Bull Strength Exercise – Jail Yard Push-Ups

January 4, 2009 on 9:26 am | In Strength Training, Synergy Pictures, Unreal Strength Building | No Comments

This exercise of the week comes from the upcoming Bull Strength Training Manual (due out by the end of the month).  **Update Bull Strength is now out!**

Jail Yard Push-Ups – Since I train small groups of athletes we use Jail Yard push-ups as a finishing exercise on upper body day.  Instructions:

• Everyone gets into a push-up position - Jail Yard Push-Ups be performed with 2 or more people.
• The first person does one push-up and then holds the position while the next person does one, and the next, and so on until everyone has completed one push-up. 
• Repeat performing 2 push-ups
• Repeat performing 3 push-ups, then 4, then 3, then 2, then 1.  Essentially pyramiding up to 4 and back down.
• Remember everyone has to stay in the “up postion” while the others perform their push-ups. 

Benefits:

• Increased Chest Strength
• Increased Upper Body Stabilty – From the Isometric hold
• Core Strength – Everyone has to hold that push-up position, just like doing a bridge.
• Competition and Desire Not To Let The Group Down
• Increased Mental Concentration

Variations: For increased difficulty, perform push-up variations, add another person, or pyramid up to a higher number. 

Last time we performed this exercise it turned into somewhat of a competition.  Instead of doing 2 or 3 regular push-ups, the first athlete would perform a push-up variation – clapping, one handed, tricep, sphinx, etc – and the other athletes would have to match it all the way around. We pyrimaded up to 5. 

The athlete on the right is performing clapping push-ups while everyone holds the position.

Performing Tricep Push-Ups

Videos and Bull Strength Manual HERE NOW!!

-J. HASHEY, CSCS-