These simple press-up and sit-up upgrades challenge your muscles in new ways, improve coordination and help you get more from every rep
If you think back to when you first stepped into a gym, there’s a good chance the press-up and sit-up were among the first exercises you learned. Simple, accessible and effective, they’ve stood the test of time for a reason.
The press-up remains one of the best bodyweight exercises around, building strength in the chest, shoulders and triceps all while challenging the core at the same time. The sit-up has earned its place as a classic too, training the rectus abdominis – the muscle responsible for flexing the spine and helping create that sought-after six-pack.
But if you’ve been doing the same exercises for years, your body can quickly adapt.
The good news? You don’t need more equipment or a more complicated workout. Sometimes a small tweak is enough to make a familiar exercise feel completely different.
Adding a press, rotation, balance or new angle forces your body to work harder, recruit more muscle and improve coordination at the same time. The result is a tougher workout without adding a single weight plate.
Five Exercise Upgrades That Will Challenge Your Muscles In New Ways
These three press-up variations and two sit-up alternatives train your body from slightly different angles, helping to build strength, muscular endurance and body control. Better still, they require no equipment – just your bodyweight and a willingness to move outside your comfort zone.
Try them individually or combine all five into a circuit for a full-body challenge.
Instead of the Press-Up…Try the Spiderman Press-Up
· Start in a standard press-up position.
· As you lower your chest towards the floor, drive your right knee towards your right elbow.
· Press back up to the starting position and return your foot to the floor.
· Repeat on the opposite side and continue alternating.
Why do it?
By bringing your knee towards your elbow, you’ll challenge your core and obliques, whilst improving your hip mobility and recruit more muscles than a standard press-up, making every rep work harder.
Instead of the Press-Up…Try the Pike Press-Up
· Start in a press-up position.
· Lift your hips towards the ceiling and walk your feet slightly closer to your hands, creating an inverted V-shape.
· Keep your legs as straight as possible.
· Bend your elbows to lower your head towards the floor.
· Push through your hands to return to the starting position.
Why do it?
Shifting your body into a pike position places greater emphasis on the shoulders, making this an excellent bodyweight exercise for building overhead pressing strength while also challenging your upper back and flexibility in the hamstrings.
Instead of the Press-Up…Try the Superman Press-Up
· Lie face down with your arms and legs extended.
· Place your hands beneath your shoulders and keep your toes in contact with the floor.
· Drive through your hands and feet to lift your body off the ground.
· Lower under control and repeat.
Why do it?
This variation encourages full range of motion, forcing your chest, shoulders and triceps to work harder while also engaging the muscles of the lower back.
Instead Of The Sit-Up…Try Butterfly Sit-Ups
How to do it:
· Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead.
· Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to fall out to the sides.
· Brace your core and sit up, reaching your hands towards your feet.
· Lower back down under control and repeat.
Why do it?
A CrossFit favourite, the butterfly sit-up not only takes any hip-flexor engagement out of the equation, but it places more emphasis on the abs, helping build core strength and muscular endurance.
Instead Of The Sit-Up…Try Heel Tap Crunches
How to do it:
• Lie on your back with your heels close to your glutes.
• Brace your core and lift your shoulders slightly off the floor.
• Reach your right hand towards your right heel, then your left hand towards your left heel.
• Continue alternating sides under control.
Why do it?
Heel tap crunches will work the obliques more than a standard sit-up while still challenging the front of the core, helping build strength and stability through your midsection.
Push Yourself: Put These Five Moves Into A Workout
Want to make these exercise upgrades even more challenging? Perform all five moves back-to-back as a circuit. You’ll train your chest, shoulders, core and obliques while keeping your heart rate elevated throughout.
This is the workout
1a. Spiderman Press-Up
Reps: 20 (10 each side)
Rest: Straight into 1b
1b. Butterfly Sit-Ups
Reps: 12
Rest: Straight into 1c
1c. Pike Press-Up
Reps: 12
Rest: Straight into 1d
1d. Heel Tap Crunches
Reps: 20 (10 each side)
Rest: Straight into 1e
1e. Superman Press-Up
Reps: 12
Rest: 60 seconds
Complete three to four rounds in total, resting for 60 seconds between rounds. Focus on quality movement rather than speed, keeping your core engaged and maintaining good form throughout.
