Upper Body — Push

Push-Up

Foundational horizontal press. Develops chest, shoulders, and triceps with core stability. A moving plank — trains the entire anterior chain plus core simultaneously. Builds the upper body endurance that prevents postural collapse in late-race miles.

Equipment: bodyweight | Reps: 8-15 | Rest: 60s

Regions: Primary: upper_anterior · Secondary: core

Coaching Cues

• Hands under shoulders, fingers forward
• Body in a straight line from head to heels — like a plank
• Lower your chest all the way to the floor
• Elbows at 45 degrees to your body, not flared out wide
• Press up to full arm lockout at the top

Common Mistakes

• Hips sagging toward the floor — squeeze your glutes
• Flaring elbows out to 90 degrees — keep them at 45
• Incomplete range of motion — chest should touch or nearly touch the floor
• Head dropping forward — keep your neck neutral

Overhead Press

Vertical pressing for shoulder and tricep development. Prevents the postural collapse at mile 22 — rounded shoulders, dropped head, shortened arm swing. Single-arm KB/DB press demands anti-lateral core strength as a bonus, resisting the same lateral forces your trunk handles every running stride.

Equipment: kettlebells, full_gym | Reps: 6-10 (kettlebells) · 5-8 (full_gym) | Rest: 90s (kettlebells) · 120s (full_gym)

Regions: Primary: upper_anterior · Secondary: core

Coaching Cues

• Brace your core tight before you press
• Press straight up — the bell should travel vertically
• Lock out fully overhead, arm completely straight
• Once locked out, push your head slightly forward so your arm is beside your ear
• Lower with control back to the shoulder

Common Mistakes

• Excessive back arch — your ribs should stay down, not flared
• Pressing forward instead of straight up — the bell drifts in front
• Incomplete lockout — arm should be fully straight overhead
• Holding breath through the whole rep — exhale as you press

Bench Press

Barbell bench press — the primary heavy horizontal push. Develops chest, shoulder, and tricep strength that supports a powerful arm swing and resists the upper body collapse that sets in during the final miles of a marathon.

Equipment: full_gym | Reps: 3-5 (full_gym) | Rest: 150s

Regions: Primary: chest, shoulders · Secondary: arms

Coaching Cues

• Retract your shoulder blades and press them into the bench — create a stable base
• Grip slightly wider than shoulder width, wrists stacked over elbows
• Lower the bar to your mid-chest with control — touch, don't bounce
• Drive through your feet and press the bar back up in a slight arc toward your face
• Lock out fully at the top, shoulders stay pinned back

Common Mistakes

• Bouncing the bar off the chest to generate momentum
• Flaring elbows to 90 degrees — keep them around 45 to protect shoulders
• Lifting hips off the bench during the press
• Unracking with loose shoulder blades — set your back before you unrack

Clap Push-Up

Explosive plyometric push-up where you push hard enough to leave the ground and clap before landing. Develops upper body power and fast-twitch recruitment in the chest and shoulders — the kind of explosive capacity that improves running economy and supports a snappy arm swing at pace.

Equipment: bodyweight | Reps: 3-5 | Rest: 90s

Regions: Primary: chest, shoulders · Secondary: arms, core

Coaching Cues

• Start in a solid push-up position, core braced, body in a straight line
• Lower with control, then explode up as hard as possible through your palms
• Clap at the peak, then land with soft elbows — absorb the landing, don't crash
• Reset fully between reps — each one is a maximal effort, not a cardio set
• If you can't get airtime yet, practice explosive push-ups without the clap first

Common Mistakes

• Landing with locked elbows — absorb with a slight bend to protect your joints
• Hips sagging on the landing — keep your core tight throughout
• Rushing reps — this is power training, rest between each rep if needed
• Attempting before mastering strict push-ups — build the base first

Single-Arm Overhead Press

Unilateral kettlebell overhead press. Pressing one arm at a time forces your core to resist lateral flexion — the exact anti-rotation and anti-lateral demand your trunk handles with every single running stride. Builds shoulder stability and overhead strength with a built-in core training bonus.

Equipment: kettlebells | Reps: 6-8 | Rest: 90s

Regions: Primary: shoulders · Secondary: core, arms

Coaching Cues

• Clean the KB to the rack position — bell resting on your forearm, elbow tight to ribs
• Brace your core hard before pressing — you should feel your obliques fire on the opposite side
• Press straight up, rotating your palm forward as the bell passes your head
• Lock out fully overhead, bicep beside your ear
• Lower with control back to the rack — don't let it crash down

Common Mistakes

• Leaning away from the pressing side — stay vertical, let your core do the work
• Pressing with a loose core — if your ribs flare, you're not braced
• Using leg drive to get the bell moving — strict press, no push press
• Not fully locking out — arm should be completely straight at the top