A highly functional pushing exercise which strengthens the core, hips and upper body

  1. Set up a cable at shoulder height using an appropriate resistance (men 40-50lbs, women 30lbs). Grab the handle, keep it close to your shoulder, and move to face away from the cable, in a split stance, with your opposite leg forwards, making sure that the cable is in tension or the weights aren't resting on the stack.
  2. The movement involves you transferring your weight from the back foot to the front foot, rotating your hips and then your upperbody before extending/pushing the arm holding the handle out in front of you at approximately shoulder height. Then, returning the arm back towards your shoulder, rotate the upper body and hips back as you transfer your weight back to the back foot so you finish in your starting position. Repeat.
  3. This exercise requires good timing for best results, particularly in the firing of the core musculature. The abdominals and obliques should activate to iniate the entire movement, do so by contracting the abdominal wall - pulling the belly button inward and tensing the abs before transferring your weight, rotating and pushing. You must try and remain upright in your upperbody throughout the movement, forwards and backwards, avoiding leaning into the push in particular.
  4. You can do this exercise slowly for strength gain or quickly to develop explosive power. Remember to exhale through the sticking point in order to tighten the core muscles further. Try 10 reps each arm with an appropriate weight.
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