The latest viral fitness craze to sweep TikTok? The left-right pushup challenge, which has fitness enthusiasts showing off their best pushup skills. A perfect viral storm consisting of an infectious beat, 504 Boyz and Weebie’s “Grab Da Wall & Rock Da Boat,” paired with a choreographed routine that impressively lines up with the lyrics, it is no surprise that the hashtag #leftrightpushupchallenge has racked up over 93,000 views with thousands of users joining in on the fitness fun. So is the left-right pushup challenge worth joining in on, or should you just keep scrolling onto the next challenge?
What is the left-right pushup challenge?
Pete McCall, CSCS, master trainer for Core Health & Fitness (the parent company of Nautilus, StairMaster, Star Trac, and Schwinn) and author of Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simple and Ageless Intensity: High-intensity Workouts To Slow The Aging Process, describes the current push-up challenge as a fun way to combine some core stabilization training with some fast movement to get the heart rate up with an added dose of strength training. “It’s a great little movement sequence because it combines upper-body strength, core stabilization and explosive movements,” he explains. The explosive/fast-paced movements it involves can activate Type II muscle fibers—the ones responsible for strength and definition—compared to basic core stabilization exercises like planks. “Because so many muscles are involved, it can help burn a lot of calories while improving overall levels of strength,” he says.
What muscles does it work?
The left-right push-up challenge can offer a great full-body burn that works a variety of muscles, including the triceps, pectoral muscles, shoulders, entire core (abs, obliques, lower back), quads, glutes, as well as those micro stabilizer muscles of the feet and ankles, according to Shaun Tubbs, NASM, CPT, CITYROW Lead Instructor + Director of Digital Talent and Programming.
How to do the left-right pushup challenge
If you have trouble following along to the thousands of left-right pushup challenge videos on TikTok, Tubbs breaks it down into a few simple steps. To begin, simply set yourself up into a push-up position. Then, once the lyrics say “left, right,” release one arm and touch your other shoulder, and repeat that on each side two times. Next, as the rhythm speeds up, do a set of mountain climbers (running from left-to-right foot in a push-up position). Finally, once the chorus drops, do push-up jacks—push-ups with arms and upper body combined with a jumping-jack motion with the feet. Keep in mind, form matters. “If done correctly, the left-right pushup challenge can be a fun and effective way to challenge both your muscular and cardiovascular strength in a way beyond that of a standard pushup,” says Tubbs. “But it ultimately comes down to if you’re able to correctly perform each component of the challenge.”
Is the left-right pushup challenge safe?
So, should you try the left-right pushup challenge? “Anyone with good core and upper body strength along with a sense of musical timing can certainly take part in this challenge. It’s just a fun way to add a little extra movement to your day,” McCall says. However, those who can’t master a push-up, have zero coordination, are just starting on their exercise journey or are not comfortable with complex physical movements should probably sit it out in order to avoid potential injury, Tubbs advises. “If you don’t feel comfortable and confident in each of the individual components of the challenge you should probably avoid it until you do,” he explains. You can also make modifications in terms of speed, leveling it up or down to your comfort level. In other words, don’t feel pressured to keep up with the beat of the song! Next, read about the best workouts for weight loss, according to trainers.
Sources
Pete McCall, CSCS, master trainer for Core Health & FitnessShaun Tubbs, NASM CPT, CITYROW Lead Instructor + Director of Digital Talent and Programming
