On the 4th Day of Christmas My Trainer Gave to Me....

In honor of the 12 Days I am going to give you 12 ways to do a classic push up! Aren’t you excited!?! As always I'll begin with the correct way to do the basic move. Make sure you have “mastered” the basic before moving on to more challenging moves!

Push Ups
Balance your weight on your toes and palms, with your hands a comfortable distance apart-about shoulder width. (ya know…like a plank) Your body should form a straight line from your ankles to your head. Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs, and keep them that way through the entire exercise. Slowly lower your body to the floor and then push yourself back up. Keep your head in alignment with your spine and take your time to do it right!

Do as many as you can and/or try the other variations:
Most of these are self explanatory but email me if you want to know more:  suesmithgetufit@gmail.com

Push Up Variations

1. Knees Dropped (this is the modified version-make sure you don’t stick your butt up on this. You should have a straight line from your head to your knees)
2. Wide Arms
3. Staggered Arms
4. Clap in Between
5. Diamond Fingertips
6. One Arm
7. Incline-place your hands on a step, chair, bench
8. One or both hands on a Medicine Ball
9. Hands or Feet on Stability Ball or Bosu
10. Tubing around your back, handles in hands (adjusting tension as needed)
11. Hands on Weights, lift weight-(elbow straight back) as you lift your body
12. Spiderman-as you lift, bring a bent knee out the to side towards shoulder, return to start position and repeat other side
13. Feet wide
14. T-Push Up (do full push up, roll heels to right side and lift left arm to point to the ceiling-like a side plank, return to full push up, then roll heels left and lift right arm to the ceiling.
15. Wall Push Ups-this is for anyone who truly cannot get on the floor, or on their knees. It can still be challenging if your feet are far enough away from the wall
16. Ankles crossed so you are essentially on one foot

OK! OK! I’ll stop! I know I said 12, but as you see the possibilities are endless! Isn’t that special?

Only 3 more days til Christmas Eve and your final gift! Don’t miss it-it will be a great way to end the 12 Days of Fitness!!