push-ups

Tank-top and strapless-dress season is almost here. If you're not ready to bare your arms and upper back, drop and give me 20! Push-ups are one of the most effective upper body exercises, but the traditional move, whether with straight legs or knees on the floor, only offers muscles so much. Here are some ways to add zest to your push-ups and get more out of this basic exercise.

• Use an exercise ball: Instead of the floor, place your hands on a large gym ball. The instability of the ball means constantly shifting and readjusting your body to remain in a stable plank position. Having to do this will target your core and offer a greater challenge to the muscles in your upper body.
• Change your hand position: Traditionally the hands are slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart, and the elbows come out to the sides as you lower. Mix it up by walking one hand in a few inches, and as you lower, that elbow bends back behind you while the other elbow bends out to the side as it normally would. Or place both hands out wider to target the chest and shoulders. To work the triceps, place your hands together below the chest.

Keep reading to learn more ways to make push-ups more challenging.

We are three days into 2012, but it feels like the year is finally just starting. If one of your goals for the year it to get stronger, we have strength training challenge to jump-start your January. It's simple: see how many push-ups you can do in minute, then share your number in the comments section. If you need to lower your knees to the floor at the start or at anytime during the minute — no worries. Keep on going and keep on counting. This challenge will quickly assess your upper body strength, helping you set a baseline to measure your gains over the year. Plus, if the temps are dropping where you live, this activity will warm you up!

Here is a little reading to get you motivated: Five Things to Remember When Doing Push-Ups.

Unless an instructor or trainer calls you out, most people don't pay attention to what's happening with their elbows. When straightening your elbows during weight-bearing exercises, have you noticed if you unintentionally hyperextend them? You'll know that you have hyperextended elbows if your joint extends beyond 180 degrees when completely straightened. Going to the hyperextended place means you're locking your elbows.

When you hyperextend your elbows, your joints take on the weight rather than your muscles. While this might seem easier or more comfortable in the moment, over time this over straightening wears down those joints and can cause a painful injury. When doing push-ups or other weight-bearing exercises like upward facing dog in yoga, keep a slight bend in your elbow, to prevent straightening them to your full capacity and into the locked zone. It might feel awkward at first, so watch yourself in the mirror to gauge when you should stop.

Are you ready to stop working your joints and start working your muscles? Here's a quick tip when completing a push-up: be sure to start with your hands out wide to the sides, so when your elbows are bent 90 degrees at the bottom of your push-up, they are over your wrists. If you can't support your full weight in this position, be sure to go down on your knees. That way, you can slowly lift yourself up rather than popping yourself up by using momentum and hyperextending your elbows!

Today is Veterans Day and to commemorate the day I thought we should cover where the fitness world and the military collide and that's the ever-popular boot camp. I talked recently with vet Ruben Belliard, co owner of Warrior Fitness Boot Camp in NYC. A former Marine (but I think Ruben would say once a Marine always a Marine), Ruben met his business partner Alex Fell at basic training, and now these two train for triathlons together. Both have seen action overseas but now spend their days helping us civies get our sweat on.

When I think military workout, I think pull-ups. Ruben clarified for me something you might already know: the difference between a chin-up and pull-up is not how high you go, but the grip. With a pull-up, your palms face away from you and this grip means you're relying on your back muscles to pull you up to the bar. The palms-facing-in grip of the chin-up means the biceps and the pecs can assist you in your upward motion. According to Ruben regardless of your grip, if you want to pull your head up toward a bar you need to strengthen your muscles by doing assisted pull-ups first. He suggests using the assisted pull-up machines (our fave way to tackle this move at the gym), superbands (a big rubber band that helps you up), or a friend to push your legs from below while you pull with all your might.

To learn why push-ups are important, keep on reading.

Push-ups are an exercise staple, but sometimes you need to spice up the basics. My Equinox trainer's prescription for getting over the push-up blahs is to toss a medicine ball, or two, or three into the mix. Here's a progression Lauren taught me in my last training session. It's fun. It's challenging. And it might just make you feel like you're rehearsing a circus act.

Push-Up Roll
This move makes me feel like a human pinball machine and is a simple way to work different muscles by varying your arm position and to get more core work out of the move.

Gear needed: one medium-sized, hard medicine ball

• Start in a plank position with your right hand on the medicine ball. The wider your feet, the easier the exercise. Remember, you can always try this on your knees.
• Bend your elbows, lowering yourself toward the ground. Push yourself up returning to your plank.
• Using your right hand, pass the medicine ball to the left side. Place your left hand on top of the ball and repeat the push-up.
• This completes one rep. Do five to seven reps for a set.

Ready to try the more advanced variations? Then keep on reading.

I've been doing push-ups before hopping into bed for a few months now, and I find it both tones my arms and gets me tuckered and ready to snooze. Push-ups are my all-time favorite upper-body exercise because they are so darn effective. It doesn't take many reps before you feel them, and boy will you feel it in your triceps, shoulders, upper back, and core. Here are some tips to keep in mind when doing this exercise.

1. Check your alignment. Shoulders should be over your wrists and your body in one straight line. If it's too difficult to keep your spine straight doing classic push-ups, lower your knees to the floor — knee push-ups still work your arms.
2. Check your hands. Spread your palms and activate fingertips to protect your wrists. Turn your fingertips slightly inward to help target your triceps. Or widen your hands slightly to target your pecs.
3. Check your abs. Pull your navel in toward your spine to engage your core. It not only tones your abs, but will prevent lower back pain.
4. Connect your breath with your movements to make it easier. Inhale as you bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your torso down, and exhale as you straighten your arms and lift your torso back to the starting position.
5. Push-up variations beat boredom and target your body in different ways. Give these variations a try:
   • Elevated Push-Up: isolates one arm at a time
   • One Elbow In, One Elbow Out: isolates one shoulder at a time
   • Spider-Man Push-Up: targets your upper body and core
   • Diamond Push-Ups: targets your triceps
   • Grasshopper Push-Up: increases flexibility in your back and hips

Who doesn't want sexy, sculpted arms, shoulders, and an upper back they're proud to bare? Push-ups are one exercise sure to give you the results you're after. Although basic push-ups are effective, there's no need to keep it simple. Try these three variations to work your upper body in new and challenging ways. If these push-ups are too difficult to do with your legs straight, rest your knees on the floor. Each of these exercises works one side at a time. Complete 10 reps of each variation (five on each side) for a total of 30 push-ups.

Elevated Push-Up

One Elbow In, One Elbow Out

Spider-Man Push-Up

Itching for more short workouts? Check out these Weekend Workouts to learn how to tone other areas of your body.