Arm Exercise

The Benefits of Push-ups

I love push-ups, but for some reason they've fallen out of popularity. They've been replaced by some convenience machine that claims to do more in less time.

Now, I'm not telling you to avoid experimenting with new pieces of fitness equipment. In fact, I think that a workout made up of a variety of exercises will show more gains than one made up of the same exercises week after week. I'm just saying that sometimes infomercials for fitness equipment meant to "do things better in half the time" are just a sham.

Everyone wants a quick fix, but if all of these magic weight-loss wonders worked you'd think that we'd have a healthier population right? Well, I believe that actions speak louder than words, and I find it pretty ironic that our society has more obese people than ever before. To me that indicates a need to retrace our steps.

If you're my age (somewhere between 30 and 40), you probably recall the horror of doing push-ups in gym class. Even though we all think that our gym teachers were just mean-spirited, push-ups are actually known for doing us some good. For instance, they increase our upper-body strength particularly in our chests (or pectorals), the fronts of our shoulders (or deltoids) and our triceps (the back of the arms). Lesser-known credit is given to push-ups for toning the abdominals and hip flexors (or pelvis). A traditional push-up can actually be called a core-strengthening exercise because, unlike workouts done on machines, pure body-weight-bearing exercise improves balance.

Now push-ups can be done various ways that's what's so great about them. If you're a beginner you can start with modified push-ups (don't let the name sissy push-ups deter you). These are done with your hands on the floor and your knees bent. Once you can do 3 sets of 30 reps, your chest, triceps and shoulders will be strong enough to do straight-legged or plank-style push-ups. When these become a breeze, you can prop your feet up on a stability ball or bench to make your push-ups harder. You can also incorporate push-up bars or a set of dumbbells into your floor routine to make them harder.

To perform a proper plank-style push-up: Start with your hands and toes on the floor in a plank-position (Figure 01). Lower your chest to the floor until your arms are bent at 90-degrees (Figure 02). Then push your body up as you extend your arms, returning to plank position (Figure 01).

Figure 01 Figure 02

Push-up repetitions should be performed in a rhythmic motion. At first, aim for 6 to 8 reps of 3. In no time you will be able to do 10 to 15 reps; then 20 to 30 reps.