Master the Push-up

Why should you do push-ups?
"No single movement simultaneously strengthens the chest, deltoids, lower back, and triceps quite as efficiently as the push-up," says Kurt Brungardt, author of The Complete Book of Shoulders and Arms.

Fear of falling on your face forces you to spend equal time lowering your body as you do raising it back up. It is a concentrated effort that is not easily obtainable through free weights. During this controlled pace, muscles work through three types of muscle-building resistance (concentric, eccentric and isometric) all while teaching them to work as one team.

PUSH UP EXERCISES
When performing the excersises take at least two seconds to lower yourself down and two seconds to press yourself back up.
"THE CLASSIC"
Perform each exercise for as many repetitions as you can, resting between 90 and 120 seconds in between sets. Do three sets of each exercise.
"the Classic" BASIC PUSH-UP (works your chest, shoulders, triceps)

**Place your hands flat on the floor (shoulder-width apart)

**Keep your arms straight and elbows unlocked.

**Straighten your legs behind you and bring your feet together.

**Rise up on your toes so the balls of your feet are touching the floor.

**Your body should form one straight line from your feet to your head and focus your eyes on the ground below.
**Slowly lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. Pause for 2 seconds, then push yourself back up. Repeats for as many repetitions as you can.
Variation: Beginners: Lower your body to the floor just like in the "classic" then put your knees on the floor for the return up. So it is: on your toes---lower to the floor---drop to your knees---then push your body up. This will help to build up muscles in you chest, shoulders and triceps. Do this everyday to failure and you WILL be able to do the "Classic" full push-up!

Congratulations to HEATHER! She emailed me and let me know that she was able to do a full Push-up (without knees on the floor). This was one of her goals this year - Great Job!!!