MARK WAHLBERG’S MOST recent 4 a.m. workout was an upper body session by the looks of things. The actor, who frequently documents his training efforts on Instagram, just shared a new video of himself doing an intense set of pushups, captioned: “No days off.”
This time, however, Wahlberg is performing a feet-elevated version of the classic bodyweight training staple, creating a decline which makes the move that much tougher.
“Very similar to an incline bench press, this will open up your upper arm angle and create a little bit more range of motion and start to hit that upper chest,” explains Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel C.S.C.S.
In Wahlberg’s case in this video, he has positioned his feet at such an extreme angle that he’s placing even greater pressure on his upper body, pressing more of his own bodyweight with each rep.
Wahlberg isn’t the only leading man who likes to make his pushups more challenging: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also favors this feet-elevated variation as a chest day finisher.
While the feet-elevated pushup does have its benefits, it is also not for beginners. Firstly, you’re going to want to make sure you’re performing the traditional pushup with perfect form before you add any more difficulty by raising your feet.
And again, it’s worth noting that you shouldn’t be elevating your lower body as much as Wahlberg is in the clip above; try a less extreme angle first.
Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and maintain a straight line with your body as you lower down and press back uop. Aim for three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
You’ll soon start to feel a difference in how this one simple modification to your technique changes how much the pushup hits your upper chest and shoulders.