If you’re looking to work your upper body, enhance your posture, and strengthen your core in one move, you’ve come to the right place. I’m a fitness editor and marathon runner, and recently I added this simple exercise to my routine for a week. The move? A push-up to downward dog. Read on to find out what happened.
You should talk to a qualified professional if you are just starting out with exercise or if you are coming back after an injury or a long time away from working out. This is always a smart choice to make sure you stay safe.
How to do a push-up to downward dog
Also known as a plank to pike, this exercise combines two exercises: a push-up and a downward dog. It’s a compound exercise, which means it’s working multiple muscle groups at the same time.
Here’s how to do it:
- Start in a plank position, with your core engaged, your wrists underneath your shoulders, and a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Bend your elbows and lower your torso down towards the floor into a push-up.
- Push through your palms back into a plank, then raise your hips to the ceiling, pushing them up and back so you’re in a downward dog.
I’m guilty of not doing a lot of strength work, primarily because I just don’t have the time, so I added this simple move to my running routine, doing 20 reps before my run, and 20 reps when I get home. Two weeks later, here’s what I noticed:
I had to really focus on keeping my core engaged
When we talk about engaging your core, we mean really thinking about sucking your belly button into your spine, bracing your core as if you’re going to get punched. If your core isn’t engaged during this exercise, your hips will sag.
I noticed myself moving too fast during the initial repetitions of this exercise. The important thing is to perform each movement at a slow pace. When you lift your hips upward and backward into the downward dog position you should focus on pushing your hips toward the ceiling. This movement should create a stretching sensation along the back of your legs.
It worked on my stiff back
Like millions of Americans, I spend a lot of time sitting down, which isn’t great for my lower back or my posture. This move forces you to lengthen your spine, relieving tension from sitting or standing for too long. You’ll also be working on your shoulder joint mobility and upper back extension.
After two weeks of practicing this exercise every day I noticed that I could actually focus on expanding my upper back and pulling my shoulder blades backward.
My upper body got a workout, too
To make this exercise harder, add a three-second pause at the bottom of the push-up and during the downward dog. This keeps your upper body muscles under tension for longer — a technique that adds more challenge and resistance during an exercise, which could help build muscle without lifting heavier weights.
After two weeks I saw no physical changes in my body. Building muscle takes much longer than that. However I did feel like I understood the movement better and could activate my core muscles more effectively during each repetition. Adding the downward dog pushup to my warm-up routine helped me focus on my running posture. I was able to engage my core and maintain an upright torso when I increased my speed. If you want a simple challenge during the holidays you should try this exercise. Begin with 8-10 repetitions and gradually increase from there.
