At 57, Hugh Jackman isn't relying on his Wolverine days to stay in shape. His latest workout reel proves he's still putting in the work, and evidently, it doesn't come easily, even for Hollywood actors.
In his version, Jackman places his hands on two weight plates, allowing his chest to travel lower than usual. The increased range of motion places his chest muscles under a greater stretch, making every rep more demanding.
If that wasn't enough, he also puts heavy chains across his neck to increase the resistance. His chest, shoulders, triceps and core all have to work harder to keep his body rigid from shoulders to heels.
It's an incredibly challenging variation, and one that immediately caught our attention. "Best to stay fit," Jackman wrote alongside his video, "rather than chase it. I remind myself of this every time Beth [Lewis, his trainer] wants another set."
Lewis replied: "Looking so good! Not only staying fit but always kicking it up a notch," before explaining that using "accommodating resistance", such as chains, "can be super helpful for developing power due to the decreased load at the bottom of the movement."
Best to stay fit. Rather than chase it. I remind myself of this every time Beth wants another set.
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Why deficit chain push-ups?
Think push-ups are boring? Think again. Jackman's variation proves there's plenty of room to make the classic bodyweight move more exciting.
Elevating the hands increases the range of motion, allowing the chest to travel lower than it would during a standard push-up. This places the pecs under greater tension while challenging the shoulders, triceps, core and serratus anterior - a muscle that helps stabilise the shoulder blades during pushing movements.
It also demands excellent core control, shoulder stability and strict body positioning. If your hips sag or your shoulder blades lose control, the exercise quickly stops looking like strength training. Add heavy chains across your back, and it becomes a completely different challenge.
While most people won't have chains lying around at home, the principles behind the exercise are worth applying. Increasing the range of motion is a simple way to make bodyweight push-ups more demanding without relying solely on extra weight. Better still, it builds upper-body strength and shoulder stability that carry over into everyday life.
As we get older, maintaining the ability to push ourselves up from the floor becomes an important marker of functional strength and independence - what Lewis neatly sums up as being "good for vanity today, and function 30 years from now."
How to do deficit chain push-ups
- Set up two weight plates on the floor, so your hands are shoulder-width apart.
- Drape one or more chains across your upper back so they're evenly balanced, then get into a high plank position, with your hands in line with your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to toe.
- Place your hands on the elevated surface and brace your core and glutes before lowering your chest towards the ground.
- Continue lowering until below hand level, feeling a deep stretch through your chest.
- Drive through your palms to press back to the starting position, keeping your body in one straight line throughout.
Don't have chains?
While the chains certainly make Jackman's workout look impressive, they're not essential. Resistance bands - or even a carefully balanced weight plate across your upper back, if you have someone to help position it can make the exercise significantly more challenging.
As Lewis puts it: "When it gets easy, add load... duh. Refuse to dial it in!"
To use a resistance band, loop it around your upper back and hold each end beneath your palms as you grip the weight plates. As you press back up, the band stretches, increasing the resistance toward the top of the movement and making the lockout even more demanding.
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Like the chain variation, the band challenges your chest, shoulders, triceps and core while encouraging you to maintain good body position throughout every rep.
Better still, resistance bands are inexpensive, portable and an easy way to progress one of the best bodyweight exercises without needing a gym.
