Research Paper Revised

Single Arm Push-ups on Punching Impact 1

The Relationship of Single Arm Push-ups and Punching Impact

Michael Cisneros

Texas A&M Corpus Christi

Correspondence: Frank Spaniol, 6300 Ocean Drive, Island Hall 355, Corpus Christi, TX 78412-

5818, 361-825-3924, [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]


Table of Contents

The Relationship of Single Arm Push-ups on Punching Impact...............................................3

Literature Review......................................................................................................................4

Strength Influence........................................................................................................................4

Plyometric Influence....................................................................................................................5

Trunk Influences..........................................................................................................................6

Statement of Hypothesis..............................................................................................................6

Methodology...................................................................................................................................7

Participants..................................................................................................................................7

Instrumentation............................................................................................................................7

Procedures...................................................................................................................................7

Experimental Design and Statistic...............................................................................................9

Results.............................................................................................................................................9

Pearson Correlation Coefficient..................................................................................................9

Discussion.....................................................................................................................................10

Limitations.................................................................................................................................12

Practical Application.................................................................................................................12

References.....................................................................................................................................13


The Relationship of Single Arm Push-ups on Punching Impact

A push-up is an exercise that develops upper body punching impact. This exercise was

used for developing the chest before the invention of weight training. Today, the push-up is

popular because of its convenience and easy adaptability to various difficulty levels (Suprak,

Dawes & Stephenson, 2011).

Despite the push-ups convenience, weight training has over-shadowed traditional body

weight exercises as being a superior form of training. The push-up aids in the development of

upper body strength and involve the activation of core musculature, which is not the case during

traditional bench press. Further, single arm push-ups stress the body in a three dimensional

fashion which incorporates the core to stabilize the body in a fixed position for the duration of

the movement.

Similarly, throwing a powerful punch requires an individual to possess a strong ability to

transfer energy from their lower extremities to their upper extremities through their core. This

transfer of energy is dependent on core strength. Since single arm push-ups strengthen the core

muscle groups, it is plausible that an athlete will perform better when throwing a punch. This is

further supported by the findings of Andre (2012) in which he states that training the core in a

manner that improves rotational power may improve sports performance of certain athletes.

Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of single arm push-ups to

punching impact.

Significance of the Study

With regards to strength and conditioning programs, most individuals practice

movements that are specifically performed in the sagittal plane and bilaterally (i.e. bench press,

squats, and dead lifts). A study by Prokopy et al. (2008) assessed the effect of closed kinetic


trained exercises on throwing power stated that the bench press is considered an open chained

kinetic exercise, whereas a single arm push up is a closed chain kinetic exercise. Prokopy (2008)

also found that closed kinetic chain exercises like the push-up were superior at improving

throwing velocity compared to open kinetic chained exercises like the bench press. Thus, his

findings support the benefits the single arm push-up can offer when implemented into an

athlete’s strength and conditioning program.

The significance of this study is to determine the relationship of punching impact

compared to the number of single arm push-ups performed. If the results of this study yield a

significant relationship, the practical applications may include implementing closed chain kinetic

exercises (CCKE) into their respective training program.

Literature Review

Strength Influence

In all of sport, strength has been consistently shown to be the foundation of all aspects of

performance. For instance, strength contributes to an athlete’s ability to increase muscular

endurance, power, flexibility, and even his/her ability to burn fat. These statements are supported

by Cronin and Owen (2004) who found that the power or torque a muscle or muscle group can

generate is referred to as strength, whereas power has been defined as the rate of performing

work or the product of force and velocity.

A muscle must be trained to overcome increased resistance in order to improve its

capacity to produce force. Accordingly, the single arm push-up is a mode of exercise that utilizes

a person’s bodyweight as resistance and has been used for centuries to develop the muscles of

the upper body. Typically, people associate push-ups with two arms. However, push-up


variations are important because each position places increasing loads on the musculature of the

body by changing the body’s leverage/posture.

Although equipment such as the Perfect Push-ups™ allow further variation in push-ups

which can increase muscle activation of the chest, however, a study by Youdas et al. (2010)

found that the Perfect Push-up™ is not preferred to conventional hand-on-floor push-ups when

the goal is to strengthen shoulder and arm muscles. With this in mind, it should be noted that

punching impact relies heavily on the muscles developed by the single arm push-up. In fact,

Santana (2007) found that the core muscles in standing activities should be considered during

“functional approaches” to training. This is due to the core muscles potentially limiting the force

output of the chest and shoulder during punching exercises. Resultantly, having strong pectorals,

shoulders, and arms are meaningless when the core has not been trained.

Plyometric Influence

Plyometric movements are great for training muscle explosiveness. Plyometric push-ups

(i.e. clapping push-ups) can enhance a person’s ability to generate force in a punch. This is

supported by a recent study by Kock (2012), which demonstrated the clapping push-up as the

most intense exercise for developing explosive upper body power. As discussed earlier, strength

and power are important traits to develop in any training program. Propitiously, Vossen’s (2000)

findings further support the notion that plyometric training may be advantageous for developing

upper body strength and power. Vossen (2000) went on to caution strength coaches to take

proper care when incorporating plyometrics into a training regimen to reduce any risk of injury.

Additionally, Hrysomallis (2001) found that incorporating bench press before plyometric push-

ups has little effect on muscular activation. Therefore, when training explosive push-ups it is not

necessary to incorporate heavy resistance training to increase its effectiveness.


Trunk Influences

Trunk/core training is important because of how the core impacts most athletic

movements. When discussing a punch, the mechanics of the core musculature involved are very

similar for single arm push-ups and punching. However, a recent study suggests incorporating

trunk exercises into training programs that promote greater differentiated trunk rotation and

greater trunk angular velocities that are similar to the sport movement (Stodden, Campbell &

Moyer 2008). For example, performing a striking motion with resistance will train the trunks

ability to rotate while also training the striking movement. Ergo, Ikeda (2009) claims that muscle

activation of the trunk increases as the athlete exerts a rotational movement, specifically, the

external oblique’s. As a result, athletes should emphasize the importance of strengthening the

core when training in rotational movements such as striking.

Now, to address the importance of strengthening the core it may be beneficial to combine

upper body maximal strength training with an emphasis on trunk rotation. To support this idea,

Miyaguchi (2012) found that 1RM Bench Press is highly correlated with bat swing speed in

baseball players. Correspondingly, athletes who desire to increase punching impact should

incorporate a maximal strength-training regime of the upper body. To carry this out, Miyaguchi’s

findings suggest using the bench press. To maximize the bench press, athletes should use a fixed

bench according to Goodman (2008) who found no difference in muscle activation of the chest

when performing the bench press on a bench when compared to performing the exercise on an

unstable surface.

Hypothesis

1. There will be a positive correlation between the number of single arm push-ups

performed and punching impact.


Methodology

Participants

Thirteen adults participated in this study. Anthropometric data for the participants are

presented in Table 2. The sample included 15.4% (n=2) female and 84.6% (n=11) male

participants whose ages ranged from 21-45 years of age (females 28.50 ± 6.36; males 31.00 ±

9.71). Average height for males is 1.74 ± 0.08 m and 1.59 ± 0.05 m for females. Average weight

for males is 87.23 ± 13.37 kg and 48.86 ± 17.03 kg for females. Average body fat percentage for

males is 19.12% ± 6.47% and 10.65% ± 13.65% for females. Further, dominant arms were

chosen for participants to use. In this study, 84.6% (n=11) of participants used their right arm,

whereas 15.4% (n=2) used their left arm.

Instrumentation

The StrikeMate™ (Strike Research) was utilized to record the punching impact of each

participant. For this device, the associated unit of measure is the Franklin (f). Patented

technology negates the movement of the person doing the holding during impact. Furthermore

StrikeMate™ has the ability to detect if it is not being held securely. It can detect any impact

that is out of the target area or whose attack angle is greater than 30 degrees. StrikeMate™ also

features an anti-cheating routine, which effectively aids the judging of power generation in a

competition where StrikeMate™ is being handheld (Strike Research, n.d.). Participants hit the

StrikeMate™ with their respective dominant hand across three trials. The best trial recorded was

utilized for analysis.

Procedures

A ratio scale was used to measure participant performance for single arm push-ups. Push-

ups counted when a participant touched the ground with his/her contralateral shoulder and


returned to the starting position. Participants were instructed to perform as many repetitions as

they could. The number of repetitions performed by the participant will measure the single arm

push-up. Punching impact will be determined by the participants punching the StrikeMate™

implanted with accelerometers.

Participants were briefed on the purpose of the study, testing procedures along with

requirements for the study. The Institutional Review Board for the protection of human

participants approved this research study. Additionally, all participants’ identities were removed

to ensure confidentiality. Upon briefing, participants were required to sign an informed consent.

Data was collected at select locations for the convenience of the participants.

Participants were assigned a number for data collection purposes and to protect their

personal information. To distinguish gender, males were issued a number 1xx and females were

issued a number 2xx. For each testing session, participants were educated on the testing

protocols and instructed to warm-up before each respective test. Given the strong potential for

fatigue following single arm push-ups the punch test was administered first. To ensure reliability

with use of the StrikeMate™, it was mounted onto a steel pillar to maximize absorption of

impact from participants. As for the single arm push-up test, participants were allowed to

perform the test in any free space that had a level ground.

Test administrators gathered the data on each trial as it was performed. Instructions for

the study outlined the following:

The single arm push-up and punching technique was explained

Participants were allowed to warm-up for testing

Participants were allowed three trials to achieve max punching impact output with his/her

dominant arm striking the StrikeMate™


Participants were allowed 3 separate attempts to reach max repetitions in the single arm

push-up

Participants were allowed a resting period between each trial for each respective test

Experimental Design

This is a correlational study.

Statistical Analysis

Microsoft Excel (Microsoft, Albuquerque, New Mexico) was utilized to organize data

and statistical analyses. A Pearson Correlation Coefficient formula within Excel was used to

examine the relationship between participants punching impact and single arm push-up

performance. The means and standard deviations were computed for age, weight, body fat

percentage, repetitions of single arm push-ups performed, and punching impact.

Results

Pearson Correlation Coefficient

All participants successfully completed the testing procedures. The objective of this

investigation was to identify a relationship between single arm push-ups and punching impact. A

correlation formula within excel was used to determine the relationship between the two

variables. Statistics and correlational data for participants may be viewed in Table 1. Male

participants (M = 7.73, SD = 5.92) had higher single arm push-up performance than female

participants (M = 1, SD = 0.63). In addition, male participants (M = 21,377.64f, SD =

19,257.25f) scored higher on punching impact compared to female participants (M = 3,611.50f,

SD = 2,814.99f). A moderate relationship (r=0.64) was found between push-up performance and

punching impact for all participants.

Table 1


Descriptive Information for Males and Females: Punching Impact vs. Single Arm Push-up

Male (n = 11)

M ± SD

Female (n = 2)

M ± SD

Single Arm Push-ups 7.73 ± 5.92 1 ± 0.63

Punching Impact “f”

(Franklins, f)

21,377.64f ±

19257.25f3,611.5f ± 2,814.99f

Correlation (r) r = 0.59 r = 0.18

Table 2

Descriptive Information for Males and Females Anthropometric Data

Male (n=11)

M ± SD

Female (n = 2)

M ± SD

Age (years) 31.00 ± 9.71 28.50 ± 6.36

Height (m) 1.74 ± 0.08 1.59 ± 0.05

Weight (kg) 87.23± 13.37 48.86 ± 17.03

Body Fat % 19.12% ± 6.47% 10.65% ± 13.65%

Discussion

Unfortunately, there is limited research available to debate the relationship between upper

body strength and punching impact. However, studies exist that seek to find answers on the

effects of push-ups on upper body strengthening along with other studies analyzing punching

impact. In one study, karate athletes undertook strength and conditioning programs in

preparation for competition. Thus, one can speculate that upper body muscle power may


contribute positively to competitive performance in karate (Loturco, Artioli, Kobal, Gil, &

Franchini, 2014). The objective of the present investigation set out to determine the relationship

between single arm push-ups and punching impact. It is reasonable to assume that punching

impact may be related to upper extremity strength. The present study found a moderate positive

correlation – (r=0.64) between punching impact and single arm push-ups. This implies that

participants who performed more single arm push-ups produced a greater punching impact.

Supportively, Mayhew (1991) showed that the best predictions of maximal bench press strength

could be achieved by using push-ups that are adjusted to account for body mass and body height.

Mayhew’s findings further support the idea that greater upper extremity strength may lead to

greater power output in punching. With this in mind, the investigator of the present study was

interested in determining the effectiveness of incorporating single arm push-ups into a training

regimen to help enhance performance in sports that require striking e.g., boxing and, mixed

martial arts. In other words, if the movement patterns were trained (i.e. punching & single arm

push-ups), strength improvements would likely occur due to neurological adaptations as found

by Calatayud (2015). Thus, a higher level of neural stimulation to a muscle creates more power,

stiffness, and viscosity, which translates to more resistance to muscle length change and speed

(McGill, Chaimberg, Frost, & Fenwick, 2010).

Another important contributing factor to punching impact is the ability of the torso to

transmit the power generated by the lower extremities to the upper extremities. According to

Shinkle (2012), the core is considered a box with the abdominals as the front, paraspinals and

gluteals in back, the diaphragm as the roof, oblique’s as the sides, and the pelvic girdle and hip

girdle musculature serving as the bottom. Shinkle (2012) further determined that if power is

created but not transferred, performance will be negatively affected. Resultantly, incorporating


the single arm push-up into regular training may help develop the motor patterns necessary to

maximize power transfer from the lower extremities to the upper extremities by strengthening

the core musculature.

Limitations

A limitation of this study is the sample size of participants. Since the sample size (n=13)

was limited, there exists extreme outliers and normative data is difficult to form. Further,

technical limitations exist that may prevent participants from maximizing their punching impact

as well as single arm push-up efficiency. Without the knowledge or experience to execute either

technique, the data collected will lack in validity. Thus, it is recommended for future studies to

test participants who are active in sports that practice striking to ensure that participants have

trained the necessary motor pathway’s to maximize their punching impact. Additionally, future

research would benefit from using larger sample sizes to contribute to the formation of normative

data regarding this topic.

Practical Application

Due to limited data on punching impact and push-up performance, this study can

contribute normative data to future research. Additionally, based on findings from this study,

trainers should consider implementing single arm push-ups into martial artists training regimens

to help increase punching performance. This recommendation is contingent on the assumption

that the athlete possesses basic knowledge on how to punch effectively. Otherwise, it is

recommended that athletes aiming to improve punching performance use specific training

modalities in their training program.


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Research Paper Revised