Pilates Push Up

A Pilates-style push-up that emphasizes spinal articulation and core control, combining a roll-down movement with a standard push-up to develop strength and mobility.

Instructions

1. Stand upright with your arms at your sides.
2. Engage your core and slowly round your spine, rolling forward one vertebra at a time.
3. Place your hands on the floor and walk them forward into a plank position.
4. Perform one or more push-ups in the plank position.
5. Walk your hands back toward your feet and slowly roll back up to standing, articulating through your spine.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

• This exercise combines flexibility (the roll-down and roll-up) with strength (the push-up), making it an excellent full-body movement.
• The articulation of the spine during the roll-down and roll-up is as important as the push-up itself; move slowly and deliberately.
• Keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement to protect your spine.
• Your body should move as one unit during the roll-down; avoid bending at the waist.
• If the full push-up is too challenging, perform knee push-ups or skip the push-up and focus on the roll-down and roll-up movement.
• This exercise is excellent for improving spinal mobility and flexibility while building upper body strength.
• Coordinate your breathing with the movement: exhale as you roll down, inhale at the bottom, exhale during the push-up, inhale as you roll back up.
• The Pilates push-up is more demanding than a standard push-up due to the added spinal movement.