Uploaded December 2015 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
To perform . . .
Preparation: Lying on the stomach on a slick surface like a gymnasium floor or tile surface, place a folded towel under each arm. Position your hands on the towel so that they are slightly outside the width of your shoulders with your fingers pointed forward. Rise up onto your hands and your toes into a push up position. Maintain neutral spinal alignment with head and neck aligned. Abdominals are contracted.
One Arm Sliding Push-up Movement: While flexing one elbow and keeping the other elbow extended, horizontally abduct shoulders to allow elbows to flare out to the sides while lowering the body downward to the floor. Lower the chest and body down until one elbow is about 90 degrees while keeping the other arm extended as it slides laterally away from the other hand. Then extend elbow of bent arm while pulling the extended arm back to the starting hand position to return to the up position. Repeat while alternating the extended arm versus bent arm.
Sliding Push-up Chest Flys: While keeping both elbows extended, horizontally abduct shoulders to allow elbows to flare out to the sides and towels with hands on them to slide laterally to the sides while lowing the body downward to the floor as far as feel comfortable. Next, horizontally adduct shoulders by laterally pulling hands back towards one another to lift the chest back up to the starting position.
Modification: Perform same movements as above, but perform the movement on the knees in a modified push-up position.
Note: Be sure to perform on both side of the body and consider trying each exercise in the modified position until feel comfortable with the exercise to ensure good form throughout the movement.
Visit cooperinstitute.org for more exercises and training
To perform . . .
Preparation: Lying on the stomach on a slick surface like a gymnasium floor or tile surface, place a folded towel under each arm. Position your hands on the towel so that they are slightly outside the width of your shoulders with your fingers pointed forward. Rise up onto your hands and your toes into a push up position. Maintain neutral spinal alignment with head and neck aligned. Abdominals are contracted.
One Arm Sliding Push-up Movement: While flexing one elbow and keeping the other elbow extended, horizontally abduct shoulders to allow elbows to flare out to the sides while lowering the body downward to the floor. Lower the chest and body down until one elbow is about 90 degrees while keeping the other arm extended as it slides laterally away from the other hand. Then extend elbow of bent arm while pulling the extended arm back to the starting hand position to return to the up position. Repeat while alternating the extended arm versus bent arm.
Sliding Push-up Chest Flys: While keeping both elbows extended, horizontally abduct shoulders to allow elbows to flare out to the sides and towels with hands on them to slide laterally to the sides while lowing the body downward to the floor as far as feel comfortable. Next, horizontally adduct shoulders by laterally pulling hands back towards one another to lift the chest back up to the starting position.
Modification: Perform same movements as above, but perform the movement on the knees in a modified push-up position.
Note: Be sure to perform on both side of the body and consider trying each exercise in the modified position until feel comfortable with the exercise to ensure good form throughout the movement.
Visit cooperinstitute.org for more exercises and training
