Can't Master The Push-Up? Here Are 6 Exercises For Strength

You know when you grow your hair, and you hit the uncomfortable time between your short style and the longer style you are waiting for

You know when you grow your hair, and you hit the uncomfortable time between your short style and the longer style you are waiting for, oh-so-patiently? Yeah, the same way to push-ups kind of work. When you've mastered a normal push-up, there's a moment when you're solid ... just not solid enough to take on tougher variants like the push-up from Russia. Like your hair, before you attain your goal, you still need some growing time. And that's just what these exercises for improving push-ups can help you do.

Trainer Kayla Itsines recently shared several Instagram workouts that help improve the main muscles you 're using while doing push-ups. "Not only can you boost your strength by performing these exercises but it will also strengthen your push-up form," she says. If you integrate these into your weekly upper body workouts, you can improve your push-ups to a degree that allows you to bust out every variation like a champ.

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A post shared by KAYLA ITSINES (@kayla_itsines) on Jul 29, 2020 at 2:47pm PDT

Here are six push-up strengthening exercises that Itsines suggests to take your muscle strength to next level.

6 push-up Strengthening Exercises to Try:

1. Plank and Reach

1. Start with a plank in the forearm.
2. Go straight out in front of you, extend your right arm, then return it to your mat.
3. Continue on the other side, switching between arms back and forth.

2. Plank Rockers

1. Start with a plank in the forearm.
2. Slowly get your body moving forward.
3. Rock the body back to its starting point.

3. Plank Rotations

1. Start with a plank in the forearm.
2. Rotate to a side plank on your right side.
3. Return to the center then rotates to a side plank on your left side.
4. Continue alternating between sides in one seamless motion.

4. Push-up Holds

1. Start your knees in a push-up position.
2. Slide up into a push-up, allowing the body to slightly float above the ground.
3. Hold 30 seconds. Repeat.

5. Negative Push-ups

1. Start in a push-up position on your knees.
2. Slowly lower your body into a push-up.
3. Raise back up to your starting position.

6. Toes Down

1. Start in a high plank.
2. Lower your body into a push-up.
3. Once your face is inches above the floor, gently drop your knees to the mat.
4. Raise your upper body until your arms are straight.
5. Straighten your legs so you’re back in a high plank position.

Need to work on your push-up form? This video will help: