Struggling to do a push-up? We have the answers why

Pull-ups are one of those universal tests of strength, but they’re also a move that even the most formidable man can struggle with. Most men who can’t do a pull-up think the answer lies in adding more weights. During this move, your lats, biceps, and trapezius muscles are doing lots of work.

We’re here to help explain why you can’t do a pull-up and the things you can do to help you do a pull-up.

The Problem – You can’t do a pull-up

The honest answer to why you can’t pull off a pull-up lies in your serratus anterior (SA). This is the muscle that holds your shoulder blade against your rib cage. When the scapula is out of position, you put yourself at a mechanical disadvantage. If it’s not working correctly, you’re setting up to fail all the other 17 muscles attached to your scapula.

In other words, it’s not strength. It’s positioning.

Putting your scapula in the correct position will mean that your lower trapezius, biceps, and lats will work much better. With the scapula out of position, you’re asking your teres major and minor muscles and only a portion of your lat to lift your entire body. No wonder you can’t get your chin up to the bar.

This is especially true for the strength and balance required to do a pull-up.

The Solution – Work the muscles you need to do a pull-up

Modern life is about texting, working on the computer, and stuffing yourself into seats built for 12-year-old kids on things like planes and trains. All these factors of modern life cause your head to lean forward and rounded shoulders. This positioning causes the shoulder blade to constantly drift forward and up. Gravity exacerbates the situation, pulling you down and further out of position. You need to start releasing muscles that attach to your shoulder, which will relieve stress and help you do a pull-up.

To really help your body get into the right state to do a pull-up, you need to do a few simple moves. These exercises will all massage and work on the muscles necessary to successfully do a pull-up.

We’ll start with the muscles that support your shoulder blades. You’ll need a hard, small, dense ball similar to that used for lacrosse. If you can get a lacrosse ball, that will be perfect.

• Start by releasing the muscles, including your pecs, the teres muscles, which are the little guys on the outside of your scapula working so hard to get you over that bar and finally, the upper trap.
• Next, grab the lacrosse ball, place it on a tender spot for the pec and teres muscles, and then lean against a wall.
• Without causing yourself unbearable pain, put as much weight on the ball as you can.
• Move your arm back and forth.

Now let’s work on your trapezius muscle, which is the muscle that starts at the base of your neck, goes across your back and extends down to your middle back.

• To work the trapezius muscle, you’ll want to grab a barbell. Get underneath the barbell so that your upper trapezius is, well, trapped underneath it.
• Shrug your shoulders up and down.

You’ll feel your body start to melt into the lacrosse ball or barbell, and that will tell you it’s working.

Check out some workouts to help build your upper body:

• Ultimate bodyweight training guide by our Trainer Ed
• Single dumbbell or kettlebell workouts from our trainer Ed!
• How to build a thick, strong back according to our trainer Ed!

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