Russian push-ups involve dynamic movement to increase the intensity of conventional push-ups.
Push-ups are a powerful way to build upper body strength, relying on the same mechanics as the bench press (1). A study published in the JAMA Network Open journal, involving 1,104 men, found a lower risk of cardiovascular disease for those who could perform more push-ups (2). But if you’re ready to take your push-up routine to the next level, the Russian push-up is a must-try exercise.
This dynamic move fuses the traditional push-up with a forearm plank, creating a fresh challenge that will ignite your muscles in new ways. Perfect for breaking through plateaus, Russian push-ups not only elevate your training but also introduce unique benefits to your workout routine. Keep reading to discover how to master the Russian push-up and unlock its full potential.
Overview — What Is the Russian Push-Up?
The Russian push-up is a bodyweight exercise that works primarily the upper body muscles. They require no equipment, and you can do them anywhere as long as there is adequate floor space. If you’re looking for a way to challenge yourself with push-ups, this is an excellent exercise to try.
Russian Push-Up — Muscles Worked
The Russian push-up is a compound movement that targets the following muscles.
Triceps
Doing the Russian push-ups can task your triceps muscles. Using a stance that is less than shoulder-width, with your arms placed in this position, places more emphasis on the back of your arms. Since the triceps are at the back of your arms, they carry your bodyweight and support the movement.
Forearms
Your forearms act as support during this exercise. When transitioning to the plank phase of this exercise, the forearms serve as a base for your general movements before returning to the push-up phase.
Chest
During the shoulder-width hand stance of this exercise, your chest muscles are also greatly emphasized. You achieve a greater range of motion and a maximum stretch and squeeze from the pecs as you lower yourself. During the lowering phase of this exercise, there is a full pec stretch, while at lockout, you can achieve a full flexion of the pecs. The shoulder blade retraction during this exercise also promotes greater engagement of the pectoralis major.
Shoulders
The Russian push-up works your front, lateral, and posterior delts. Additionally, during the forearm plank phase of the exercise, the shoulders are extended and the scapulae are engaged. This can improve shoulder health by increasing the strength and stability of the shoulders.
Core Muscles
To perform the Russian push-ups, you require a lot of abdominal strength and stability to maintain the correct form. Your core muscles will constantly work to keep a straight posture, supporting your back, torso, and pelvis. A strong core is key to preventing many training injuries.
Lower Body Muscles
The Russian push-up, to a certain degree, also works the posterior chain and lower body muscles, including:
How to do the Russian Push-Up
Setting up for this exercise is easy, but the execution might be challenging, so ensure you have adequate floor space. Keep your elbows close to your body to avoid any shoulder injuries. You should also ensure that your back and hips are always in line with your shoulders; otherwise, you’ll lose your core engagement, which ruins the exercise experience.
Here is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to perform this exercise safely and correctly.
- Get into a push-up position, placing your hands at shoulder-width length on the floor (make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders).
- Keep your body in a straight line, engaging your core and glutes as you drive your legs into the floor. This is your starting position.
- Next, bend your elbows and lower your chest until you’re at least one inch from the floor (remember to avoid flaring out those elbows to get that maximum triceps activation).
- In that position, drop your elbows and forearms on the floor one at a time, bringing you into a forearm plank position, and hold for about one to two seconds.
- Finally, switch back to your hands on the floor and slowly push up back to the starting position.
Benefits
The Russian push-up is an advanced variation of the regular plank and push-up, offering a more intense workout with additional benefits. Check out some of them below.
Works the Upper Body Muscles
Doing this exercise is an excellent way to target your chest, triceps, shoulders, and forearms. Building these upper body muscles gives an aesthetically pleasing physique. It also improves your posture and makes it easier to lift heavier objects.
Activates Core Muscles
The Russian push-ups not only work your upper body muscles, but they’re also a great way to strengthen your core. During this exercise, the core experiences constant time under tension, which is a good factor for muscle growth and strength increases. A strong core also helps prevent injuries and maintains proper exercise form during training.
Great Way to Add Variety to Your Training
Are you getting bored with doing the same exercise, or feel you’ve hit a training plateau? Switching up the way you do your push-ups or planks could be the much-needed change. You actually have a lot more to gain by increasing the intensity of your exercise, as we’ve pointed out earlier.
Convenient & Easy to Do
This bodyweight routine requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. It can be a fun way to stay fit when you’re on the go with no access to a gym. All you have to do is drop down and do this push-up to get your muscles firing and blood pumping.
Russian Push-Up Alternatives
Exercise alternatives are suitable because they help add variety to your workouts. Experts advise mixing up your exercises to avoid a training plateau. Here are some excellent exercise options you can try to build similar muscles.
Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press is another popular exercise for the upper body. It can be a good way to gain the strength for the Russian push-up. Incline bench presses help build muscle in your shoulders, upper pecs, and arms.
Dip
Dips are bodyweight exercises that work similar muscles to the Russian push-ups, especially the triceps. However, you don’t use your lower body during this routine. You can dip with a bar or simply use an elevated surface, such as a chair, for this exercise.
Barbell Overhead Press
The barbell overhead press is an excellent training routine that targets the shoulders, upper pecs, and triceps muscles. If you try this exercise standing, you’ll recruit your core muscles more to help with stability and balance. You can also use other free weights, such as dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands, for this exercise.
Russian Push-Up FAQs
What are Russian push-ups for?
Russian push-ups are effective for targeting upper body muscles, including the shoulders, triceps, forearms, chest, and core. It also builds your posterior chain and lower body muscles to a certain degree, as they help with stability during the movement.
What will happen if I do 100 push-ups a day for 3 months?
Push-ups are bodyweight exercises that work multiple muscle groups. Regularly doing Russian push-ups can significantly improve your upper body strength, giving you the confidence to tackle your daily life. You’ll see even more benefits if you choose to try advanced variations, such as the Russian push-up, as discussed in this article.
Which push-up is the most effective?
Numerous push-up variations serve different purposes. However, if you’re looking for a push-up variation that can give you the benefits of two exercises in one, then you need to try the Russian push-ups. It combines push-ups with planks to provide you with a more intense routine that boosts growth and strength.
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References
- Tillaar R. V. D. (2019). Comparison of Kinematics and Muscle Activation between Push-up and Bench Press. Sports medicine international open, 3(3), E74–E81. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1001-2526
- Yang, J., Christophi, C. A., Farioli, A., Baur, D. M., Moffatt, S., Zollinger, T. W., & Kales, S. N. (2019). Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men. JAMA network open, 2(2), e188341. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341
