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Push-up

VeryWellFit: "The push-up builds both upper-body and core strength. It has many modifications; beginners can start with easier versions, while more advanced exercisers can use a challenging variation." [ID: pushup]

Instructions

First time — Do 1 set, 10 reps

Steps:

  1. Start in push-up position: face down with arms extended and on your toes
  2. Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself to the floor, until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle
  3. Exhale while pushing back up, returning to the start position
Details

Progressions:

  • More reps: 15 push-ups, then 20, then...
  • More sets: 2 sets, then 3, then...
  • Faster pace: Reduce the amount of time between sets
  • AMRAP: Do as many push-ups as you can (smile)
  • Be creative and mix different types of push-ups from the list above. Example: Do 10 regular push-ups, then 10 Diamond push-ups, then 10 dumbbell push-ups.

This is a great article because each push-up variation includes a demo video.
Article: "13 Push Up Variations For Easier & Harder Progressions", fitbod.me/blog/push-up-variations

There are lots of push-up variations. The order of these exercises is (mostly) easier to more difficult:

  1. Incline push-up - (easier) incline up, hands on a bench, www.nasm.org/exercise-library/incline-push-up
  2. Knee push-up - (easier) on your knees, www.nasm.org/exercise-library/modified-push-up
  3. Push-up (baseline)
  4. Decline push-up - feet on a bench, www.nasm.org/exercise-library/decline-push-up
  5. Big ball push-up
  6. Clapping push-up - athletic, plyometric move, clap at the top of each push-up, www.nasm.org/exercise-library/plyometric-push-up
  7. Diamond push-up - Work your triceps; bring your hands closer together, forming a diamond shape, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaxbEHLC4qU
  8. Push-up with lat row - Perform push-ups with hands holding dumbbells. At the top of the movement, pull the weight up to the chest (row) before lowering it back to the floor.
  9. Spiderman push-up, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYONORexgpY
  10. Eccentric push-up - slow everything down, way slow, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olkjnp6-2Rs
  11. Deficit push-up - elevate hands on weight or a dumbbell, giving extra range of motion and difficulty, www.youtube.com/watch?v=KadL9HpmWSg
  12. Mike Tyson push-up - pretty intense, tomsguide link
  13. Three medicine ball push-up - This is a FUN one. Practice and learn to do this in steps: 1) Push-ups with your feet on one ball, 2) Push-ups with 2 medicine balls, on in each hand, and then 3) Three medicine balls: two for hands, one for feet.
    Here's an example, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bRjWYLX4IY
Little help

Video: Push-up demo from NASM, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDIpL0pjun0

Article: "How to Do Push-Ups" from VeryWellFit, www.verywellfit.com/the-push-up-exercise-3120574

Video: A good starting point..."Push-ups for Beginners" video from Bowflex covers 1) incline, 2) knee, and 3) regular push-ups. Excellent video, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkj8LLRsoDw

Video: Push-up demo by NASM, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDIpL0pjun0

Article: "How to do a push-up" by Tom's Guide, www.tomsguide.com/how-to/how-to-do-a-push-up

Article: Tips on doing more push-ups, www.verywellfit.com/how-to-do-more-push-ups-3120732

Article: Push-up progressions from NASM, blog.nasm.org/nasm-guide-to-push-ups/push-up-progressions

Article: Lots of advanced push-up ideas here, TomsGuide link

Article: "13 Push Up Variations For Easier & Harder Progressions", fitbod.me/blog/push-up-variations


Image source: NASM, nasm.org