The Good Old Fashioned Push UP!

Oh the push-up.  This exercise targets your pectoralis major muscles, but they also hit our deltoids and triceps because these muscles help to assist in this movement.  But the good news is that not only does it hit the major areas of your chest, shoulder and upper arm but this King exercise also trains our abs, lower back, upper back and glutes (your butt).  So it bestows upon us a bevy of total body benefits.  What's more, unlike the brench press, performing pushups with perfect form actually helps make your shoulders healthier (I love my shoulders).

The bottom line:  Pushups not only work the front of your body, but just about everywhere else too!!!!

To perform a perfect pushup you should get down on all fours and place your hands on the floor or ground so that they are slightly wider than shoulders and in line with them.  Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor.  Pause at the bottom, and then push yourself back up to the starting position as quickly as possible.  If your hips sag at any point during the exercise, your form has been broken.  End your set for now.

If you find your wrists bother you during this exercise you can place a pair of dumbbells at the spots where you position your hands, graps the handles and keep your wrists straight to perform the exercise.

Start off slow if you have never performed pushups or have not in a while.  You can start off on your knees if you find it easier to begin this exercise.  Once you feel your upper body is stronger than you must graduate to perfect plank position.  Do as many as you can without breaking your form...when you feel your form will be broken stop.  You can try to add one more in next time and keep increasing # of reps as you get stronger.

This can be done just about anywhere so no excuses!!!!

Thanks for reading.