Push-ups are not just for people who already posses a great deal of upper body strength; anyone can perform this low cost, upper body exercise. If you're interested in toning your arms and gaining strength but not too much muscle mass, push-ups are an ideal type of exercise to help you do so. It is important, however, to know how to do push-ups properly in order to gain the maximum benefits from the exercise.
Step 1
Lie on the ground on your chest. Keep your hands beside your shoulders, with your palms pressed flat onto the ground and separated slightly greater than shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet together and parallel to one another.
Step 2
Keep your chin on the ground, and look forward instead of down at the ground.
Step 3
Exhale as you straighten your arms and push your body up off of the ground, keeping your legs straight and balancing on your toes. Keep your palms in the same position, and make sure your entire body is straight. Try your best not to arch or bend your upper or lower back while you push yourself up.
Step 4
Pause for one second.
Step 5
Slowly lower your body until your chest touches the ground, inhaling on the way down. Keep your palms fixed in the same position and your body straight as you bend your elbows. Make sure your feet are still together. and keep your knees off the ground.
Step 6
Pause for one second.
Step 7
Exhale as you straighten your arms and lift your body off the ground for another push-up.
Tips and Warnings
- If you want to try an easier form of push-ups, you can rest your knees on the ground. Keep your back straight and proceed to do the rest of the exercise normally. This variation reduces the amount of pressure on your arms.
- Contact your physician before attempting push-ups if you have any medical conditions that could limit or impair your ability to do this exercise properly.
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