Tutorial: How to Correctly Perform the Push-Up Hold

WHAT

The push-up hold is an excellent strength and control exercise for the upper body and core.

This exercise should result as a progression of the push-up, so be sure you can perform push-ups in a full position – with proper technique – before trying this variation.
The additional stability required will significantly challenge the core and lower body muscles.

Assume a push-up position, with hands shoulder-width apart, back straight, and legs locked. Set the shoulders and engage the core.
From here, lower yourself under control to the bottom position, and hold the body just a few inches off the ground. Keep the elbows tucked in by the sides and maintain a tight body.
Hold for 5-10s and continue for desired reps.

Once you have become stronger and more efficient at regular push-ups, there are some progressions you can make. Rather than move onto weighted pushing movements, such as free weights or cable machines, there are many benefits to using bodyweight progressions.
The push-up hold is one way to enhance your bodyweight strength. Adding any hold to a movement will require extra stability from other muscles in the body – specifically the core and even the lower body. In this way, you can safely increase strength over time, without using heavier weights/loads.
This ‘end-range’ hold is often the weakest point of the movement, becoming stronger in this position can have a significant positive impact on overall strength and control in other pushing movements.
Exercises that demand high levels of stabilization are also beneficial for joint health, in this case, the wrists, elbows and shoulder.