the belly is the boss for the push-up

Here we again with the belly... remember our 'strong man says, "don't hold the belly in!"? This was about what to do with the belly in a natural postural position. Now we'll tell you the opposite for doing push-ups; don't let the belly hang!

"The belly is boss for the push-up" means let the belly lead the movement while the abdominal muscles are contracted. The tendency is to lead the push-up with the shoulders or the butt. When the belly leads the movement, the body is in a plank position, as in one solid and straight piece. In the push-up, the proper form is to keep this shape.

The push-up builds strength in the front muscles of the body and the triceps. Once you have mastered the push-up, explore more playful variations. For some variations, the belly is the boss. For other variations, the butt or the shoulders is the boss. Most the time with the push-up variations, the belly is still the boss.

Below are two instructional videos on the push-up. Part 1 covers the mechanics of the push-up, and part 2 covers the mechanics of the variations. The instructions are top-notch and the narrator's voice sounds a bit like that of Bill Walton, the NBA Hall of Famer. If you watch these, you'll know how to squash the troll.

We document and share a catalog of movements. This blog and the videos are for entertainment and educational purposes only. Please seek guidance from a qualified instructor to be sure you move with proper biomechanics and safety.








Bodytribe Movement Lab: Pushups, Part 1 and 2 by Bodytribe

photo of Homer Simpson on the grass by Jim Champion, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons