Quit simply counting reps during pushups.

Make your pushup reps count.

Full range of motion.

Deliberate tempo.

Use handles or perfect pushup handles to get even more stimulus, activation, and greater range of motion from your pushups. Don't hesitate to elevate your feet also.

The worst pushups are done when you're just trying to bang out as many pushups as possible, counting reps instead of making sure the quality of each rep is elite.

When I was in the Army, I would do 75+ pushups during the 2 minute physical fitness tests. I was hitting the standard range of motion, but the test focuses on REPS, not STIMULUS. So I'd knock out reps as fast as possible. Soft lockout, throw my body toward the ground, rebound and spring myself back up as fast as I could over and over again. It was part of the job.

But, when the goal is using the pushup to increase strength and muscle mass, I slow things down. I focus on creating tension throughout my entire body – core, glutes, legs, back, arms, chest, delts, even hands – every single rep. I use handles or elevate my feet or add extra resistance to make the exercise harder on the muscles.

Be intentional with your exercise execution. What's your goal? If it's just to max out a physical fitness test, limit tension and accumulate as many reps as fast as possible. If the goal is hypertrophy, you gotta do the opposite.

The pushup is NOT a bad strength and hypertrophy exercise. But, maybe the way YOU do pushups is bad for the goal of strength and hypertrophy.

This is true for ALL exercises you do. Don't just count reps. Focus and make reps count!

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