Push ups are a classic body weight exercise, letting you work your chest anywhere--no extra equipment needed. If you're getting bored with normal push ups, however, or find that you can do more than 12 at a time--good form, no struggling--it's time to bring the challenge back into your chest workout by introducing some variations on this venerable exercise.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are available in a variety of strengths, so you can easily adapt how much extra resistance you're adding to your push ups by using a lighter or heavier band. Once you outgrow the heaviest resistance bands, you can move on to flexible surgical tubing as a stouter alternative.
Loop the resistance band around your back so that it crosses your shoulder blades. Assume push-up position, one end of the band under each hand, then lower your chest down toward the floor. Adjust the band under your hands, as needed, so that you feel slight tension on the band in this position, then push up against the band's resistance.
Leg Raises
This variation may be the mildest in terms of the load on your pecs, but it's very challenging for your core. Lift one leg slightly, keeping your hips level as you do so, and keep the leg raised throughout the range of motion. Make sure to either perform a second set of push-ups with the other leg raised, after a short rest, or to switch legs halfway through the set.
Instability
Doing push-ups on a wobble board or instability ball forces both your movers--pecs, triceps, shoulders--and stabilizers--core muscles--to work at holding your body steady throughout the range of motion. Do the push-ups just as you normally would, but with your hands or feet on a stability ball, wobble board or Bosu trainer.
Weighted
Assume a normal push-up position. Have your partner place a weight plate on your upper back, centered on your shoulder blades. Your partner should stabilize the weight plate on your back as you do your push ups, then remove it before you leave push-up position.
The upside of this variation is that you can drastically increase the amount of weight you're pressing up with every repetition, so even very strong individuals can challenge themselves with a set of 12 reps. The downside is that you need a partner to place and hold the weight with every set.
If you don't have a partner to help you out, you can achieve a similar effect by putting on a weighted vest before doing your push ups.
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