The ‘Typewriter Push-Up’ Will Spell Soreness for Your Chest and Core

Here’s the thing about push-ups: They may be hard, but they are never boring. There are dozens of different variations out there (The Sphinx! The Spiderman! The Dive Bomber!) that you can mix and match to work every single muscle in your core and upper body. And the latest iteration to catch our eyes? The typewriter push-up.

The move involves holding a classic push-up at the bottom, with your chest a few inches from the ground, and moving your upper body from side to side (yowch). Think: a piece of paper moving across a typewriter. The motion requires you to engage your chest and core the entire time, and you’ll start to feel the burn almost immediately. What’s more is that, when you straighten your arm to move your body, you’ll get a nice little upper body stretch through your chest and shoulders.

Since this is definitely a more advanced take on a traditional push-up, you’ll want to work up your strength before trying the move on your own. Get comfortable with high planks as well as standard and wide-grip push-ups (taking care to keep proper form, with your core engaged and back flat), then you can work your way up to attempting the typewriter.

To nail the move properly (when you’re ready, that is), start in a push-up position with your arms extended out slightly in front of your body, and your core and glutes engaged as you keep everything in a solid, straight line. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees to lower down so that your chest is slightly above the floor, then lean to one side by bending one elbow and straightening the other. Then, shift your weight to the other side by switching the arms you have bent and straightened. A full-range movement from side to side counts as one repetition, and you can repeat for as many as your body can handle.

Sound complicated? Follow along with the video below to get typing (and sweating) on your own.