Day 14 of 22: Tricep Push-ups

 Our focus in class this week is on the heart chakra, so instead of a forward facing push-up I thought I might try a "heart opening" style. Like traditional chaturanga this one is triceps intensive, but has the shoulders in a rear extension, which can be intense on the anterior deltoid and the pectorals if they are tight. It's also a bit of a internal shoulder rotation. so those with any impingement or pain when holding the arms down at the side and rotation the thumbs inward might want to do this either non-weight bearing or try an overhead press instead.

I used a chair for a horizontal "grip" but a wall could suffice as well. A lower support surface that takes the body lower will of course create more intensity. As this is gentle adaptive yoga, we keep it simple: gentle bend in knees, more upright posture, hands pretty close to the body, and the "dips" are not extreme.

Two sets of eleven for the challenge, with forward bends to stretch out the lats, teres major, triceps, and serratus among other muscles. Enjoy!

To donate to my challenge, click here: https://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraiser/2872670

To start your own challenge, click here: https://activeheroes.org/22pushups/

Day 13 of 22: Push-ups with Scapular Extensions

Another day, another blended push-up challenge. This time we take our standard chair push-up and add that shoulder/scapula protraction that we did on challenge day seven, which turns this into a really great upper body strengthener, and yet is still gentle enough for everyone to try. The least intense way would be non-weight bearing at all, taking the arms through the range of motion, then doming the upper back (like in Cat Pose but not tucking the pelvis) to achieve activation in the serraturs anterior. 

Practicing this on an incline does activate the arm muscles and chest muscles quite a bit more, and calls the core and legs more into action. Of course, the most intense version would be horizontal on the ground (or perhaps upside down ha ha), but that's out of the scope of this class.

Hopefully you can see the extension of the upper back when I press up from the push-up; it's really a nice stretch for those muscles under the shoulder blades and your feel pretty strong in the trapezius and other supporting muscles. Then when you lower back into the push-up, you feel those muscles engage again. Two sets of eleven gets us to the end of challenge day 13! Thanks for joining!

To donate to my challenge, click here: https://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraiser/2872670

To start your own challenge, click here: https://activeheroes.org/22pushups/

Day 10 of 22: One Armed Push-ups

If you clicked on this link thinking you were going to see some Rocky-esque power workout, you might be slightly disappointed. These one-armers are far from the latissimus dorsi and forearm bulgers that you get in a prize-fight training regimen.

Today's challenge was a side-plank inspired "push-up" dialed back to be appropriate for gentle yoga. By putting weight on your shoulders at the side angle however, you work the infraspinatus and teres minor (posterior shoulder) muscles, which externally rotate the upper arm bones, and draw the heads of the shoulders away from the chest. These muscles are often underutilized and you may find these to be far more vigorous than at first glance!

We aren't just holding the side plank like one might do in a mat yoga class, we are creating a change in muscular control by bending at the elbow, so it's even more important that we don't overestimate the incline of the body that is appropriate. 

You can have your hand on the chair (a lower position and more stable) or against a wall; if at the wall, it is best to have it at shoulder height. For best results I'd say the elbow doesn't bend more than halfway, and it's a slow and deliberate descent and press back to straight arm. 

The glenoid (socket) is shallow, and with the humerus (upper arm bone) at this sideways position, the joint is vulnerable and needs a lot of muscular and connective tissue support. We are doing eleven repetitions to build strength, so go slowly, be patient, and take breaks. 

 

To donate to my challenge, click here: https://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraiser/2872670

To start your own challenge, click here: https://activeheroes.org/22pushups/

Day 7 of 22: "Shoulder" Pushups (Scapular Retractions/Protractions)

Today's challenge took place in the park as I had to run an errand and was unable to get back to my PC in time to host class. So with the use of a new phone, the Zoom app, and cell service I was able to conduct class and record it to the cloud to get today's challenge published.

This gentle pushup variation is for the shoulders and rotator cuff, and for helping with the "winging" of the scapula (shoulder blade). It strengthens the muscles that hold the shoulder blade on the rib cage, as well as it's mobility there. Be careful to not lock out the elbows (use the muscles to keep them straight rather than rigid). Also, there isn't so much of a flexing of the spine like a cat/cow motion as there is a movement of the chest forward and back between the arm bones.

If the movement seems awkward, practice without the hands on a surface first, as if you are pushing a wall away. Notice if there is any pain or discomfort in the range of motion. Then try vertical, and work up to an incline, or even horizontal. 

It's also important to not crane the head forward nor drop the chin; the head should stay in line with the rest of the neck and spine to avoid creating uneven weight in the cervical spine. 

To donate to my challenge, click here: https://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraiser/2872670

To start your own challenge, click here: https://activeheroes.org/22pushups/