Get Fitter, Faster Level Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Related: Unlock the secret to building muscle and strength using one of the fundamental principles in strength training: progressive overload. So, instead of using a weighted vest to make my push-up workouts more challenging, I modify the exercise instead. Add Pauses for More Potent Push-UpsMid-rep pauses, like a slower tempo, increase your time under tension to make each rep harder and more effective. Increase Your Range of MotionYour push-up range of motion is limited by the floor and the length of your arms.