Train of the Week: Bear Push-ups
Written on August 14, 2022 at 5:57 am, by Eric Cressey
Right now’s visitor submit comes from Cressey Sports activities Efficiency coach, Ethan Dyer.
The Bear Push-Up is an higher physique motion we’ve been utilizing with our athletes who battle to search out efficient shoulder inside rotation and conventional protraction throughout push-ups from the ground or sure cable presses.
Usually, in throwers, we see the gradual lack of gross inside rotation over the course of a profession and typically over the course of a season. That is largely on account of bony diversifications (humeral retroversion), but in addition on account of diversifications to the eccentric stress they encounter on the arm throughout a throw – particularly on the mound. Whereas a lack of exterior rotation in throwers is usually extra problematic than a lack of inside rotation, actually any lack of movement ought to be addressed – and this drill (as a part of a complete program) might help offset the gradual lack of IR we would see.
Once we place the athlete ready of flexion on the hip and knee, we’re pulling them away from what we’d historically consider as anterior pelvic tilt and gross extension. We’re giving them a greater probability to seize some conventional flexion by way of their higher again in a manner that ought to permit for as a lot inside rotation and protraction as attainable by way of the press.
There’s much more worth right here – in wrist extension, some throwers lack the requisite inside rotation by way of their distal forearm and hand wanted to carry out efficient push-ups from the bottom. By utilizing a barbell, we are able to mitigate this challenge whereas concurrently biasing further inside rotation on the shoulders because of the pronated grip.
All of this comes collectively to make the bear push-up an awesome selection for throwers who must drive slightly extra inside rotation on the shoulder, whereas getting in some urgent quantity with an accessory-type motion. In case your push-ups simply don’t look proper, or they battle to search out good scapular motion across the rib cage even when cued up, give these a shot. Relying on the remainder of the day, you’re 2-3 units of 12-15 or one thing like 3-5 units of 6-8.
In regards to the Writer
Ethan Dyer serves as a Energy & Conditioning coach at Cressey Sports activities Efficiency. He began as a shopper at CSP and finally went on to intern at CSP-MA. Following one other internship at Indianapolis Health and Sports activities Coaching, Ethan joined the CSP-MA group. He was a pitcher on the Faculty of the Holy Cross earlier than transferring to Endicott Faculty to finish his undergraduate work with a serious in Train Science and minor in Psychology. A Licensed Energy and Conditioning Coach by way of the Nationwide Energy and Conditioning Affiliation, Ethan has been a volunteer with each the Miracle League and Particular Olympics, and has a ardour for working with younger athletes to assist them fall in love with coaching whereas avoiding harm. You may observe him on Instagram at @Ethan___Dyer.
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