Add the plus and wake up your serratus.
The plus is that extra push at the top. Spread the shoulder blades to fire the serratus.
The plus at the top is the whole point, after pressing back up you keep pushing, rounding the upper back and spreading the shoulder blades to fire the serratus, the muscle that keeps your shoulders gliding smoothly. With feet suspended in the cradles, the shoulders work double duty, pressing and then protracting against a base that never stops moving, while the triceps drive the elbow extension underneath. It earns its place as shoulder-health work hidden inside a push up, building the scapular control that keeps heavy pressing sustainable.
The extra shove at the very top of the rep. After your elbows straighten, you keep pushing the floor away, rounding your upper back and spreading your shoulder blades apart. That final bit is what trains the serratus.
Your feet hang in the cradles, so the plus happens on an unstable base and your shoulder stabilisers work through the entire rep, not just the top. It is the same drill with the difficulty turned up.
Anyone pressing regularly, and especially lifters whose shoulders click or ache under the bench. Strong serratus control keeps the shoulder blade moving properly under load.
