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Bodyweight Glute contraction in push ups and OAPU

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Marc

Marc

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Hey guys,

as far as I got it, the Strongfirst style for pushups/OAPU is to squeeze the glutes.
I stumbeled upon an article:
Push-Ups: You're Doing Them Wrong! | T Nation
The author states, that squeezing the glutes is actually detrimental to a good pushup form. However, all other cues are the same as advocated by Strongfirst.
Actually I experienced this, too: my form on OAPU seems to be better, e.g. stable hips, when I contract the quad of the opposite leg extra hard.

Whats are your thoughts on that?
 
I think the writer, in typical "fitness industry" fashion, is trying to create a false dilemma ('either or' situation, 'black and white thinking', etc), then after creating the false position, he shoots it down and proclaims himself to be the "right" version, while the other is "wrong."

If fact, the SF materials that I've read advocate contracting glutes, along with everything else, to create a full body tension. The writer in that article makes it seem like you either contract the glutes or the quads, and one is right and the other is wrong. I'm not an instructor or anything, but I believe SF teaches to contract both of those, plus the abs, plus the lats and pack the shoulders. If anyone's only doing one thing or another, get a copy of Naked Warrior and learn to develop more tension in the body! It's a great skill.
 
Matts said:
I think the writer, in typical "fitness industry" fashion, is trying to create a false dilemma ('either or' situation, 'black and white thinking', etc), then after creating the false position, he shoots it down and proclaims himself to be the "right" version, while the other is "wrong."

If fact, the SF materials that I've read advocate contracting glutes, along with everything else, to create a full body tension. The writer in that article makes it seem like you either contract the glutes or the quads, and one is right and the other is wrong. I'm not an instructor or anything, but I believe SF teaches to contract both of those, plus the abs, plus the lats and pack the shoulders. If anyone's only doing one thing or another, get a copy of Naked Warrior and learn to develop more tension in the body! It's a great skill.
Click to expand...
And it gives you inhuman strength for fighting since your whole body becomes one solid weight!
 
Mark Limbaga said:
IMHO, strongfirst principles work

Rather than ask why others do it differently, if the way we do it has been working constantly, why not just focus on that instead?
Click to expand...

Yes, that makes perfectly sense!
Thanks guys! For me the strongfirst principles also work fine. I only focused on them for 6 months now and my progress has never been faster.

However keeping my glutes tight and contracted during the OAPU is my biggest issue. Any revommendations for that, guys?
 
Try to read the article within its own context. I don't think the author is telling you to not contract the glutes. He's simply saying that the cue of contracting the glutes makes some people overarch and sag the hips. I think that's a valid point. His form looks fine too.

If you assume a plank position and fully extend your hips, you'll arch. The hollow body position, by necessity, doesn't have terminal glute extension. He wants you to avoid that pitfall with this article. So everything is consistent.

Whether his cues or SF cues get you there is irrelevant. What matters is correct form. A straight line of joints, with all muscles hard and tense. I think he would agree with that from that article so I frankly don't see a discrepancy.

Just my 2 cents
 
One of the strongfirst principles is dominata which means applying appropriate tension but maintaining emphasis on the lift..

It always pays to understand context
 
So time for an update: pushing through the heels is extremeley helpful for keeping the glutes contracted. They contract instantly. It is basically the same as the top position of a swing/1 hand swing. Great cue! Thank you, @Steve Freides!
 
There is nothing new under the sun, @Marc. I learned this cue about six months ago when I worked one-on-one with Master SFG @Phil Scarito. (You should know that all of us in positions of leadership at StrongFirst consider ourselves both teachers and students, and we periodically work with each other to continue to improve. I had a _great_ time working with Phil and am looking forward to doing it again.)

I'm delighted to hear it worked well for you, and I hope it will also help others who read this thread. And I really like your comparison to the swing - I hadn't thought of that.

-S-
 
I would love to attrnd a SFB course. Unfortunateley, there are none planned in Germany. However, I might take a trip to Italy to Fabio Zonins facillity any day soon...

Yes, that cue helps really well both with OAPU and its progressions and with regular pushups.
I found it to be even helpful in power breathing and pullups
 
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