Recently, I stumbled upon Mike Tyson push-ups and thought to myself — this might just be one of the best calisthenics exercises ever. So, I decided to give it a go.
My initial goal was to embark on a two-month challenge. If the exercise turned out to be great, I could implement it in my and my clients’ bodyweight training routines. However, it’s been only 30 days, and I am more than pleased.
So, instead of waiting another month, I decided to share my experience early. Today, I’ll tell you all about the exercise, how to do it, what to expect, and the results I achieved. I will also offer a few practical tips on making the most of Mike Tyson push-ups.
What Are Mike Tyson Push-Ups & Which Muscles Do They Work?
Mike Tyson push-ups are an advanced push-up variation that combines the basic elements of a traditional push-up with some lower-body movement. You could think of them as a mixture of a squat and a push-up.
This exercise provides a decent full-body workout, engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously. The main goal of this exercise is to build strength and muscular endurance, but that’s far from the whole story. Performing only a few reps will make you question your mobility and coordination — especially if you’ve been heavily focused on hypertrophy training.
My Experience With Mike Tyson Push-Ups
I must admit I underestimated the complexity and difficulty of this exercise even though I have spent more than a decade in the gym. Mike Tyson push-ups were hard to do even though I am in excellent shape, so don’t take them lightly.
My initial goal was to perform 75 push-ups in a row by the end of the second month, but after the first 20, I realized that I set the bar too high. My front delts, traps, and triceps were toast before I reached 30. So, during the first week, I just did three sets to failure, which usually got me to about 75–80 push-ups in total. My first-day personal best was 31 push-ups in a row.
After the first week, I was pretty comfortable with the movement. My heels were glued to the wall, my core and lower back were engaged at all times, and I was finally pushing up in one fluid motion (at first, I had to remind myself to push up and back, not up then back). Also, I was finally giving my lower traps a good workout, which, admittedly, was long overdue.
One thing I will say is that if you’re someone who trains legs often, Mike Tyson push-ups won’t do much for your quads or glutes. You will feel them burn a bit after you get enough reps in, but it will be nothing compared to what this exercise does to your upper body.
My Results
By the 30th day, I was certain I could perform 45 Mike Tyson push-ups, and sure enough, I did. I managed to do 50 Mike Tyson push-ups in a row on the final day of the challenge. Reaching my initial goal would likely take at least four to five months, maybe even more.
Apart from strength and endurance, my shoulder and back mobility improved quite a bit. My lower traps are one of my most underdeveloped muscles, and doing Mike Tyson push-ups helped strengthen them quite a bit, which helped with my shoulder mobility.
Due to years of playing tennis, my right shoulder is much more mobile than the left one. However, after only a month of performing Mike Tyson push-ups, I’ve noticed the gap getting smaller.
How To Perform Mike Tyson Push-Ups
Now that you know Mike Tyson push-ups bring excellent results, let me teach you how to do them:
Step One — Place Your Feet Against the Wall
Place your feet against the wall and touch the wall with your heels. Your toes should touch the ground.
Pro Tip: Do this in shoes so that you don’t hurt your toes, and keep your heel planted at all times. I wouldn’t recommend performing the exercise barefoot or in socks.
Step Two — Move Into the Push-Up Position
Move forward, and place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with the palms in line with your shoulders.
Pro Tip: To make the exercise more delt and trap-heavy, move your palms 2–3 inches in front of your shoulders.
Step Three — Move Into a Squat
From the starting push-up position, bend your knees and push your hips back towards your heels, assuming the squat position. Your arms should be fully extended, and you should feel your lower traps and rear delts engaged.
Pro Tip: Keep your core and lower back engaged at all times. It is really easy to hinge forward and lose stability if you lose focus of your core and back for a brief moment.
Step Four — Drive Into the Push-Up
Driving forward through your heels (in a controlled manner), shift your body weight forward, controlling the movement with your shoulders. Stop when you get in a conventional push-up position. Lower your chest while keeping your elbows tucked and core engaged. Go as deep as possible.
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