A Shot of Fitness Anyone Can Push-up "Easy Peasy"

With so many fitness trends on the market it is hard to know what to follow. They all claim to help you lose weight and get the body you've always wanted. There are DVDs to watch, machines to figure out, diet plans to follow with calories to count and special foods to eat. All too soon you grow tired of it all and go on to the next greatest weight loss scheme or exercise equipment in hopes to get that body you've always wanted.

 There is a piece of fitness equipment for just about every exercise. They all claim to help you perform an exercise safely and effectively. What they don’t tell you is that you don't need to spend your money on the latest fitness gadget. The simple act of learning how to perform an exercise safely and effectively will promote muscle balance in your body.

Your body can move around because your muscles work together to stand up, sit down, walk, go up and down stairs, and do all sorts of other things. Muscles working in unison is natural. Athletes often need to work one muscle group more than another because of the role those muscles play in their job. For instance hockey players may want over developed upper leg muscles because their sport requires this muscle group to be working at all times. For the non athlete this is not necessary and basic exercises are all that you really need. Of course you may get bored of the basics, but variations of basic movements can also get the job done.

Let's take the push up, for instance. The other day I saw some contraption on tv that was supposed to help you do a push up. It supported your chest, and all you had to do was push down with your arms. Someone who cannot perform a push up may think this is a perfect way for them to learn how. But a cheaper more effective way of doing a proper push up is to do a series of modified push ups. Each of these modifications will bring you a step closer to doing a full push up. Enclosed are some pictures to help you get the idea.

There are a few ways to do a good push up and many ways to do a bad one.  I will give you an example of a good push up. Before you begin lets go over the important parts of a push up. Keep your body straight making a long line from the top of your head to your heels.  Your hands should be shoulders width apart and feet about 4 inches apart. Slowly move your body forward by bending the elbows. Keep a tight stomach, inhale on your way forward and exhale on your way back. When you are comfortable doing 10 repetitions with one form, you may move on to the next.

Start with a push up against the wall.  If you have trouble with your wrists (carpel tunnel syndrome) you can make a fist and put your knuckles on the wall.

The nest step would be to find more of an angle.  A table , counter or bar like this will do

Keep finding a lower surface.  A chair would also work.

When your body gets strong enough, move to the floor on your knees.

This is the final step.  Your form should look similar to the first picture. The exception being that you are on the floor.  

If there is an exercise that you have difficulty performing or one that you just can't do let us know.  We can come up with a series of modifications to help you.

Written by Joann Agoglia
Edited by Robert Marshall