Push-ups on one hand from the floor: benefits, types and technique * Crossfit

Bodyweight exercises to achieve a strong, muscular body are just as effective as resistance exercises. One-arm push-ups are one of the classic and most difficult movements. Perfect technique requires tremendous strength - having achieved a clear trajectory, you will definitely get one more reason to be proud.

What muscles work?

To understand the mechanism for correctly performing the exercise, first you need to figure out which muscles work during push-ups on one hand? In general, the work includes the same muscle groups that are involved in conventional push-ups from the floor:

large pectoral muscles;
triceps;
deltoid muscles;
biceps;
rectus and oblique abdominal muscles;
serratus anterior muscles;
gluteus maximus muscles;
hamstrings;
quadriceps;
calf muscles;
latissimus dorsi.

The difference between the options is in the accentuated load on certain muscle groups. In the "one-handed" version, calves, hamstrings and quadriceps are not so important. This significantly increases the load on the lats. Since one of the key anchor points is lost, the body needs stabilizers to balance. In this context, the lats are referred to as stabilizing muscles.

The role of certain muscles increases or decreases depending on the position of the body, arms, pelvis and legs. The closer the execution technique is to ideal, the greater the load on the triceps, delts, abs and stabilizers. The ideal technique is the one that requires the most effort. About this - in the corresponding section.

The benefits and benefits of exercise

One-arm push-ups are an exercise that will make you much stronger and more enduring. Thanks in part to Paul Wade, author of The Training Zone, these movements have come to be called prison push-ups. Paul spent many years in dungeons, where he managed to develop enormous strength almost exclusively through training with his own weight. And push-ups played a major role in developing the power of Wade's corps.

Although the prisoner did not practice weight training, he once found himself embroiled in a curious argument. The author of the motivating book was offered to participate in one of the powerlifting championships. Seeking to prove the advantage of the inventory-free system, Paul agreed to the bet. Without much experience with the barbell, he managed to take third place. This is the effect of powerful exercises designed for natural stress.

Strength growth

Regular push-ups quickly become a simple exercise in which the intensity can be increased, mainly by increasing the number of repetitions. Eliminate one hand, and the load increases by an order of magnitude. Try to make the movement perfect, and physics will throw more order on top. People who can do push-ups on one hand, no one ever has the right to call weak. At least their legs never crossed the threshold of the gym.

Increased endurance

Over time, as physical capabilities grow, the same situation occurs as with the "classic". The body adjusts to the load and responds to training with increased endurance. Athletes capable of multiple single push-ups have excellent body control and are much less tired under normal conditions than mere mortals.

Ability to practice anywhere

If a prisoner in solitary confinement has managed to become a titan of "physical education", then complaints about the lack of suitable conditions look ridiculous and pitiful. The benefit of one-arm push-ups is that in a matter of months they can turn an untrained person into a role model.

Paul Wade ended up in prison at 23. With a height of 183 cm, he weighed only 68 kg. It is not easy with such parameters in dungeons. But, having begun to train hard, a year later he was one of the strongest prisoners. Wade is not alone - often his "colleagues" surprise with physical capabilities. His example and examples of others like him are telling - they demonstrate the potential of bodyweight training. By the way, on our website in the crossfit exercises section, you can find many exercises for working with your own weight.

Balance

Advanced push-ups require coordinated muscle work. Along with strength, the ability to control your body also grows. The body "learns" to work in the monolith mode - some groups are closely related to others. Bruce Lee is an excellent example of a person who subordinated "physics" to consciousness. Little Dragon did a lot of push-ups too.

Bruce Lee's record of push-ups on one hand (on two fingers) - 50 times. Partly because of this, he became a "spring man", ready and able at any moment to move like a cat to another position.

Weight loss

Push-ups are an energy-intensive exercise. By regularly testing your body for strength, you can make rapid progress in losing weight. Now the plank has become fashionable - an effective exercise for the press. But when you push up, you actually do the same bar in motion. Without support on the other hand, doing the exercise is more difficult, therefore, the return on it is higher.

Better health

Regular one-arm push-ups can help improve the functioning of the digestive system. Thanks to them, the heart is strengthened and the potential of the respiratory system increases. They have a beneficial effect on bones and ligaments - they become stronger.

Positive psychological impact

Few know how to do one-arm push-ups. Agree, it's nice to be part of a small group of athletes. Perhaps you are indifferent to the envy and admiration of others, but in any case, you will get the right to be proud of yourself.

But it's not even a matter of pride or bragging. The transformation of the body's capabilities leads to an increase in self-esteem. The transition from one state to another is invariably accompanied by a positive psychological effect. Even seasoned weightlifters or powerlifters cannot perform this exercise. A tiny percentage of people can train with perfect technique. Isn't it nice to be in such a company?

Execution technique

There are many variations of this exercise. Some of them are designed for beginners, others can only be done by advanced athletes. Consider the technique of the classic, the most difficult option. Starting from it, you can reduce the load - this allows you to master the movement gradually, regardless of the starting capabilities.

The standard variant resembles regular push-ups. The visual difference is only in the "disconnection" of one hand. No one will succeed right away, no matter how physically strong the athlete has. Here you need special skills and "sharpening" of muscles and ligaments for this exercise.

Classic push-up

One-arm push-up technique:

starting position - the body is one line, legs are shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower, the working hand is under the shoulder, the other hand is on the hip or behind the back; three anchor points: palm and toes;
while inhaling, keeping the starting line of the body and legs, lower yourself to the level of touching the floor with your forehead; strive for minimal twisting of the body and tilt of the shoulder - both help in mastering the exercise, but reduce the load;
as you exhale, return to the starting position.

Reference variant

Signs of reference performance:

the shoulders are parallel to the floor;
twisting of the body is minimal;
legs are no wider than shoulder width;
chest and head as close to the floor as possible;
the pelvis is in line with the body.

Most people who are supposedly capable of such push-ups deceive others and themselves. By giving up a little perfect technique, you can make it much easier. Bend your pelvis slightly, help yourself with the shoulder of your passive hand, put your legs wide - it will be much easier to push up. Such push-ups can delight the uninitiated, but why deceive yourself?

Nevertheless, the flaws of technique can be considered as such only in the context of ideal performance. Until you have mastered the exercise in full, you can and should sin. It won't work out otherwise. To get the coveted ability, variations of the classic will come in handy.

Types of exercise

The described types of push-ups on one hand are designed to help get to the reference performance. Technically speaking, you don't have to use all of them. It is enough to choose the right one and go smoothly towards the goal. But practice shows that variety in training leads to faster progress.

Dips with partial support on the other hand

You will need some kind of support - anything that is above the floor and is convenient to use will do. Execution scheme:

IP is similar to the classical one - with the difference that the free hand is set aside and rests on a bar, ball or something else; in such a position, full support on the passive hand is impossible, but partial support is also enough to ensure a noticeable decrease in the load;
work concentrating on the efforts of the working hand.

As you progress, focus more attention on the working side of the body, using the opposite less and less.

Push-ups using the second hand

To make the exercise easier, you can do push-ups on two hands, but put one of them with the back side (the so-called L7 option). This will create an additional point of support, but in such a position it is impossible to fully support the other hand. The inconvenience contributes to the automatic shift of focus to the work area. The execution scheme is similar.

Push-ups with arms above the legs

Since school, we know that push-ups in a position in which the arms are higher than the legs is easier. This scheme works with single movements as well. Place your working hand on a bench, bed, or any other platform. Try the exercise following the reference technique. Select suitable incline angles by regularly decreasing them.

There are other varieties of floor push-ups - hand positions and patterns vary. Some of them are preparatory, others, on the contrary, complicate the task.

A kind of push-ups	Nuances
Negative	The second hand is used in the lifting phase. In the negative phase (lowering) only one hand works. Obviously, this option is much easier than the full-fledged one.
With a jump	From the end position (arm bent, chest near the floor), the lift is made with a jerk. While helping the hand in the positive phase, in the negative one, you need to lower yourself gently, with shock absorption, onto a slightly bent arm. This variation can be started while being capable of several repetitions of the usual "one-handed" push-ups.
Incomplete	The range of motion is cut. To fix the amplitude, you can put, for example, a ball under the chest. A good way to prepare your body for real stress.
With support on one leg	A complicated version of the usual. You need to lift the leg opposite to the working hand. The intermediate option implies a wide stance of the supporting leg and an extended free arm for balancing.
Relying on fingers, fist or back of hand	An already very difficult exercise can be further complicated by using less weak areas of the hand as support.

Contraindications and precautions

One-arm push-ups are not for beginners. The exercise requires a solid physical base and an understanding of the technical nuances. There are few contraindications, but they are. Push-ups without support on the other hand are not recommended for people who:

have problems with the elbow, wrist, and shoulder joints;
suffer from heart disease; a heavy load on the "engine" of the body can lead to big problems, if there are prerequisites for this, a doctor's consultation is necessary
Have sprained muscles and / or ligaments.

Recommendations to help make the exercise as effective and safe as possible:

go to prison push-ups only after you are able to push-ups on two hands at least 50 times; this preparation is enough for safe entry into the curtailed traffic;
do not proceed to attempts to master the ideal technique of a full-fledged exercise until you have mastered the preparatory types at the proper level;
strive for a variety of workouts - this will allow you to use various small muscles that do not work in another version; as a result, you will progress faster;
in parallel, strengthen the muscles involved with other exercises; special emphasis is recommended to be placed on the press and triceps;
remember that the reference option is just one type of push-up; you need to strive for it, but other varieties can be considered both preparatory and independent; "Minor" options can be easily complicated, for example, using weights; in addition, less complex variations can (or should) be performed "at times" - if in full movement you are only capable of 1-2 repetitions, then the cut will allow you to work on endurance;
monitor the state of the body; if you are very tired or in pain, you do not need to do push-ups.

Typical mistakes

Unless we are talking about a purposeful departure from performing perfect push-ups, mistakes can be considered:

lifting the pelvis; it is worth raising it a little, breaking the straight line of the body and legs, and a significant part of the load will go away;
striving for a complete absence of twisting of the body; minimal deviations from the axis are not just permissible - without this it is impossible to squeeze out on one hand; at least so far there has not been a single recorded case;
the starting position of the working hand, in which the balance of the body is impossible at this stage of physical capabilities or in general; it is fraught with falling;
trying to work to the limit - this can also lead to loss of control and falling face on the floor.