UPPER BODY STRENGTH BASICS: PUSH-UP

Denver Union Station at dusk. Taken by PKSenagore June 29, 2018. All rights reserved.

SOME OF YOU WILL SOON BE STARTING a training program for a Fall race.  Whether running or walking it, the plan you choose may include strength work.  Often times a plan will specify each day’s running/walking distance or time but only the general guidelines will suggest including a cross training day and a strength day.  You won’t find these sessions detailed on the plan’s day-by-day calendar.
 
However, the soon to be released Earned Runs running and walking programs will schedule one strength day each week, with the general instructions encouraging more, 2-3 sessions per week, if improving strength is a goal.
 
In my experience, if I don’t have a list of exercises pre-planned and written down for that day, I’m not likely to perform them. But with a ‘default’ list of moves ready to use as a stand-in for a formal list, there’s no excuse for skipping a strength session.  One of my default upper body exercises that can be done anywhere, without equipment, inside or outdoors, is the push-up.
 
There are numerous demo videos online. However, Amy Marturana also provides a good deal of written information in her article for SHAPE.com. “Here’s Exactly How to Do A Push-up Correctly” that may be helpful if you need more instruction. Her piece includes a link to another article that describes and shows how to perform less difficult modifications, “less-than-full-body” push-ups, if you want to work up to mastering a classic pushup. 
 
Why work on muscle strength while training for a challenge goal or race? As we use muscles to progressively train harder, cover longer distances, spend more time moving upright, and move faster there is a risk of exceeding capacity. Building strength can help to avoid injury and improve form and performance. And although bodyweight exercises like the push-up are a great start, many trainers and coaches now highly recommend weight training.
 
To help runner/walker trainees, links like this one, to exercise descriptions/demonstrations of strength routines that can be performed safely, will be added to the RESOURCES page. 
 
RUN & MOVE HAPPY!
 
https://www.self.com/story/heres-exactly-how-to-do-a-push-up-correctly
 
https://www.self.com/story/upper-body-exercises-to-try-if-you-cant-do-a-push-up

https://www.ukrunner.com/strength-training/
 
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/important-reason-runners-need-strength-train-ncna810431

https://www.active.com/running/articles/3-reasons-runners-should-perform-core-workouts