Don’t Like Push-Ups? Try This!

The benefits of push-ups are many:

• Build strength and stamina
• Help develop a fit upper body and core
• Work multiple muscle groups
• Burn calories / lose weight
• Do them anywhere
• Increase difficulty as strength increases
• No equipment needed

The muscles summoned and exercised are:

• Chest, pectoralis major
• Shoulder, deltoids
• Upper arm (back of), triceps
• Arms, biceps
• Abs, rectus abdominis & obliques
• Back, erector spinae
• Legs (front of thighs), quadriceps

When performing push-ups exercise results are augmented for the amount of effort applied. In other words, you get “more bang for your buck” because multiple muscle groups are being activated. You can get toned and stronger (arms, shoulders, chest, back, legs, and abs) sooner.

BUT push-ups are no fun and they are hard to do!!

Try this: Start with wall push-ups. These will help build up your strength gradually. Then progress to the traditional horizontal push-up.

To maximize results, use proper form:

  Wall Push-Up

1. Face wall, standing an arm’s distance away.
2. Place your palms flat on the wall, finger tips up. Hands should be at shoulder height and slightly wider than shoulder width distance apart.
3. Inhale, lean in toward the wall, bending elbows.
4. Keep heels on the floor and abs contracted. Keep body straight like a plank (feet under hips.) Elbows up. Do not let hips sag.
5. Hold a few seconds.
6. Exhale, push away bearing body weigh on arms, back to starting position.

While performing push-ups and increasing the number of reps, muscles will begin to fatigue. To forestall this fatigue, breathe with control so that the muscles may receive adequate oxygen.

• inhale as you bend your elbows
• exhale as you straighten them

To increase difficulty:

• Place feet further away from the wall, making body more horizontal.
• Keep your heels on the floor.

Another variation you can try, is the Push-Up to Standing:

  Push-Up to Standing

1. Inhale, lower body to push-up plank position. Elbows are next to the ribs.
2. Exhale, pushing arms to straight position.
3. Inhale, walking hands back to feet.
4. Maintain forward bend position, hanging like a rag doll.
5. Exhale, rolling spine to standing position.
6. Inhale, repeat sequence back down to push-up position.
7. Repeat steps 2 through 7.