push-ups

Do your push-ups need a push? Here are three advanced variations that effectively tone your upper body and core.

Creepy Crawly Push-Up

• Come into plank position. As you bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your torso toward the floor, bend your left knee and touch it to your left elbow.
• As you straighten your arms, come back to plank position with your left foot next to your right. Now lower your torso and touch your right knee to your right elbow. Then return back to plank position.
• This counts as one repetition. Complete three rounds of 10 reps.

Push-Up With Tuck Crunch

• Place your belly on a ball and walk your hands out so the ball is under your shins. Bend your elbows and slowly lower your chest to the floor, doing a push-up.
• Straighten your arms and draw your knees forward into your chest. This will send your pelvis upward and bring the ball closer to your face.
• Extend your legs straight back.
• This counts as one repetition. Complete three rounds of 15 reps.

BOSU Ball Push-Ups

• Come into plank position with your hands balanced on a BOSU ball.
• Bend your elbows out to the sides, lowering your torso into a push-up, and then straighten the arms.
• This counts as one repetition. Complete three rounds of 15 reps.

Push-ups are one of the most effective exercises to target your upper body, and mixing in some variations to the basic move will help tone your abs, legs, and butt. Here's a circuit workout combining six different dynamic variations of the basic push-up. If you're unsure how to do each one, check out the description below.

Basic Push-Ups: Come into plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your feet hips-width-distance apart. Keep your core engaged as you bend your elbows out to the sides, lowering your torso toward the ground, then straighten the arms. Do regular push-ups for 30 seconds.

Wide-Arm Push-Ups: Separate your hands so they are slightly wider than shoulder-width-distance apart, and do 30 seconds of push-ups in this position.

T Push-Ups: From plank position, do one regular push-up, but as you reach the top of the push-up position, lift your right arm up toward the ceiling, stacking your shoulders and creating a T-shape with your body. Release your right arm back to plank position, do another push-up, and as you reach the top of the push-up position, lift your left arm up toward the ceiling. Alternate like this for 30 seconds.

One Elbow In, One Elbow Out: From plank position, as you lower, bend one elbow behind you, brushing it against the side of your torso, and bend one elbow out to the side like you're doing a regular push-up. Repeat push-ups like this for 30 seconds on each side.

One-Legged Push-Ups: From plank position, lift your right foot a few inches off the ground. Keep that thigh engaged, and do 30 seconds of push-ups in this position and then 30 more seconds with the left foot lifted.

Backbend Push-Ups: Roll over onto your back, coming into Wheel Pose. As you exhale, bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward the floor, stopping before it touches. Then inhale to straighten your arms, coming back into Wheel. Repeat for 30 seconds.

Complete this four-minute circuit four times. If your upper body isn't strong enough to do push-ups with straight legs, then do this circuit with your knees resting on the ground — you're still working your upper body.

The almighty push-up is one of the most effective ways to strengthen and tone your upper body and core. It's extremely challenging, though, so if you're new to strength training or are coming back from an injury or pregnancy, here are three ways you can modify the basic push-up.

1. Grab a ball: Elevating your feet can take some of the weight out of your upper body. Lie your belly on a ball and roll forward so your shins are resting on the top of the ball, and do your push-ups in this position. If resting your legs on an unstable ball is too much of a challenge, place your feet on a stool or low bench.
2. Knee push-ups: Instead of holding your body in one straight line, rest one knee or both knees on the ground.
3. Use a wall: Facing a wall, stand about three feet away. Reach your arms out, placing your palms on the wall in push-up position. Bend and straighten your elbows, doing a push-up on the wall as if doing a push-up on the floor. If this is too hard, step closer toward the wall. If it's too easy, take a step or two back and lower your hands so your body is in one straight line.

Full Backbend (also known as Wheel Pose) is one of the most challenging yoga poses because it requires spinal flexibility and a strong upper body in order to lift yourself up. If you love the burn you feel after holding Wheel, then you'll love this push-up variation that will target the upper body, as well as your tush and thighs.

• Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground, hips-width distance apart, and the heels as close to the butt as possible.
• Bend your elbows and place your palms flat on the ground above your shoulders, fingertips facing your feet.
• Inhale, press into your palms and lift your head and shoulders off the ground, placing the crown of your head on the mat (as shown in the photo below). Check to make sure your hands and feet are parallel.

• Take a deep inhale as you straighten your arms and lift your head off the ground, coming into Full Wheel. Try to walk your hands and feet a little closer together — this will make it easier to do push-ups in this position.
• As you exhale, bend your elbows and lower the top of your head toward the floor, stopping before it touches. Then inhale to straighten your arms, coming back into Wheel. Move slowly and with control, completing as many backbend push-ups as you can with correct form.
• Slowly lower your hips to the mat. Hug your knees into your chest to release your lower back. Then rock up to a standing position and do a Tipover Tuck to stretch your hamstrings, chest, and shoulders.

To revamp your routine, mix new techniques in with traditional exercises. This push-up series may require less repetitions, but you'll still feel the burn because you stay active in the muscle group for longer. Try it now for quick blast to your biceps.

Starting Position

• Start by lying flat on your stomach with your legs zipped up together, hands underneath your shoulders. Press off of the floor with the pads of your toes and extend your elbows to straight.
• From here, walk your hands back until they fall below your shoulders and place your hands at a diagonal so that they both point inward. Tuck your hips down, creating a long line from the crown of your head to your knees.

The Exercise

• Bend your elbows and send your chest down closer to the floor. While you lower, pull your abs away from the ground. By keeping your core engaged during the whole push-up sequence, you will make your body feel lighter. Continue pressing and straightening your arms for 10 to 15 reps.
• On your last press to the floor, keep your body halfway there. Make 5 to 10 tiny micropulses one inch lower towards the mat.
• Staying in this position, now make 5 to 10 tiny micropulses up and away from the may. Either extend your arms up and skip to the ending position, or stay here for an added challenge of the bonus move.

See the challenging bonus move after the break!

Your friend's strapless dress is jealous. Your arms and upper back are looking so strong and sculpted, and it's all because of your secret weapon — the mighty push-up. And not just a regular old just-like-your-boyfriend-does-it push-up. These variations are much more challenging, so they're that much more effective. Add these moves to your strength training routine, and you're sure to notice a difference in your arms, shoulders, upper back, and core.

Up-Down Plank

Plank variations are a double whammy since they work your upper body and your core simultaneously. In this variation, moving from traditional plank to elbow plank will really sculpt your arms and shoulders.

• Come into a plank position with your arms and legs straight. Your hands should be underneath your shoulders and your feet hips-width distance apart. Draw your navel toward your spine to engage your core and to avoid straining your lower back.
• Keeping your torso parallel to the floor, lower your right forearm to the mat and then the left, coming into elbow plank (also called Dolphin Plank). Then step your right hand back onto the mat, and then the left, pushing yourself back up to plank position. Try to avoid swaying the torso from side to side.
• Repeat for a total of 10 reps and then reverse the direction for another 10 reps. Check out this video to see this move in action.

Continue reading to learn how to do three more push-up variations.

Push-ups may be basic, but it takes some time, strength, and awareness to do them correctly. Once you get the hang of this simple exercise, you'll be amazed at how sculpted and strong your arms, chest, core, and shoulders will be. Here are some tips for perfecting your push-up and making it work for you.

Find your form: Before you can move on, make sure you're actually doing a push-up the right way. Be aware of these four things as you execute a push-up: your body alignment, hands, abs, and breath. Make sure your shoulders are aligned over your wrists and your fingers and palms are spread wide, with pressure focused in your fingertips. Pull your belly button in, keeping your spine straight so your body is in a straight line; make sure to connect your breath with your movements. As you lower, bend your elbows outward to the sides. For more information on how to do a push-up correctly, read this guide.

Change it up: Don't stick to boring basic push-ups. While the exercise is great for your upper body, adding props or changing the positions of your hands can make push-ups harder and will work different areas of your body. Add an exercise ball to your feet, for example, to challenge core muscles, and point hands inward to work your triceps more. We've got more ideas — here are 14 push-up variations to try.

More tips for your push-ups after the break.