Making The Bulgarian Ring Push-up Harder

Hello, I'm ToyStory. You may know me from the SS.com forums.

I tried the so-called Bulgarin Push-up on rings on my chest was sore for 5 days. Than I made it my main exercise for chest. I can now do around 5 reps with 7.5 kg attached to my neck.

However attaching weight to the neck seems like it won't last forever. At the same time I don't want to attach weight to may waist as in a weighted dip because I won't to make the exercise harder BUT on the chest not on the core.

So would be the other way to keep progressing at the exercise once using neck weight becomes inpractical? I may offend you a little but I'm mainly interest in bodybuilding and I'm not interested in perfroming difficult gymnast movements. Also I can't do Bulgarian dips because my shoulded hurts even during regular dips. But I really like those push-ups and they have become my favorite chest exercise followed by the dumbbell or cable incline press. I can't do wide grip barbell bench press because my shoulder hurts but ring push-ups don't hurt at all.

Buy a weighed vest and use it. i made one myself with plastic bags, filling them with sand and attaching rope to make them comfortable on my body.

Adding intensity to Bulgarian XR Pushups, or any other pushup for that matter, is relatively straightforward. With the feet sufficiently elevated, add weight to the midsection via a weight belt and chain. The feet being elevated is necessary to allow the weights hang freely.

Two 45 lb plates for standard pushups is reasonable for someone who is moderately strong, however a stronger athlete should aim for three to four 45 lbs plates.

Note that when using this variation it is essential to keep the hips tucked under and the back flat at all times; no arch whatsoever is permissible.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

That's a great idea Coach! This whole time i've been piling plates in a backpack onto my back. Using the dip belt hanging down will be soo much easier to load. Thanks

It will be much easier to load, but also much harder to perform correctly. Be conscientious in maintaining a flat back at all times with no sagging whatsoever.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I am anxious to try this.

Thanks to all but I will stick to my neckless and then switch to a weight vest.

BTW I did those push-ups again as my main pushing exercise and they are amazing. Much better than barbell bench. I would even say that they are better than dumbbell bench press despite the fact that the movement (upper body wise) is quite similar.

I also don't experince any kind of shoulder discomfort from doing them as wide as I can. I think that angle between my torso and upper arms is almost 90 degrees. I would never ever be able to go that wide with the straigth bar. Phenomenal exercise. Love it.

Do ring pushups with one arm in the normal position as you go down, but the other sliding out straight parallel to the floor, as if it wanted to do an iron cross. Then come back up always keeping that iron cross-like arm straight, while the other going back up normally. Then switch roles for the arms. Harder than it seems; you fail quickly if your form is good. I can do around 30 good bodyweight ring pushups, failed around 5 doing it this way. Plus, you can restart the resistance (i.e attached weights, vest) with this when it becomes too easy.

I also favor the ring pushups for the bench press. It's not the same exercise, but much more delt friendly. I've pretty much given the bench press up cause it does nothing but aggravate them. Good luck.