Who Should Do?

Athletes Focused On Shoulder Strength

Shoulder strength is key for various ball sports and overhead throwing sports due to the shoulder’s structure. One study points out there is a lot of force applied to the shoulder during throwing sports movements.

Strengthening the shoulder increases athletic performance. Conversely, shoulder stiffness and poor range of motion limit performance. These push-ups, which again focus on stimulating the rear deltoids and rotator cuffs, boost performance by increasing the range of motion. As stated, all athletic-minded people require strong, mobile shoulders to perform best.

Lifters Who Train With Heavier Loads

Adopt the size principle and use it to your advantage in lifting for growth and strength. According to the size principle of muscle activation, smaller muscle fibers activate first during even heavy lifts. With heavier tensions, these small fibers switch off allowing larger ones to carry the load. 

Here is the rub: on the chest or back day, reverse iron cross push-ups supplement heavy lifting with the size principle in mind. After a set of heavy back, perform the move to hone in on the smaller, slow-twitch fibers. Those fibers are switched off during a heavier lift but require attention for a complete strength day.

These push-ups do not require max tension and thus complement a heavy lift, especially on back day. 

Throwing Athletes, Grapplers And Swimmers

We already established that reverse iron cross push-ups create a stable shoulder. Furthermore,  healthy shoulders are crucial for performance across many major sports. 

Recall the high activation rate of the rear shoulder and the rotator cuff muscles. The demands of overhead sports like swimming or tennis, can wear on a rotator cuff over time. 

Understand: these push-ups combine high rotator cuff activation and the number of rotator muscles used. The result provides a bulletproofing effect for the shoulders — preventative and functional strength. 

Who Should Not Do?

Those With Chronic Neck and Back Issues

Lingering back and neck problems require lower-intensity exercise-related interventions for healing. Higher intensities like these push-ups can worsen chronic back or neck issues. 

If you recall, the neck must be lifted during the move. Also, this move requires trunk and core control which influences the position of the upper back and neck. Any irregular movement, to gut out more reps, can cause the neck or head to jerk.

Excessive neck jerking can cause potential pain in people with pre-existing neck issues. Instead, take time to apply rehabilitative exercises such as controlled scapular movements before mastering reverse iron cross push-ups.

People With Herniated Spinal Discs

Inflamed, bulging, or herniated spinal discs occur in people due to trauma and overuse. Inside your neck, cervical spinal movement is impaired when the discs, which act as cushions, get highly irritated. The discs lay in between the bones of your spinal column and provide protection and movement of the spine. 

Inflamed or herniated upper back spinal discs cause pain and can worsen without rehabilitative measures. Reverse iron cross push-ups require movement of your mid-back and a stable cervical spine (neck and upper spine). As a result, if your discs are swollen and tender, this move can worsen your situation leading to less stability and movement.

Remember: spinal injuries require separate attention from orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists’ conservative measures before performing strength exercises.

Beginning Exercisers Without Much Upper Body Strength

Reverse iron cross push-ups are an advanced move that requires a base of strength. Recall that strength training is progressive: the foundations and results compound over time. Without the foundations of upper body stability and the mind-body connection required, novice lifters will find this move challenging. 

Yet, challenges inside training are welcomed stimuli. However, always look for challenges combined with minimal risk of injury. One study points out that, in athletes, progressive strength training is among the best preventative injury measures.

Spend your initial six to nine weeks building endurance in your upper back via traditional methods like bent rows. Begin with higher reps and incorporate dumbbells to build the mind-body connection. After that work reverse iron-cross push-ups into your regimen. 

Benefits Of The Exercise

Tones Muscles 

Toning muscles refers to improvements in muscle definition and firmness. Muscle tone may improve with strength training. Reverse iron cross push-ups are incorporated into an endurance set or strength set to round out a complete back day. 

A well-rounded workout where each muscle was worked to fatigue yields strength gains. Those strength gains result in a toned muscular upper back as a welcome benefit. 

Improves Stability And Mobility  

Mobility refers to the strength plus the relative flexibility of a joint at many angles. Stability improvements with this move increase, globally, upper body stability. Reverse iron cross push-ups, a functional exercise, directly enhance the movement of your whole kinetic chain when programmed as above. 

Builds Strength

You build strength from these push-ups, by working the rear shoulder and rotator cuff muscles. Strength throughout the triceps, upper back, and shoulders yields performance gains across the entire upper body unit. Thus, doing reverse iron cross push-ups translates to overall gains regarding complex movements across the entire upper body during training. 

Frequently Asked Questions