Seated Push Through | Connecting the Upper Body to the Core

Seated Push-Through on the Trapeze Table is a great way to get the spine and shoulders moving, and your core activated. There are so many good reasons to practice this exercise like improved thoracic flexion, shoulder strength, and hamstring flexibility to name a few. 

A major benefit that often gets overlooked is the opportunity to strengthen the connection of the upper extremities into the core. 

Seated Push-Through provides a great opportunity to feel this important connection. Pressing the bar down with really straight elbows (but not locked) activates the shoulder stabilizers and upper abdominals. Try it. Bending the elbows even just a little bit will interrupt the line of tension through the upper extremities. This means your arms will do all the work, and your shoulders and core won't get any of the benefits. How sad. ;) 

Take a look.

Related: Upper Extremity Integration with the Pedi-pole

Further, bending your elbows will encourage internal rotation of the humerus (upper arm), and most of us already have a weak rotator cuff. By keeping your elbows straight and emphasizing the external rotation of the arm in the shoulder socket, you can build strong, stable shoulder joints. Andy who doesn't want that?! 

Other ways to practice the connection of the upper body to the trunk are:

• Roll Down on the Trapeze Table and
• Teaser From the Floor on the Chair.

To get more tips for Seated Push Through, join us inside the Pilates Encyclopedia member library. We dive into every tiny detail of this exercise to help you and/or your students find the upper body-core connection. Learn more...

I'd love to hear from you: Which part of Seated Push Through do you find the most difficult to practice or teach? Shoot me an email.