Dolphin push-ups torch your shoulders and work your core muscles, so I added 90 reps to my exercise routine every day for one week to see what, if anything, would happen to my body. To do a dolphin push-up, you’ll start in a forearm plank position, then push through your shoulders, arms and elbows, lift your hips up and back toward the ceiling, as if you’re trying to perform a downward dog on your elbows, then return to a forearm plank position. Best of all, I didn’t need any equipment to accept my own challenge — just one of the best yoga mats and my body weight.
Here’s what happened throughout the week, 630 reps later. Unlike dolphin planks , this dolphin exercise requires movement. Here’s a step-by-step guide to doing a dolphin push-up: Here’s what I learned.
I tried two variations throughout the challenge to emphasize my shoulders and triceps. To send more focus to the shoulders, I kept my hips lifted throughout and sent my weight over my shoulders as I pushed forward; it’s less taxing on the elbows to bring your hands together and slightly turn your elbows outward. In the fitness industry, you’ll always find variations of the same exercise under the same name; this was much more challenging than regular dolphin push-ups, but to target my triceps more, I also tested out another tough alternative.
Starting in a downward dog position, I bent my elbows and tapped them down onto the mat, keeping them close to my ribs, then pushed back up into the starting po.
