Glossary

The words we use across the Institute, in plain terms.

Brace

Tightening your midsection, as if ready for a light push to the stomach, so your body moves as one piece.

Core: The muscles around your middle, front, sides and back. They hold your body in one line from head to heels.
Cue: A short thought to hold during a rep, like “push the floor away.” Simple words, better reps.

Decline

Feet raised above your hands. It moves more of the work to the upper chest and shoulders.

Elbow angle

How far your elbows travel from your sides. Around 45° suits most push ups and is kind to the shoulders.

Explosive

Pressing up fast enough that your hands leave the floor.

High plank

The top of a push up: arms straight, hands under the shoulders, body in one line from head to heels.

Incline

Hands raised above your feet, on a bench or a step. It makes the push up lighter while the pattern stays the same.

Progression

Moving to a harder variation once the one you’re on feels clean and steady.

Protraction

Spreading your shoulder blades apart at the top, as if pushing the floor a little further away.

Range of motion: How far you move in each rep. In a full push up, from arms straight to chest just above the floor.
Rep: One complete push up, down and back up.

Scapula: The shoulder blade. How it moves shapes how your shoulders feel through every push up.
Set: A group of reps done without resting. Three sets of fifteen is three rounds of fifteen.

Tempo: The speed of each part of a rep. A slow lowering builds strength and control.