Conquer the Push Up

Push-ups are one of the best exercises, yet they can seem pretty daunting to some - especially women. Without fail, when a newcomer to boot camp hears the trainer shout "push-ups!" for the first time, they wince. They immediately start doubting themselves and saying they won't be able to perform even one. I love, love, LOVE helping them prove themselves wrong!

Full push-up.

Push-ups are a great exercise. They can be adjusted to each person's fitness level, and they hit multiple muscle groups which increases calorie burn. In the video below, I go over exactly how your form should look when executing both a full push-up and a modified push-up on your knees. Before we get into how to perform a push-up, let's talk more about the benefits.

Modified push-up.

1. Core strength. Many people start doing push-ups because they want to increase the strength in their chest muscles, and it does improve your chest but, more importantly, it engages your core. Why more importantly? Because your core muscles (located for the most part in your abdomen, back, and pelvis), provide stability for your entire body. Strengthening them can help prevent injury, protect your back and spine, and improve your balance. At the top of the push-up, you are in full plank position, and your core is engaged to help you stay aligned and keep your hips from sagging too low, which can put strain on your lower back. You really want to feel the core working? Pretend there is a string attaching your belly button to your spine and tighten that string, zipping your belly button in. This will really engage your transverse abdominis which, among other things, works to support the spine.

2. Upper Body Toning. When you are rockin' some push-ups, you are strengthening more than just your pecs. The primary muscle groups being worked in a push-up are your chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids (the front of your shoulders). I hear so many people say they just want their arms to look better in a tank top. Well, one of the best ways to get those defined arms? You guessed it - push-ups! Another added bonus is that your back and biceps also indirectly benefit from push-ups.

3. Metabolism Booster. Push-ups work several different muscle groups at the same time. Your legs even get in on a little bit of the action when you're working to stabilize yourself from your head to your toes. Working major muscle groups at the same time can help increase your heart rate, thereby increasing the calories burned. However, the major fat burning benefit from push-ups comes from the boost they give your metabolism. Since they are a strength-building exercise, they increase your muscle mass and improve your resting metabolic rate so that you burn more calories - even when you're just being still. And the calorie burn from strength training continues long after you've completed your last rep.

4. Self Confidence. The list of benefits could continue, but I'm going to stop with this one. The look of satisfaction on a client's face when they have completed their first push-up in years, or ever in some cases, is priceless. They stand a little taller. It is a great sense of accomplishment to know that you are taking positive steps with your health and well-being. Even if nobody notices for the first few weeks, you will feel a difference. You'll feel stronger, more capable, energized, and more confident.

Okay. We've gone over the benefits. Now, let's go over form. Watch the video below for a visual, but the things to remember are:

• Keep your body aligned from head to toe. If you're on your knees, then keep your body aligned from head to knees. Don't let your hips sag! This will wreak havoc on your lower back. On the flip side, don't stick your butt in the air. Keep it down.
• In the video, you'll hear me say to keep your hands under your shoulders. Some people prefer to have them slightly wider than shoulder width apart, and that is okay. Just make sure they are no further in than your shoulders and don't go out too wide with them.
• As you lower down into the push-up, don't let your arms stick out to the side at a 90 degree angle. Instead, try and keep them at about 45 degrees. If they're too close to your chest, they'll become even more triceps intensive.
• Inhale on the way down. Exhale on the way up.

If you're just starting out, do as many push-ups as you can with proper form, in 20 seconds. Rest for 10-15 seconds and do it again. Keep track of how many you were able to do in each 20 second increment. Rest your upper body for at least 1 day (you can still work out your legs the next day), and then do two more sets of  20-second push-ups, seeing if you can beat your numbers from the first day. Once 20 seconds is no longer challenging, increase the time to 30 seconds and continue to grow from there.

If you're already active, consider including push-ups in your workout routine regularly, if you're not already. You'll be glad you did!

Once you've mastered the push-up, there are variations you can use to make them more challenging. Lift one leg as you perform a push-up, elevate both legs on a chair, etc. Just always remember to keep your body aligned and core engaged.
Feel free to post comments and questions. Just be kind.
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