The Push-Up Starts in the…Ribcage?

Unpopular opinion: The push-up is a total body movement.

That’s right. Done properly, the push-up will not only build strength and muscle in our upper body, but it will isometrically train our core and our legs if tension is created in the correct areas.

One common fault in this (and many other movements) is when the rib cage is flared out. When your ribcage is flared out, your hips sag and when your hips sag, your pelvis goes into what’s called anterior tilt. It dumps forward and sends your low back into a position where it’s too arched. When our low back is excessively arched in a push-up, the following occurs:

1. Our abs immediately disengage.
2. Our range of motion is lessened – we tend to make our abdomen touching the floor the signal for a complete rep. It isn’t. It should be the chest.
3. With our abs out of the picture, our connection to our lower body is muted making a peak isometric contraction in our glutes and quads largely impossible.

Where does it all start? Ribcage. Every time you set-up for a set, and at the top of every rep, check in with your ribs. Make sure that your chin is tucked and you’re actively pulling your ribcage down towards your pelvis. You’ll perform clean reps with a strong, engaged core, activated lower body, and nice, full range of motion.

-Dave