It is from this active tension / plank position that a full push-up starts . Of course , it can be modified to the knees or to a quadruped position , but the concept of the isometric body line hold remains regardless . This active tension and sustained scapulae pushing / protraction are crucial components of the push-up . Being able to hold this position also relies on placement and endurance of the wrists , hands and elbows .
Wrists and hands
Wrists and hands are the end of the chain , so to speak , but they connect through fascia all the way up into the upper back and trunk . They are often a weak link for a push-up and many clients complain about painful wrists whenever they weight bear onto them .
Mobilising the finger tendons ( which attach through to the wrist / forearm muscles ) and slowly acclimatising the hands to be able to tolerate load is a crucial and often under-practised activity .
Let ’ s face it – wrist and finger exercises are not generally considered fun or sexy , but ask any hand balancer , acrobat or even weightlifter how much wrist conditioning they do and the answer will be “ a lot ”.
Wrist and finger exercises need to be introduced gradually . Consider doing three to five minutes of different variations every time you work , pushing or pulling . Build up endurance over time .
Make sure to load all fingers and parts of the palm equally . It ’ s easy to bias weight onto one side of the hand or a few fingers only .
Wrist flexion raises
These are a nice place to start . Begin in quadruped and try to keep the shoulders over the wrist . But , if this isn ’ t possible , then start sitting back on your heels .
The more weight you put over your hands ( i . e ., the further forward your shoulders are over the hands ), the heavier this exercise becomes .
Active tension and sustained scapulae pushing / protraction are crucial components of the push-up
1 . The starting position of wrist flexion raises is palms flat on floor , fingers spread and weighted as evenly as possible ( see pic 3 ).
2 . Lift the palm and thumb up slowly , while the other four fingers remain fully on the floor . Lower the palms back down slowly ( see pic 4 ).
3 . Wrist flexion raises can be down with fingers facing in all directions – front , back or side . Different angles target different ranges of movement and tendons .
Whatever the finger position , remember to only raise the palm and thumb and check that the four fingers remain pressed into the floor . Then slowly lower the palms back down . Continue to raise the palm and thumb smoothly up and down . Try to do both sides at the same time , with no staggers or jerky movements . Aim for 10-15 repetitions .
There may not be much range of movement , depending on the individual . And full disclosure – this can be uncomfortable ! But start small and do it frequently , and it gets easier .
Wide arm , internally rotated push-up
Another thing to try is a wide arm , internally rotated pushup for a mobility variation targeting the lateral wrist tendons and anterior shoulder and chest . The shoulder joint will be in internal rotation and the scapulae will be protracted . 1 . Begin with hands wider than shoulders and fingers pointing as much as possible towards the body . Keep elbows as straight as possible ( see pic 5 ).
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