Push

Half-Kneeling Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press: As pointed out in my article, Best and Worst Upper Body Strength Exercises for Athletes, overhead pressing with a barbell is harmful for athletes because it restricts shoulders in a fixed path of movement. All overhead movement is contraindicated for athletes who have limited shoulder mobility and for those who have a history of shoulder pain or injury.

Note: Strength coaches sometimes exclude overhead lifting for overhead athletes. Although being an overhead athlete is not reason in itself to avoid training overhead, many overhead athletes, over time, experience shoulder joint wear and tear that can cause deficits in mobility and scapular upward rotation. Those deficits can make overhead lifting risky for shoulders. Only athletes who pass my overhead mobility tests are permitted to lift overhead. For those who have been cleared for overhead lifting, Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press is the primary exercise I endorse.

1. From half-kneeling position (left leg forward and right leg back) grip a kettlebell in your right hand—parallel grip and bottom of kettlebell up, just in front of your right shoulder (like first picture above).
2. Engage muscles around mid-section (as if expecting a punch to the gut). When Kettlebell Press is done improperly, the ribcage flares upward and the back hyperextends, which indicates a lack of core recruitment and increases risk of back injury. In a proper Kettlebell Press, the spine remains neutral from neck to tailbone, and the scapula rotates upward and downward on the rib cage.
3. With core engaged, press kettlebell overhead as shoulder blades upwardly rotate—imagine shoulder blades reaching up and wrapping around rib cage. Keep shoulder and hips square (don’t lean).
4. Slowly return to starting position.
5. Repeat for desired reps then switch leg positions and repeat on the left side.

Landmine Press: Landmine Press encourages efficient scapular upward rotation and engages anterior (front) shoulder stabilizers—both key to preventing shoulder injuries. Landmine Press is safer and more functional than pressing directly overhead.  (Read details about overhead pressing under exercise description Half Kneeling Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press). Form and scapular movement are crucial to Landmine Press.

1. Cup the barbell in both hands, thumbs on the end of the barbell. 
2. Begin with the barbell at chest height, elbows even with or slightly in front of torso.
3. Bend your knees and brace your core as if expecting a punch to the gut.
4. Push the barbell up and away, leaning forward, coming up onto toes, and fully extending arms (without locking elbows) as scapula rotates upward and wraps around ribcage to finish the movement.
5. Slowly and with control, return hands to starting position.

Cable or Band Push Press This exercise encourages efficient scapular upward rotation and engages anterior (front) shoulder stabilizers—both key to preventing shoulder injuries.  Landmine Press is safer and more functional than pressing directly overhead. (Read details about overhead pressing under exercise description Half Kneeling Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press). Cable or Band Push Press also allow for free, unhindered movement at elbow, wrist, and shoulder joints, which results in healthy, stable joints—and is safer than relying on barbells and machines. Form and scapular movement are crucial to Cable and Band Push Press.

1. Adjust a cable a few inches above ankle level or attach a band to an anchor a few inches above ankle level.
2. Stand facing away from the cable machine or band anchor and grip the band or cable just outside shoulder width.
3. Begin with your elbows even with your torso. If using a band step forward enough to keep the band taut (for increased resistance, take another step forward).
4. Bend your knees and brace your core as if expecting a punch to the gut.
5. Press the band or cable up and away, leaning forward, coming up onto toes, and fully extending arms (without locking elbows) as scapula rotates upward and wraps around ribcage to finish the movement.
6. Slowly and with control, return hands to starting position.

Push Up When performed with proper technique and balanced with adequate horizontal pulling, Push Ups are excellent exercises for athletes. Push Ups not only engage chest, triceps, shoulder and core muscles, they also allow the scapula (shoulder blades) to move freely—unlike bench pressing from supine (lying on back) position. Scapular movement is crucial for efficient shoulder movement and health. Push Up is basically moving Plank. That means that the core should remain engaged throughout the entire movement.

1. Place your hands slightly outside of and in line with your shoulders, extend your legs straight behind you with toes on the floor.
2. Engage your core muscles as if expecting a punch to the gut. Do not let your hips sag, which would disengage the abs and put strain on your low back.
3. Keep your neck in line with your spine to form a straight line from head to feet. 
4. Bend your elbows, lowering your body as one unit, until upper arms are parallel to the floor. During descent, the spine remains neutral from neck to tailbone, elbows remain at a 30- to 45-degree angle from the torso, and shoulder blades retract (move toward spine). 
5. Push back up to starting position, keeping core engaged and spine neutral as shoulder blades protract (move apart and wrap around ribcage).
6. Athletes who master a perfect bodyweight Push Up may progress to Feet Elevated Push Up (below).

Note: Push Ups performed poorly can do more harm than good, putting stress on the low back and shoulder joints. A standard Push Up requires athletes to lift about 64 percent of their bodyweight. Some athletes—especially at youth level—don’t have the strength to do even one proper bodyweight Push Up, yet coaches often require athletes to do multiple reps at a time. As alternatives, Band-Assisted Push Ups or Elevated Push Ups (below) decrease the weight for an athlete to lift. Push Ups from the knees, which minimize recruitment of stabilizing muscles and can put shoulders in a compromised position, are to be avoided altogether