Convict Conditioning - Paul Wade

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Performance
Kneel on the floor, with one palm out on the ground directly in front of you. Stretch your legs
out behind you, until they are straight and supported by the toes. Keep the spine and hips aligned,
and shift your bodyweight so that your supporting arm goes straight down below your chest-not
out to the side or in front of you. Once you are stable, place your non-supporting hand in the
small of your back. This is the start position (fig. 19). Bend at the shoulder and elbow, lowering
yourself under full control until your jaw is approximately one fist width away from the floor (fig.
20). Pause momentarily, before pressing back up to the start position.
Exercise X-Ray
The one-arm pushup when performed with pure form, is the gold standard of chest and elbow
power, and it's an impressive sight to see. Many athletes claim to be able to do this exercise without
any problems, but don't be fooled. When you ask them to put their money where their mouth
is, their pushups are a joke-they splay out their legs, twist their torsos into ugly shapes to make
the exercise easier, and violently strain for shallow reps on wobbly, weak arms. Without doubt,
the true master of the one-arm pushup is a rare beast. Make sure you become one of this endangered
species.
Training Goals
• Beginner standard:
• Intermediate standard:
• Elite standard:
1 set of 5
2 sets of 10
1 set of 100
(both sides)
(both sides)
(both sides)
Perfecting
Your
Technique
If you have mastered the lever pushup, the one-arm pushup shouldn't be too intimidating. But
if you have trouble doing five reps of the one-arm pushup in good form, go back to Step 9, and
ensure that you are can use perfect form for twenty repetitions of the lever pushup. If you can do
this but still have trouble with the one-arm pushup, keep working with lever pushups until you
can do thirty repetitions, before trying again.