One Of My Favorites

In almost every class I teach, I get my participants to perform push ups. The push up is probably my favorite upper body exercise and there are so many different variations to choose from.

The standard push up is performed with hands positioned just slightly wider than the shoulders. As you lower, let the elbows flare out to the sides slightly. You can also do a wide push up with your hands quite far apart, or tricep push ups where your hands are directly under your shoulders and elbows stay tight into your side as you lower. You can increase the intensity of a push up by playing around with different hand positions, incorporating an bench or chair to put your feet up onto, or add a stability challenge by performing them with your hands on a bosu or stability ball. The possibilities are endless!!

The main reason I love this exercise, other than the fact that there are so many ways to perform them, would be because it targets more muscles than almost any other upper body exercise, and therefore burns more calories. A push up works your chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, upper back, and your entire core. You can increase the load on certain areas by performing the push up in different ways.

I know a lot of women perform push ups on their knees, and it's rare for them to even attempt a push up on their toes. In my classes I always, always, tell everyone to go onto their toes unless they have an injury. Even if you can just do one, it's better than none, and it will help you to build enough strength to perform more. Also, if you're doing knee push ups, keep your feet on the floor! Elevating them will eliminate much of the strengthening benefits.

Here is a site where technique is described and there are pictures as well: http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/exercisedetail.aspx?exerciseid=13

Note that you are to exhale on the up phase and inhale down. Good technique is extremely important with this exercise so be careful, but challenge yourself and get up there on those toes ladies!!!