Push-Ups

• 1). Start on your hands and knees with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Put your fingers face up and slightly turned inward.
  
  
• 2). Extend your legs behind you, balancing on your toes. Your body should be a straight plane from the top of your head to your heels. Do not let your hips move forward or back. Keep your head in line with your spine, without looking up or down at your belly. Beginners can drop to their knees, keeping a straight plane from the knees to the top of the head.
  
  
• 3). Lower yourself until your chin or chest touches the floor, keeping your body in a straight plane. Extend your elbows outward for emphasis on chest and shoulder muscles. Tuck elbows into your sides to work the triceps. Inhale as you lower your body.
  
  
• 4). Exhale as you extend your arms to push up. Keep your body rigid in a straight plane. Do not let your hips or belly bow forward or your backside to push up first.
  
  
• 5). Do three sets of 12 to15 push-ups, three times a week, to build muscle in the triceps, pectoral muscles and the deltoids.
  
  

Modifications

• 1). Try doing push ups on a balance ball to engage core muscles to balance the body. Balance your hands on the ball for one set. Then place your feet on the ball for the second set.
  
  
• 2). Do walking push-ups. Start in a standing position. Lower your hands to the floor and walk forward into a push-up position. Do a push-up, then walk your hands back and stand up again. Repeat 12 to 15 times per set.
  
  
• 3). Wear a backpack during push-ups. Add weights to the backpack to increase resistance as you progress in your regiment.