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Hi, David Weck here. Today, I'm going to teach you the most powerful productive push up on the planet using the BOSU Elite [Balance Training]. It's called the Compression Push Up. The key is the firm dome of the BOSU Elite that gives us the resistance to develop this centerline strength. Not linear strength, but centerline strength. This has tremendous functional carry over to running, to bench pressing (it's a primer for bench pressing), and to sports (football, or anything where you have to be strong on the inside). If you think about the pectoralis muscle, it starts 'here,' and inserts 'here,' and as it flexes, there's a centerline effect. It's not a linear situation.
So, here's how we perform this movement: You're going to use the heels of your hands, and you're going to position them right on the Power Line. The Power Line is numbered so you're going to be able to reference that specific spot that works best for you depending upon your size and what fits you best. So, you're going to position the heel of your hand right on the line, and you're going to begin in the bottom position. My hands are unweighted in the bottom position. Now, the compression is the key to this. I am compressing inward, and I'm trying to pop the BOSU Ball which brings my weight off the dome of my chest, and now I'm compressing it as hard as I can. You want to think in terms of a centerline compression, so you're targeting compressing right to the valve housing, right here is where you're targeting. It's the center of this circle (or half dome). It's the center of it where your intent is. This creates this elastic isometric movement that gives you tremendous force, and you get out of it what you put into it. That's why it's so effective for everyone.
So, you position it correctly. Heel of the hand on the Power Line. You've got your numbers. You start in the bottom, and you compress in as hard as you possibly can through the heels of the hands, and then you go very slowly up, never releasing that inward pressure. Then, you come down, never release the inward pressure. Come up, you can vary how wide the elbows are. You seat those shoulders, and you drive inward, never losing the intent of that compression inward. Make it your intent to pop that BOSU Elite. It will never happen, it's super strong, but you want to really compress. [Body Mechanics].
The badge of honor at the end of that exercise is the honeycomb impression that you will have through the heels of your hands from that Power Zone designed area. You're pushing with tremendous force 'this' way. Now, if you're a runner, what you can do, is you can get up, and you can use that centerline strength to learn how to cycle the arms. Running is not linear, the movement is not linear. You will feel a distinct ability to really pump the arms with greater power and coordination from that push up [Proper Running Techniques]. You can change the vector or the angle by raising the feet up to create more of an incline, or raising the BOSU up to create more of a decline. So, you can come in 'here,' elbows in nice and tight to the body (I'm still compressing in as hard as I can), compressing in, and it's centerline strength. What you'll notice, is the pressure when you're down low is on the lateral aspect of the heel of the hand, and as you come up higher, the pressure will shift inside, the remedial part of the palm. But, it's still always that inward spiraling connection that gives you an unbelievable training effect. We use this as our staple upper body compressing movement at the WeckMethod laboratory and Performance Training Center, and we get tremendous results with it.
So, here's how you incorporate this: You think in terms between 5-10 repetitions, and you reinforce that you do it very slowly. So, you can count to 4 on the way up, count to 4 on the way down (one, one thousand, two, one thousand, three, one thousand, etc.). That speed, and no faster. Really go slow, and make it all of your intent to crush inward with that compression and pressure. You'll do 3-5 sets of that, and you will feel an immediate effect where you feel this ability to really pump the arms with tremendous power. If you want to use it to prime a bench press for example, then you can just come in and compress, compress, compress, and then come out, and do your bench press. A really strong bench press involves this cue to bend and break the bar, and what this does, is this helps you seat it to the center, and then bend and break, spreading it out. We've increased maximum bench presses of people who can really bench press by using this as s primer. Athletes, like football players, MMA, anything where you need strength to the center, this is a fantastic tool for that. I can not emphasize how excellent and unbelievable this push up is. You have to try it, incorporate it, and make it a staple part of your training.
That's the Compression Push Up with the BOSU Elite.
