The classics are effective – that’s why they’re classics. Try your hand (er, chest) at former NFL star DeMarcus Ware’s straightforward but spicy finisher at the end of your next upper body workout day to prove it. Don't have a ton of gear to work with and want to try it out at home? Not a problem. You can use the routine as a standalone chest blaster, too. All you need is a plate, or a similarly stable raised surface.
Ware’s workout is simple: complete 10 reps of six different push exercises back-to-back for 60 total reps.
- 10 push-ups
- 10 plate step ups
- 10 push-ups on the plate
- 10 lateral tap downs
- 10 lateral power ups
- 10 push-ups
For the push-ups and plate push-ups, start with in a high plank position either on the ground or plate. Focus on engaging your core and squeezing your glutes and shoulder blades together to create tension throughout your body. Grip the floor with your fingers, keep your elbows in, and lower your body to the ground without touching it with your chest. Exhale, and without losing tightness in your core or lower back, press yourself back to start. Check out this guide for more form cues.
For the plate step ups and plate taps downs, your hips are going to want to dip every time you step a hand forward or sideways. Don’t let them. Lock in your core and draw your ribcage in to keep your body from tipping from one side to the other as you step.
The lateral power ups, the toughest movement in the challenge, put a lot of stress on your wrists. So if you’ve got weak wrists, we recommend subbing these out with an extra ten reps of lateral tap downs. For this movement, continue to focus on keeping your core braced even during the split second when you’re airborne. When you jump your hands back in, always place your palms on the plate so that your wrists are directly under your shoulders.
Ware is able to complete all 60 reps unbroken, in under 90 seconds. Are you—while maintaining good form? Give it a try.
Gabrielle Kassel (she/her) is a sex and fitness journalist committed to helping people feel the best they can in their bodies. In addition to Men’s Health, her work has appeared in publications such as Shape, Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, Health, Self, Women’s Health, Greatist, and more! In her free time, Gabrielle can be found coaching CrossFit, reviewing pleasure products, hiking with her border collie, or recording episodes of the podcast she co-hosts called Bad In Bed. Follow her on Instagram @Gabriellekassel.
