I have no weights! How can I get stronger? This is how! We have designed an upper body push workout (Chest/shoulders, triceps) specifically tailored to maintain and improve strength similar as you would using weights, with no equipment at all! All movements should be slow and controlled, allow yourself at least 45-60s rest between exercises for maximum recovery and optimum performance leading into following set as this is NOT a cardio workout. Enjoy the gains!

Handstand Pushups -> 3 x 5

How: This first exercise is optional and only recommended if you have been training for a while and can do at least 30 continuous push-ups. Place hands a similar distance to push up width near a wall, kick your legs up until you are balance in a handstand, lightly using the wall as a balance support if needed. Carefully lower your head toward the floor and press back up.

Why: An advanced calisthenics shoulder workout. A great way to progress strength if you are already strong through your shoulders but require substantial resistance to progress.

Box Handstand Pushups (regression exercise) -> 3 x 5

How: Use a standard box/couch or chain, place feet on box with legs outstretched (as if you were making an L shape with a close to 90 degree angle at the hip. Place hands on floor, similar to push up position and perform shoulder press movement in a slow and controlled manner.

Why: This is a great exercise to develop your calisthenics ability and progress towards a complete handstand push up. It will strengthen your deltoids, shoulder stabilizers, traps and triceps!

Handstand -> 30sec

How: Find a wall to use as a balance support, place hands in a similar position as above. Kick feet up until they are touching wall. Extend your shoulders out as if you are trying to push yourself as far away from the floor as possible. Hold for 30s.

Why: Handstands are a good way to improve strength and stability through your shoulder joint. Not only targeting the delts and traps, but all the smaller intrinsic muscles responsible for overall shoulder health. Because of this, Calisthenics type training will translate over to strength in the gym with weights too!

Regular PushUps -> 2 x 10

How: Hands a little wider than shoulder width, keep your body straight. Lower chest to floor, flexing at the elbow. Keep elbows on roughly a 45-degree angle from midline of your body. It is important not to flare elbows out in line with shoulder as this puts the shoulder in higher risk of injury.

Why: First primarily chest focused exercise of the workout, to warm up and target pec muscles.

Diamond Pushups -> 2 x 10

How: Make an L shape with you thumb and index finger. Place them together on the floor mimicking the shape of a diamond with roughly a palms width of distance between each hand. Perform push ups in a slow and controlled manner, keeping your body straight.

Why: Diamond pushups, will put emphasis on your chest muscles a little differently to regular push ups, although more importantly will primarily target your triceps and improve strength through your elbow joint.

Underhand Pushups -> 2 x 10

How: Set up as you would for a regular Push up, externally rotate your arms until your hands are now facing the other way (fingers towards your feet). Perform push ups in this position, being slow and controlled with the movement.

Why: Reversing hand position will put more emphasis on the upper part of the pectoral muscle closer to your collar bones as well as incorporating a lot more anterior deltoid than other variations.

1 Hand Out Pushups -> 2 x 10

How: Set up for a regular push up, one arm will be placed further out. Your weight distribution over each arm should roughly be 70% on target arm and 30% on rest arm. Perform the 2 sets of 10 on each target arm.

Why: This overloads the chest/shoulder/triceps group in a way that the other exercises do not. It is an effective way to improve strength as you can progress via increasing % of weight placed on target arm until eventually working toward a single arm push up!