Fingertip pushups do more than strengthen “fingers”.
- Another common misnomer/myth

There is this popular misconception that fingertip pushups strengthen only the fingers and wrist, which truth be told, with all the finger and hand pain around, and weak limp handshakes around wouldn’t be a bad thing at all even if that were the case ie “just” strengthen those parts.

But its only partly true.

The real area fingertip pushups strengthen my friend is not just the fingers – but the GRIP as I’ve repeatedly said, and in a manner no other exercise can replicate other than the first couple I’ve mentioned in Gorilla Grip (ADVANCED!).

Now, what do I mean.

Well this afternoon two guys showed up to deliver vegetables instead of the one that normally comes.

Sure, the bags were bulging – they packed it all into one bag, and I felt guy 1’s bicep as he was carrying it – he was literally struggling.

I lifted it off effortlessly of the ground with two fingers.

The other guys noticed and nodded, that “tacit” nod of approval guys give when they see STRENGTH around. And REAL fitness. You know what I mean!

Now this guy was a skinny slim dude – and later on on the way to the bus stop in scorching heat, I saw him sporting a pair of sunglaases suspiciously like mine, but not the original by far. Hehe.

Now, this isn’t to Tom tom about the fact that I inspire people – both customers and non – to ditch the weights and get on pushups daily, and neither is it about my too cool green eyes, hehe – which are as inspirational in a manner few people can imitate, although I wouldn’t be lying if I did tom tom it.

No, its not about copyartists and admirers this email, and I’ve got tons of both.

It’s about this – sure, the fingers get strengthened big time during this exercise – if just by supporting the bulk of your body weight , not all, but most by your fingers.

Finger pullups are another great way to strengthen the fingers, but I have not really spoken a lot about ’em because of the risk of injury to tendons not yet ready – much like fingertip handstand pushups – remember my own injury that cold night? OUCH!

(yet, it healed so well) …

But the point is this, my friend, when it comes to MUSCLE – a lot of people think “they build muscle in your fingers”.

No.

There isn’t any muscle anyway to build in your fingers, not that I know.

What there is, and its arguably more important than muscle?

Tendons and ligaments, and most importantly connective tissues, and even more important, the fingers, entire hand, palm – they have pressure points connecting you to all parts of the brain.

Train the grip – stimulate the BRAIN – including the small one. Hehe.

I mean that, my friend. Do extreme grip work with Indian clubs for one, see how you feel “in the sack” – and report back! (ok, the core work with those has a lot to do with it, but still).

Fingertip pushups, my friend – and this is a tip REPEATEDLY spoken about in Pushup Central – the Tips IF DONE right – I repeat, IF DONE RIGHT – most dont – strengthen your FOREARMS big time! 

That is where the muscle comes from – or in.

And youll have to read the book for more on that – but back to skinny guys?

There was once, and I’ve written about this too, an amazingly strong skinny Chinese dude who lugged up an A/C compressor in searing China heat – southern China – in the heat of the afternoon – by hand.

Big huge split unit, guy’s heart was thumping out of his chest, then the Chinese girls who lug bottles of water up the same way.

not that I couldn’t do it -I’ve lugged suitcases up flights of stairs in each hand just as heavy, but doing it in extreme heat with all the other work related stress these guys and girls no doubt deal with, man, it builds, as a customer Charles Mitchell once said, “indestructible humans”!

Truly does, friend, truly DOES!

So it ain’t about size.

Its about what you can DO, again.

And its about the fact that Pushup Central is now available in COMPILATION format, and this deserves to be on the bookshelves of every serious, or halfway serious even fitness trainee – period, no if’s buts or maybes.

I recommend you get this in this format EVEN if you have the books seperately, because having it all in “one” format is different.

You’ll see what I mean when you pick up the book and dive in.

All for now, I’m back for some R & R now.

Back soon, oh – tips on pull-ups coming out soon too. You’ll want to keep your beady little eyes peeled for this, my friend, hehe – this is info worth its weight in gold like never before – stay tuned!

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

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