digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: Progress through a sequence of push-up variations from easiest to hardest, doing a set goal of repetitions in each step and moving on only after reaching it, with the sequence split into therapy, fitness, and strength stages. The video presents this as a double progression approach applied to push-ups. Each step has a target of sets and reps, and the presenter notes that some people may take months or years to complete the progression.
Key Points
- The promised list of 4 items is the four main push-up steps in the course: wall push-ups, incline push-ups at chest height, incline push-ups at hip height, and kneeling push-ups.
- Once you reach a step's goal, you move to the next, harder variation, which is the core of the double progression method.
- The full progression covers three stages: therapy (wall, chest-height incline, hip-height incline), fitness (kneeling, regular push-ups), and strength (arrow-head, archer, one-arm, serpent push-ups).
- The therapy-stage variations are presented as the ones most applicable to healing from injury, while the later variations are described as harder and less relevant to rehabilitation.
- The presenter emphasizes going at a pace that feels comfortable and not rushing the process.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Stage 1 (Therapy), step 1: Wall push-ups, 3 sets of 50.
- Stage 1 (Therapy), step 2: Chest-high incline push-ups (hands on a railing at chest height), feet together (spreading them apart makes it easier), 3 sets of 40.
- Stage 1 (Therapy), step 3: Hip-height incline push-ups (hands on a chair or table at hip height, with the table preferred), 2 sets of 35.
- Stage 2 (Fitness), step 1: Kneeling push-ups, 2 sets of 30.
- Stage 2 (Fitness), step 2: Regular push-ups, 2 sets of 25. Chest should come about one fist-width from the ground, or arms parallel to the ground; touching the chest or chin is not required.
- Stage 3 (Strength), step 1: Arrow-head push-ups (fingers pointed forward, not a diamond shape), 2 sets of 25.
- Stage 3 (Strength), step 2: Archer push-ups, keeping the passive arm straight, doing one side then rest then the other; each side's set counts as one set, so 2 sets per side, 2 sets of 20.
- Stage 3 (Strength), step 3: One-arm push-ups, 2 sets of 9. If not yet possible, do half one-arm push-ups; going further to the side makes it easier, and pushing off with the toes into the arm helps.
- Stage 3 (Strength), step 4: Serpent push-ups (coiling to the side, with fingers turned slightly), 2 sets of 9.
- The presenter notes that the early sets in the first stage are extra practice to get used to the movement.
- The presenter says partial reps are not a major focus but can help some people feel the movement.
- The presenter describes diamond push-ups as stressful on the elbow for them, which is why they use the arrow-head variation.
- The presenter says the one-arm push-up is the stage where many people need extra time, and that a smooth look may not be achieved right away.
- The presenter states that a full straight-down version of the serpent push-up is very rare and very difficult, which is why the coiling version is used here.
Bottom Line
Work through the variations in order, hitting each set-and-rep target before advancing, and let the progression take as long as your body needs.
