8 count was no longer being used due to stress on the knee while performing positions 5 & 6 on the 8 count. Has the Navy reinstated them or are they just used in BUD/S (at Coronado)?"

Answer: Here is the problem. The caliber of people joining the military are about 75% deconditioned people and the others are average fitness levels. So it is smart for the Navy to take out advanced elements of fitness like 8 count body builders and 5-10 mile runs. Compare the 8 count pushup to the 10 mile run - you would not ask a deconditioned person to run 10 miles without expecting injury of some sort. Same holds true for the 8 count pushup - it is an advanced form of exercise that should be done by intermediate / advanced fitness levels. YES - you will see it again at BUD/S - but likely not at bootcamp - unless they find out you are a SEAL wanna-be.

"Second: I was told that it’s best to perform pyramid sets of any type of push-ups"?

There are two great methods to producing a solid foundation of performance fitness for pushups. See article below for ideas of creating pyramids and supersets with a variety of exercises. Notice the Perfect Pushups used in the Swim PT supersets in the pictures...

http://www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/legPTsuperset.htm

These workouts will help you get your scores up to the 15 pullups / pushups 75 and situps 75 zones after a few / several months.

The other way to peak from your foundation is to do what I call max out sets. Pick 3-4 exercises like pushups, situps, pullups and a run or bike or swim for 3 minutes

Max out on your pullups, pushups, situps with 2 minutes each exercise then do a recovery cardio for 3 minutes. Do not stop until you reach 100 pullups / 200 pushups / 300 situps or other ab of choice...

That workout usually takes you from 15 to 25 pullups / 75 to 100 pushups / 75 to 100 situps in about 6 weeks...


Stew Smith CSCS

www.stewsmith.com

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