FitSugar

14 Ways to Push Your Push-Ups

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:08:00 PDT

A toned upper body is important, and one of the most effective exercises you can do to target this area is the push-up. Here are 14 challenging push-up variations to strengthen and tone your upper body while giving you a total-body workout.

Source: Thinkstock

Weekend Workout: Push-Up Variations

FitSugar — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 03:05:40 PDT

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.

Rise Up to the Challenge: 5 Push-Up Variations

Michele Foley — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:00:15 PDT

If you're looking for lean, toned arms, you need to make push-ups your number one friend. You'll be so glad you did, too. A push-up is a move that requires no equipment, but pays off in big ways - namely, a strong upper body. To make workouts more challenging, I am all about variety, especially with push-ups! Changing up the classic move will make things more exciting and work muscles you might ignore, otherwise.

Get the Bod: Jessica Biel's Arms

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:30:00 PST

Two years in a row, Jessica Biel has won the FitSugar title of "Fittest Female Celeb." Her feminine toned and buff arms are coveted by many Sugar readers, and I agree they're pretty inspirational. Her secret? The basic push-up - her trainer Jason Walsh swears by them. He says they are a must-do move for incredible arms, and I agree. Plus you can do push-ups anywhere, anytime. If regular push-ups bore you, check out a bunch of push-up variations when you start the slideshow.

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Fit Tip: Vary the Pace of Your Push-Ups

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:00:00 PST

There's something about push-ups that makes me feel so accomplished after I've finished a set. The total body exertion gets my heart rate up and I feel stronger after doing them. I like to challenge myself by doing at least one extra push-up than I did the last time, and I keep things interesting by varying the pace of my push-ups.

The classic push-up is a great way to tone your upper half, and changing the pace anywhere from two to four counts while lowering yourself toward the ground, as well as when you are pushing yourself up, will create an added challenge. If your goal is 20 push-ups, try doing 10 of those push-ups taking two counts on the down and two counts to get back up. Work toward taking four counts to lower yourself and to push yourself up. This will keep your body guessing and help you avoid any kind of push-up plateau. If you need a refresher on how to do a proper push-up, check out my tips.

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Push Your Push-Ups

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PDT

Now that you've got the push-up under control, how about making it a little bit more challenging?

All you have to do is add a little decline to the push-up. Adding decline is a great way to target your upper body (chest) muscles more than just a regular push up and the best part is that you use your own body weight for resistance. Start easy with your feet on a low step or small bosu. Work your way up to putting your feet on something higher like a stacked step, a bench or even an exercise ball to really challenge yourself.

Fit's Tip: Do not compromise form. If you find that it is too challenging to put your feet on an incline and still keep good form, then work on building strength before trying this variation.

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Push-Ups: A Bride-to-Be's Best Friend

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 04:00:00 PDT

When I say push-ups, I am not talking about the bra. Nope. I am talking about the classic exercise, as in "Drop and give me 50." Now nobody is saying you need to start your day out with 50 push-ups just because you are now engaged, or because it is tank top season. Let's face it every bride and every tank top wearer wants toned arms and to get them the push-up is your best friend.

When I taught Pilates, I trained many a bride-to-be and doing the Method, lifting weights or taking a yoga class once a week is not going to give you the arms you want. So on your days off from your bootcamp you need to add some push-ups into your daily routine every other day. Just knowing that push-ups work five major muscle groups at once might just be motivation enough.

Here are a few tips to ensure that you and push-ups become fast friends:

Spread your fingers wide and spread the weight evenly between your finger tips and your palms. This helps keep the strain out of your wrists.
Inhale as you bend your elbows, and exhale as you straighten your elbows.
Let your core help you. Pull your navel to your spine and imagine the action is helping you push the floor away.
Imagine you are one long board, from your heels to the crown of your head. Don't stick your booty in the air (breaking at your hip crease) and don't sag in your low back that will hurt your spine.
You will work your triceps more if your hands are right under your shoulders keeping your elbows close to your sides as they bend.
To work your pecs more, place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. When you bend your arms your elbows should move directly out to the sides.

Now if doing a "classic" push-up seems completely out of the question, there are some variations for you to try as you work your way up to the full press. To see them

Try push ups on your knees. Still keep a long line from your knees to the top of your head.
The next, easiest variation is on all fours, keeping the knees directly under the hips and bending the elbows in this position.
You can alway begin your push up quest at the wall. The closer your body is to the wall to begin the easier the push-up will be.

Begin with the goal of doing 10 push-ups. Increase the number of repetitions by 2 every week. Change variations when you can do 20 easily in the position you are working in. If you're engaged, just looking at the ring every time you bend your elbows to lower yourself down should motivate you to push yourself back up.

No Equipment Necessary: Spider-Man Push-Up

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:00:00 PDT

Push-ups have got to be my all-time favorite upper-body exercise since they are so effective at targeting your chest and shoulders. There are so many variations to this basic exercise, so here's another one to add to your routine.

"Missing You" by Red Raven Blue

For details on how to do a Spiderman Push-Up

Medicine Balls Are the Rx For Push-Up Boredom

Susi May — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:13:53 PDT

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.

Push-Up Variation: Elevated Push-Up

FitSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:00:00 PDT

If you're looking to tone up your upper body for the Summer, you've got to become friends with the push-up. There are so many variations to isolate certain muscle groups, and make your push-ups more exciting and challenging. Here's another variation to try. You'll need one block or dumbbell for this one.

Push-Up Variation: Elevated Push-Up from FitSugar on Vimeo.

"Beautiful Dawn" by The Wailin' Jennys

Come onto your hands and knees so your hands are shoulder-width distance apart. Elevate your right hand so it is four or six inches off the ground. I like to use a block, but you can also use the edge of a dumbbell.
Straighten your legs out behind you so your torso is in one straight line. If it's difficult for you to do classical push-ups like this, then rest your knees on the floor.
Inhale as you bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your chest toward the floor. As you exhale, straighten your arms. If this is too difficult, rest one or both knees on the floor.
Complete 10 push-ups (or as many as you can) with the right side elevated, then switch sides.