Push Ups

There are many variations of the push up, all offering different benefits or difficulty levels. Here are instructions for the basic push up and see below for a few more common variations.

1. Lie on your stomach, feet flexed and your hands on the floor under your shoulders.

2. Push yourself up with your arms and chest muscles.

3. Lower yourself slowly so you're almost touching the floor and repeat.

The Work-Out: Do 2 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Make sure to: Always keep your elbows directed outward and keep your body tight and straight throughout the exercise.

Take it Down a Notch: If you can't get through a set of the basic push ups, try wall push ups or modified push ups:

Wall Push Ups - Stand facing a wall and place your hands on the wall about shoulder width apart. Repeat steps 2-3, but lowering yourself closer to the wall, rather than the floor.
Modified Push Ups - On the floor, start on your hands and knees, so that your knees are in line with your hips. Repeat steps 2-3.

Take it Up a Notch: There are a couple of ways to advance the basic push up:

Stability Ball Push Ups - To improve your balance while working your upper body, balance your feet on a stability ball while you do your push ups (and once you get bored of that, try lifting one leg off the ball while you do them).
Inclined Push Ups - Rest either your hands or your feet on a raised object, such as a coffee table, a workout step, couch, chair, etc., and continue steps 2-3. The higher the object, the greater the level of difficulty.