Editor
A well-defined chest with strong abs just below it, is one of the more desired physiques that just about any kind of guy would want. The most popular bodyweight work outs to do that have had success in this area would be crunches and push-ups—but a lot of older individuals have been doing those work outs for most of their lives. Some of them are searching for a way to spice up their workout routines with a newer challenge. You could address every one of those factors with an easy exercise: the pushup with the shoulder tap. You will get the challenge you’re searching for and the ab test that you may need.
The exercise is an easy one. Begin in the pushup position. Do a standard pushup repetition, keeping your focus on continuing full-body tension and locking your spine in line. After you push back to the top, bring one of your hands off the floor and then tap the opposite shoulder, after the tap bring it back to the ground. Move deliberately, and without being in a hurry. Engage your core and keep the torso from overworking as you’re bringing your hand up. Once you tap both of your shoulders, you have completed one repetition.
The beauty of this work out is that it tests the entire body. The pushup targets your triceps and pecs, but when done right with your core and glutes locked in, you will feel burn there as well. Adding shoulder taps helps to increase core burn.
The main thing to maximizing all parts of the exercise is your stability. Keeping your torso from moving and your core locked in place is the key. You do not want your hips to lean towards the ground or your butt to lift up while performing these pushups. You want your body to keep from swaying back and forth and avoid rotating the shoulders when you are doing tapping the shoulder. Try keeping your legs from lifting up on every shoulder tap, as well.
If you want more upper body strength and core burn, the pushup with the shoulder tap is a bodyweight work out you need in your routine. Just remember the key here is that you maintain stability. Try doing the work out with a 2-count for the shoulder taps and the push-ups for a greater amount of time under tension. Begin with 4 sets of between 8 and 12 repetitions, then increase it from there.
