Best Exercise Modifications

Modifying exercises is one of the secrets of success people. Not many people can jump into a workout program and do each move or exercise exactly like Tony, Sagi, or Shaun T. Beachbody does a great job of showing many modifications and even has cast members showing you modified moves in many workouts. But with such a large range of fitness levels on teamRIPPED, I want to give you some of the BEST exercise modifications I have used. I am going to start with PUSH UPS and move through some of the most used exercises over a series of posts.

Best Exercise Modifications – Push Ups

Exercise modifications are not only good for people that might struggle with the full exercise, but they can also be used to overreach and do more work! So if you are a stud or studette… listen up and add some of these exercise modifications to get even more and dig even deeper!

Push Up Modifications

1) FULL PUSH UPS Let’s start at the standard you should be aiming for. In my mind, a proper push up has to have full range of motion (ROM). So if you are doing them without Power Stands, that would be a push up where you start with your arms fully extended, on your toes, core tight, and lower your chest all the way to the ground and then push up to your starting position. With Power Stands, I aim for bringing my chest even with my hands. Thinking of a traditional bench press can help, I just want to know that the “bar” would touch my chest. No half reps here!

2) PARTIAL REP PUSH UPS Now if you haven’t worked up to that level of push ups, the first modification is to do a shorter ROM rep. So start fully extended again and lower yourself within 3-4″ of the ground. That will make them a little easier and still give you a great chest workout. If this is you, set your goal on getting deeper push ups and a bigger ROM. If you can do 5 full push ups, do those first and then do some partial reps. 

3) PUSH UPS FROM YOU KNEES A great next modification is to do as full of range of motion push ups but from your knees instead of your feet. This will lower how much of your body weight you have to push back up and make the push ups easier. These all still build strength. Once you can do 15 from your knees, it’s time to add in some partial reps from your toes. 

4) ELEVATED PUSH UPS Now if you still struggle to get some good sets from your knees, we can move our hands up to a table or counter top. This again will  lower how much of your body weight you have to push back up and make the push ups easier. So firmly place your hands on the edge of a counter and push yourself away. Make sure you have stable feet and good shoes on so you don’t slip. Once you can do 15 from a counter top, it’s time to move to lower counter or table, and then even try some partial reps from your knees. 

Build a base and then BRING IT!

For all of these push up modifications, I hope you can see the progression. Don’t be afraid to move to the next level, even if you only get a few you are challenging yourself and it will pay off. Do as many of the more difficult version of push ups and then finish up with the step down.

For the fitness BEASTS we have on teamRIPPED, these are tools you can use to burn out! Try some out at the end of your next chest and back workout. If you are a real animal, step down through them all until you can’t do anymore!

Thanks David J. for the pics to help show what each modification looks like! Look at him rep it out! ;)

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