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When you think of an exercise that can be done just about anywhere, your mind will probably take you to pushups. It may seem like a basic and simple exercise, but it is great for your upper body. Want to build hip mobility as well? Then try one of the variations of this popular bodyweight exercise — spiderman pushups. It is not just a core strengthening exercise, but also the perfect move for your hips. It is quite a challenging move, which is why you should know how to do them the right way. Once you nail the classic pushups, you can graduate to this variation.
To do the classic pushup, you need to get on all fours, place your hands a little bit wider than your shoulders, and move your body up and down. The spiderman pushup is its advanced variation. “This exercise involves additional movement of taking the knee towards the elbow. This is for those who want to intensify their pushup workout,” says fitness expert Aman Puri. Spiderman pushups resemble the spider foot- stepping movement.
The muscles worked during spiderman pushups are:
Since so many muscles are involved in spiderman pushups, this exercise can be a full-body challenge.
Here are some of the benefits of spiderman pushups:
Spiderman pushups require rapid sideway movement of legs till the triceps to meet the elbow. “This increases the involvement of oblique muscles, helping strengthen the internal and external parts of the core,” says the expert. Strengthening the core is important, as decreased core muscle strength is associated with low back pain, according to research published in the Journal Of Sports Science And Medicine.
If you sit for long, then you will complain about tight hips. Do spiderman pushups to build hip mobility. Due to the extension and flexion of the hip area while moving the legs in an upward direction, this exercise improves the flexibility and overall mobility of the hips.
Pushup chest movements engage upper body muscles like pectorals, deltoids, and triceps, which helps improve upper body movement and muscle strength. “It helps stabilise joint movements, particularly those of the elbow and shoulder,” says Puri.
Spiderman pushups involve intense movements of the legs, arms, back and chest muscles. It challenges balance and coordination that calls for a high energy demand. This in turn helps burn calories and lose weight. Adding pushups, including its variations, to an aerobic exercise routine can increase energy metabolism, which can lead to burning of more calories, as per a study published in The New England Journal Of Medicine.
Spiderman pushups involve movements that require proper coordination. After all, you need to maintain the balance of your body in a high plank position while performing the exercise. This leads to improvement in body coordination and control. Improving balance is important, as it is a risk factor for several injuries, as per a study published in The Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research.
Spiderman pushups are challenging but follow these steps to do the exercise the right way:
1. Lie on the floor in a pushup start position with your hands placed wider below your shoulder width, and keep your back and legs straight.
2. Lower your chest down towards the ground like performing the classic pushup.
3. Hold your chest parallel to the ground while lowering your body and lift your right leg bringing your knee outwards and up towards your right elbow.
4. Raise your back and repeat the same with your left leg.
You can start with 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps to reap the benefits of this variation of pushups.
Here are some of the people who should avoid performing spiderman pushups:
Spiderman pushups challenge the core, which is why they are good for upper body strength and balance. They are also beneficial for people with tight hips, as they can help to improve hip mobility. But it is an advanced variation of pushups, so certain people, including beginners, should avoid performing the exercise.
A simple pushup itself requires lots of strength and balance. Pushup variations are even harder. Handstand pushups and flying (superman) are a few of the variations that are harder to perform, as they require high-intensity movements along with balance and coordination.
Doing 100 pushups in a day may be beneficial for beginners initially where it can benefit in building muscles of the chest, shoulder and triceps. For those involved in regular training, adding variations to your 100 pushups can be more effective. However, overdoing these may cause muscle injury or soreness.
To go for a simpler version of the exercise, you can perform easy and simple versions, such as the high plank, which works the same basic muscles as pushups.
The wall pushup, a standing variation of classic pushups, is the easiest to perform. It simply involves placing the arms on the wall for support and bending the elbows, pushing the body towards the front and then moving back.
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