Core work

Top Bodyweight Exercises: No. 5 – Curling Press-up

Curling press-up

This is a challenging movement – the curling press-up – is based on an isometric and rotating press-up. It’s an excellent functional exercise for strengthening the superficial and deep abdominal musculature, both sets of obliques and much of the upper torso and hip area.

Read more on how to do it….

Which muscles does the curling press-up work?

  • Primary muscles worked: Pectoralis Major (chest), Trapezius, Deltoid medial, anterior and posterior (middle, front and back of shoulder), Triceps brachii, obliques, transversus abdominis
  • Secondary muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, lower back musculature, glute medius

What does it do for you and your sport?

  • Benefits: develops a strong upper torso, especially shoulders and arms. Improves coordination of upper torso and pelvic structures
  • Good for: any movement involving pushing or pulling, e.g. punching, throwing, rowing and running

How to do it:

  • Start in a standard press-up position – see our previous press-up blog…how to do a proper press-up
  • Here is where the isometric (muscular contraction with no movement) bit comes in – hold the bottom part of the press-up where your chest is hovering 10/20 cm above the ground
  • Staying low, concertina the upper and lower body towards each other by flexing the knee and hip on one side of the body – imagine you want to kiss your knee!!
  • Return back the start point (without lifting back up from the 10/20 cm level) and repeat on the other side – repeat for up to 10/15 times on each side