Medical expert of the article
New publications
Press to get the V-shaped back
Last reviewed: 19.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Strengthen your shoulders and central muscles with a sophisticated variation of the classical movement
Benefits
This type of push-ups trains your chest and shoulders, and causes your central muscles to stabilize the body throughout the movement. By increasing the load on each shoulder, you can also avoid muscle imbalance. Note: If you feel pain doing the bench press, this exercise is not for you.
How to do it
Get on your knees near the bench, your feet on the bench, your hands on the floor, the distance between your arms is more than the width of your shoulders. Push the hips upwards so that your legs and torso form an almost regular triangle. This is the starting position. Bend your arms in the elbows to lower your head down towards the right shoulder. Then straighten your arms and repeat the movement to the left. Start with 3-5 repetitions on each side.
The Council of Experts
You should feel as if you are in an inverted state. Raise your hips so high that they are almost vertical. Too heavy? First, keep your feet on the floor or on a small stand. Then, when you perform 8 reps on each side, increase the difficulty, instead of placing your feet on the fitball.
[1]