Push-ups
- Push-ups are one of the most disliked exercises,
but are effective when they're done correctly. Most athletes are used to push-ups
where your elbows bend out to the side. That exercise will work your biceps
and pecs, but not your triceps.
Try
doing push-ups with your hands about shoulder width apart, and turning your
elbows as you bend down so that your elbows touch your waist. Your fingertips
should remain facing forwards (don't turn your hands out), and don't let your
elbows in so much that your stomach rests on them. You should be able to almost
touch your chest to the ground and still have your elbows touching your side.
Your
body should remain in a hollow body position (do not arch) as you go down and
as you push back up. For an added bonus, if you push your shoulders out hollow
at the top, you will work your shoulders and deltoids. Some variations:
(1) Once you're bent down, hold that position for 5-10 seconds before pushing back up. Remain hollow. (2) Bend your arms only half-way and hold it for 5-10 seconds. (3) Elevate only your feet a foot or so off the floor (using mats or small blocks). Be sure your shoulders remain over your hands. This will transfer more weight to your arms as you do your push-ups. (4) Do these push-ups with your feet and hands on the beam. (5) Do these with your hands and feet on the parallel bars (one hand and foot on each rail).
Beam-Assisted Push-ups
- This modified push-up is good for gymnasts who
are not yet strong enough to do a full set of "real" push-ups. It gets you into
the proper position and uses the same muscles, but shifts some of your body
weight off your arms so that the push-up is easier.
Get into a hollow push-up position with your hands on a low beam and your feet on the floor (you should be cross-wise with the beam). Your shoulders should be over your hands, back flat, tummy in, and bottom squeezed. Then all you do is bend your arms until your chest is an inch from the beam (don't touch it with your chest!), then push back up. 10-15 is a good range to begin at, but then aim for 20-25.
As these get easier, find a lower beam (or put your feet onto a mat). Soon you will be able to do the same number on the floor.
Reverse push-ups
-
Triceps.
Sit on a raised object about knee-high (slightly higher is okay, too). You can
use a chair, a block, a stack of mats, or a low beam. Put your hands next to
your seat (so that your fingers are hanging over the edge) and slide your bottom
forward off the chair, and straighten your legs. Your hands should be about
shoulder width apart, and your bottom should be very close to whatever object
is supporting you. Now, bend your arms so that your hips go straight down, but
don't let your hips touch the floor. Using only your arm muscles, push yourself
back up to your starting position. Your feet should not move at all. Repeat
-- do sets of 20 or more.
An alternative that works slightly different muscles would be to turn your hands around so that your fingers face away from you. The hand placement for this is easiest to do on a low beam.
Bar Dips
- Triceps. Most frequently, dips are done on the
parallel bars. Push yourself up to a support position. Bend your arms as far
as your strength will allow and then push back up to support. Sets of 10 or
more.
These can also be done on a single rail, where you begin in a front support. Keeping your torso and bottom squeezed tight, bend your arms so that the bar touches your rib cage, and then straighten your arms and round your back so that the bar touches the middle part of your thigh. Repeat -- sets of 10 or more.
Handstand Shoulder Shrugs
- Kick up to a handstand against and facing a wall. With your body tight and no arch in your back, push up and down with your shoulders. You should push your shoulders up towards your ears as far and possible, then let yourself drop into more of a "saggy" position. These should be done slowly and your head should remain neutral.
Pull-ups
- Triceps & Biceps. Everyone knows what pull-ups are. You hang from a high bar (fingers facing forward) and pull yourself to get your chin over the bar. Jerking your body to initiate the pull-up is considered cheating, however. To prevent this, bend your knees so that your thighs are level with the floor and have someone place a flat piece of foam or small piece of wood (any flat object will work) on your thighs. Now try your pull-ups but you must keep the object on your legs the entire time. You will not be able to jerk your body now, since you would drop the object.
Pike Pull-ups
- Triceps (abs too!). You will need to find a
set up where you can sit underneath a bar and be able to comfortably reach the
bar while keeping your arms straight. This can be done under a low quad bar,
the low bar on the unevens, or even under a medium beam. If necessary, you can
stack a mat or two to sit on. From this position, straighten your legs (pointing
your toes would be nice too!) and pull yourself up to get your chin over the
bar. As you lift, your legs should remain straight in front of you in that same
pike position you started in. Do not push off your feet to help you up. Also,
don't touch or rest your chin on the bar.
If you are stronger/more advanced, this can be done on the uneven's low bar without you sitting on anything and starting from a pike hang.
More advanced alternatives to this would be to pull your chin over the bar and hold yourself there for 10-15 seconds (again, no resting your chin on the bar!). This hold can be integrated into a set of 10 pull-ups (every 5, for example).
Pike Push-ups
- Shoulders & Triceps. You will need a block or
stack of mats that is about hip- or thigh-high. Put your feet up on the block/mats
and your hands on the floor just in front of it. Now walk your hands in toward
the block so that your bottom goes up in the air directly above your hands.
Don't let your knees or shins touch the block/mats -- the only thing touching
the block should be your toes. From here, bend your arms until your head is
about an inch from the floor, then straighten your arms again. Don't let your
head touch the floor -- you don't get to rest in between going down and going
back up.
This is a good lead-up exercise to handstand push-ups.
Pull-Downs
- This is a great exercise to help with the "pull- down" motion in kips! This can be done with a partner. Stand against a wall, with your back pressed flat against it, and with your feet a few inches in front of the wall. Start with your arms above your head. Now try to pull your arms down by your side, while your partner pushes against you (your partner is trying to make pulling down very hard for you). This can also be done with a bungee cord or theraband fixed to a high bar or other elevated position. Be careful about letting the bungee or theraband snap back however -- it hurts!
