Burn With Us

A great way to boost your push-up performance and shake up the routine is to do weighted push-ups, or what I like to call loaded push-ups. As you’d expect, you simply add some extra weight to your body for the push-up by placing something on your back. This can be a backpack, a weight plate (you may need a partner), or even a small child.

That’s right, a child. I’ve done push-ups with the Midget or the Squirt on my back, and they weigh (at last measure) 56 and 43 pounds respectively. They get a giggle out of it, and I get a tougher workout in my arms and chest.

I never expected to have to do this in karate class, though.

I was working with our gold (top end of white) belts in class, leading them through ippon kumite kata #1. This is a simple set of moves with a couple of blocks, a kick, and some hand techniques. One of our little guys strayed too close to me, however, and I couldn’t see him with my block up. When I brought down my block, my elbow knocked him on the head.

Long story short, the kid started crying and ended up in the back room, and I felt horrible. A few moments later, our sensei brought him out and hit me with 10 push-ups. Not unexpected, but as I turned my belt to the side and dropped down, he threw me a curveball.

“Celestino, get on Mike’s back!”

The little dude, already giggling, came running up and scrambled aboard. He’s a little heavier than my boys, but I’ll tell ya, nothing makes a man work harder for a push-up than when a class of 30 students, his sensei, and 10-15 spectators are all watching to see how this situation plays out.

They weren’t perfect push-ups, but I busted out all 10, jumped up and high-fived Celestino. We were buddies again and all was right with the world.

And I definitely felt it in my arms. No pain, just that surge of blood that makes you feel like Schwarzenegger.

Loaded push-ups: they do a body good.