Joe DeFranco has been training elite athletes from NFL players to WWE bone-benders for 20 years, but here’s a challenge that any legend in their own lunchtime can try. “Who has tried the Sally pushup challenge?” asked the coach in a recent social media post. “Can you complete without stopping?” Here’s what you need to know about the regular method, and how to make it even tougher with a seesaw movement.
The song “Bring Sally Up” by Moby Flower is a track that strikes fear and excitement into the hearts of gym and dojo members the world over. The basic premise to any exercise involving the classic tune involves lifting up, and dropping back down in time with the lyrics; “Bring Sally up, bring Sally down.” Between that chorus, you must pause at the bottom of the lift. And, whatever type of challenge is taking place, the activity will last for the songs entire duration of 3 minutes and 25 seconds. To try the basic Sally pushup challenge, you will begin when the song starts and keep repping until it ends. The “Seesaw Edition” takes Sally to a whole new level of intensity though!
How to Perform the Sally Seesaw Pushup Challenge
As demonstrated by DeFranco, whose client list includes elite athletes such as Triple H, Brian Cushing, and a host of martial arts champions, the seesaw pushup challenge can be attempted by placing a barbell horizontally over a dumbbell so that it can rock up and down and side to side. With the song on Play, DeFranco begins the challenge. “It consists of 30 total pushups (which doesn’t sound like much) but the isometric pauses make it extremely challenging for even the most advanced lifters and athletes!” says the trainer.
Because this challenge requires advanced strength and technique, DeFranco warns that you should first master the normal Sally pushup challenge before getting your sway on, or you could wind up planting yourself face first on the mat. This challenge is so effective because it forces the body to recruit more muscle that a regular pushup. So, you’ll be taxing your core and working your shoulders more than ever, as you try to stabilize yourself for a straight-up lift. “Good luck!” offers DeFranco. We might just need it!
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