The push-up is a fundamental upper body strength training exercise. Push-ups don't require any special equipment and can be performed at home, at the gym, outside or in any other place with a flat, open area. Push-ups work several upper body...
The pectoralis minor is the smaller of the two pectoral muscles. The pectoralis major is the chest muscle targeted by bodybuilders because it is the larger muscle and the one responsible for a developed-looking chest. The pectoralis minor,...
The extra exertion of push-ups increases the endurance and strength of your muscles in your wrists, arms, upper back and shoulders. They are also an effective way to define and tone your muscles, making your arms appear slimmer, and strengthen...
Push-ups are a classic exercise. Being able to do a full push-up is a symbol of strength and agility. The U.S. military uses push-ups as a method for measuring the muscular endurance of the upper body. Performing push-ups with proper form is...
Guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine recommend eight to 10 exercises a week of strength training for major muscle groups, including the arms, shoulders and back. An exercise that targets all three of these muscle groups is the...
The bust, fragile skin encompassing mammary glands and connective and fatty tissues, can go from firm and perky to flat and saggy with age and pregnancies. Short of plastic surgery, you can give the illusion of tighter, fuller breasts with the...
Using exercise to improve your bust size is an inexpensive way to manage your breast size on your own. Beneath the breasts are muscles known as pectorals or pecs. Pecs respond to strength training, which adds lean muscle tissue to your chest. By...
Push-ups are the "ultimate multitasking exercise," according to Alwyn Cosgrove, a gym owner in Santa Clarita, California. Proper form is essential in gaining the most benefits. Push-ups work your chest, shoulders and triceps primarily, but they...
Also called "man boobs" or "male breasts," gynecomastia is a condition that is common in adolescent boys and disappears 90 percent of the time, according to the Gynecomastia Organization. This condition can result from excess weight, hormone...
Push-ups are a body weight exercise that require no equipment and can be performed just about anywhere. Push-ups are featured in boot camp classes, military training, martial arts and circuit routines. Understanding the muscles involved in a...
Abdominal exercises are not technically broken up into exercises for boys and girls. Some exercises, like bent-knee push-ups, are occasionally called "girl" push-ups even though both males and females will get the same benefits from the exercise....
The female breast has a complex structure made of several elements. It include fat, blood vessels, milk ducts, lymph nodes, lobules, lobes and connective tissue, known as Cooper's ligaments, according to the Mayo Clinic. Younger women have denser...
Push-ups can be performed a variety of ways, but each variation has a proper form. Push-ups performed on the ground can be modified by placing your knees on the ground, while changing arm placement can target the muscles differently. Each...
If you perform enough repetitions to promote muscle growth, the type of pushups you choose is more a matter of preference than superior effectiveness. Although it's true that the traditional straight leg pushup can be more difficult, performing...
Body exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and single leg squats use the body's weight for resistance. The major muscle groups in these exercises are the prime movers, and depending on the exercise angle, they use anywhere from 65 percent to...
If you want to increase the size of your breasts, you can give them a boost by toning the muscles that support them. Pectoralis major and minor are the muscles that form the chest wall. Short of surgery or pregnancy, which will often increase...
Pushups are a well-known upper body exercise. They are a calisthenic exercise, meaning you do not need weights or equipment other than just your body, making pushups convenient. Although pushups do not target the back, biceps or lower body, they...
Having strong chest muscles, or pectorals, can help you perform everyday tasks like pushing a lawn mower or grocery cart. Since your chest muscles attach to your shoulder joint, strengthening your chest muscles can support your shoulders and...
Strength training is a vital part of any well-rounded fitness routine; it gives you the strength you need to work hard or play hard, helps boost your metabolism, and can even help slow down the aging process, according to the American Council on...
Working out the chest in your own home isn't difficult. Pressing movements target the chest muscles — meaning you can use your own body weight to work your chest. You don't need any machines or gym equipment. Continuously overloading the...
The push-up is a popular upper-body exercise to train the pectoral muscles of the chest. The push-up works the tricep muscles in the back of the upper arm and the deltoid muscles of the shoulders, too. There are variations on the push-up that work...
Some women naturally have curves already. For those who don't but are looking for a way to get them to boost their self-image and confidence, there are several exercises you can do that target the thighs, butt, chest, shoulders and abs, which are...
Women can perform body toning exercises in the convenience of the home using body weight and an exercise band or tubing for resistance. The American College of Sports Medicine encourages you to keep exercise simple and convenient by doing...
The lying dumbbell fly is a weight-lifting exercise that targets your chest and shoulders, primarily working your anterior and medial deltoids and pectorals, according to the American Council on Exercise. It also works secondary muscle groups,...
Whether in a hotel on business or at home chilling in front of the television, there are many ways you can strengthen your muscles without weights, machines or special equipment. Using your own body weight can be a very effective way to tone,...
Push-ups are one exercise that can sculpt a well-defined chest, as well as give you stronger shoulders and arms. Executing the perfect push-up is challenging for the absolute beginner. The American Council on Exercise, or ACE, suggests...
The push-up works the muscles in your arms, shoulders and chest --- specifically, the deltoids, pectorals and triceps --- and your abdominals. The standard push-up requires you to place your hands and feet, with your toes down and flexed, on the...
Sixty percent of women in the U.S. are overweight, putting these women at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and some types of cancer, according to the National Women's Health Information Center. Weight loss for...
If you want to build muscle, you have to put stress on them. Body weight exercises, free weight exercises and weight machine exercise are all options for increasing muscle size. Muscle tissue increase is called hypertrophy. The major muscle groups...
Bench dips exercises target the triceps and pectorals muscles to build muscle mass and a toned physique. Learn how to do bench dip exercises in this strength training video.
The side bend and shoulder press combination using a stability ball will work the shoulders, chest and obliques. Learn how to do side bend and shoulder press combinations using a stability ball from a certified personal fitness trainer in this...
