Quad hops vs hand clap pushups?

[chris hansen]

Hello,

Can someone explain how quad hops compare to the more traditional hand clap pushup and why you would choose one over another?

Besides being curious, I've been sharing my interest in physical activity with other people and I know it's only a matter of time before someone asks me that so I would like to have a good answer ready.

Thanks.

[Geoff Dixon]

Hey Chris,
Quad hops and clapping quad hops, just like the clapping pushup, develop explosiveness. The difference is that quad hops incorporate
the legs and core, as well as the arms. The goal of quad hops is to be able to relax the muscles enough to let the tendons do their work. This develops what is referred to as stored elastic energy. Utilizing stored elastic energy lets one absorb and retranslate the force from the ground to continue springing in the most efficient manner.
geoff

[Ryan Murdock]

Chris,

I would add to Geoff's description that quad hops should feel relatively effortless. At first you'll overwork and substitute muscle for SEE (stored elastic energy - the natural bouyancy and elasticity of your tendons and ligaments). You'll know you have it when you find yourself in that sweet spot where you feel you could bounce all day.

[Adam Steer]

One more thing to add...

If you think of every exercise being on a scale like this:

Isolation ---------------------------------------------------- Integration

Clapping push ups would be more to towards the "isolation" end and Quad Hops would be more towards the "integration" end of the scale. Normal push-ups would be even further towards isolation. And rotating, clapping Quad Hops would be even further into integration.

Cheers,
Adam

[chris hansen]

Chris,

You'll know you have it when you find yourself in that sweet spot where you feel you could bounce all day.

So is there a recommended rep range? If you find yourself in the "sweet spot" can you just keep going?

[chris hansen]

Thanks everyone for the repies everyone.

And rotating, clapping Quad Hops would be even further into integration.

Adam

Rotating quad hops? Is that where you rotate left or right while in the air?

[Adam Steer]

Thanks everyone for the repies everyone.


Rotating quad hops? Is that where you rotate left or right while in the air?

Yep.

[chris hansen]

Utilizing stored elastic energy lets one absorb and retranslate the force from the ground to continue springing in the most efficient manner.
geoff

It still develops muscle strength in addition to teaching efficient movement?

[Geoff Dixon]

Chris,
The goal of the exercise is to develop the ability to store and release energy through relaxation. What you're trying to do is move in the most efficient manner possible. This exercise will definitely make your connective tissue stronger, as well as develop your ability to integrate your entire body. The coordination learned through this will make a person stronger, but the exercise is not designed to do the same thing as a conventional pushup would do. The goal isn't to build muscle, if you catch what I'm saying.