Everyone you know and everyone they know is doing home workouts right now, and all of them are exactly the same. 5-10 different bodyweight exercises arranged in random ways to get you tired for 20 minutes, and make you feel like you accomplished something. 

Here’s the thing: Random workouts are only good for one thing, and that’s finding a weakness you weren’t aware of, NOT fixing it. If you want to fix your weaknesses, you need a thoughtful, focused progression on those weaknesses to make them strengths, along with work to continue making sure your strengths stay strengths. 

Here’s an example of a progression on the Push-Up to take someone who is stuck at Knee Push-Ups to get to the full range of motion Push-Up.

Week 1: Push-Up with knees up; lower for 6 seconds or as slow as possible for 5 sets of 2 reps. 

Week 2: Push-Up with knees up; lower for 6 seconds or as slow as possible for 6 sets of 2 reps. 

Week 3: Push-Up with knees up; lower for 6 seconds or as slow as possible for 5 sets of 3 reps. 

Week 4: Push-Up with knees up, lower at whatever speed you like, then pause 1 inch off ground for 3 seconds, then drop knees and press up however you like, start with 6 sets of 2 reps

Week 5: Push-Up with knees up, lower at whatever speed you like, then pause 1 inch off ground for 3 seconds, then drop knees and press up however you like, start with 5 sets of 3 reps

Week 6: with knees up, lower at whatever speed you like, then pause 1 inch off ground for 3 seconds, then drop knees and press up however you like, start with 6 sets of 3 reps

Week 7: With knees up, lower for 6 seconds, then pause 1 inch off ground for 3 seconds for 5 sets of 2 reps

Week 8: With Knees up, lower for 6 seconds, then pause 1 inch off ground for 3 seconds for 6 sets of 2 reps

Week 9: With knees up, lower for 6 seconds, then pause 1 inch off ground for 3 seconds for 5 sets of 3 reps

Week 10: Start on the ground, with knees down, and press up as fast as possible, then lower for 3 seconds and pause an inch off the ground for 3 seconds for 5 sets of 3

Week 11: Start on the ground, with knees down, and press up as fast as possible, then lift knees up and lower for 3 seconds, and pause an inch off the ground for 3 seconds for 5x3

Week 12: Start on the ground, with knees up, and press up as fast as possible. Then lower yourself with control to the ground for 5-6 sets of 2. 

Developing a movement like the push-up can take a long time, and just doing random workouts until you get push-ups is not nearly as effective as a progression is. Don’t just put your time in with workouts, workout with purpose! 

Click here to sign up for online coaching, and get a custom progression written for you with your goals, equipment, and time availability. If you need a little more accountability than that, check out our accountability services here!