Push-up

The push-up is a bodyweight pressing exercise performed inside the kettlebell complex with the bell set aside. The hands sit under the shoulders, the body holds a rigid line, and the chest lowers to the floor before pressing back up. The exercise trains the chest, triceps, and anterior core as a pressing counterpart to the overhead work.

Mechanics and load path

Set the bell aside and place the hands on the floor under the shoulders. Hold the body in a straight line from head to heel with the anterior core braced. Lower the chest to the floor under control, then press back to a locked-arm plank. The hips neither sag nor pike.

The failure mode is a sagging hip or a flaring elbow. When the midsection drops, the lower back takes the load that the brace should carry. Dropping to the knees keeps the line intact when fatigue sets in.

Programming

The push-up is the bodyweight pressing option inside a loaded complex. Set the bell aside for the set and the grip and pressing muscles get a brief change of stimulus inside an otherwise loaded chain. It complements the ballistic Plyo Push-up, which adds an explosive concentric to the same pattern.