Push-Ups - All Kinds! Great Overall Body Work!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
First off, if you happened to get a bunch of email notifications for a "test" post, sorry for that. GoDaddy is messing up again & I was doing some testing to see what the heck is going on. It is still messed up so hoping for some resolution soon.. but with them, who knows.. it always seems to be something wrong.
So, I am actually going to just do an exercise post today... a post about push-ups! For my long term readers, you know I love my push-ups!!!! I even worked hard to be able to do a clap push-up - well, I can do 4 or 5 depending on the day I try... BUT, I also usually do them at the end of my workout so that ain't bad! I do the regular ones, not the knees on the ground. I don't go to high off the ground but I am just happy I was able to do a couple!
I do all kinds of push-ups: regular on the floor type, hands on a medicine ball (like close grip link but on the medicine ball), close grip, wide, tricep push-up, push-up on a stability ball, push-up with toes on stability ball (medium or larger size) & hands on floor, push-up with toes on medicine ball & hands on upside down Bosu, push-up on both sides of Bosu, clap push-ups with toes on floor & clap off a weight bench (easier to do & helps prepare for the floor ones), push-up with toes on a bench & hands on the floor, push-ups with 1 leg lifted & alternate lifted leg squeezing the butt too! ... OK, you get it.. I really could go on for quite a few more push-up exercises!!!
I love the push-up! It not only is a great chest workout BUT it also works the triceps, shoulders, back AND CORE too! The core is really utilized to hold your body in the proper form.. AND DO USE PROPER FORM OR INJURY MAY RESULT FROM POOR FORM!
So, I wanted to add another way to do push-ups if you have not tried it yet - a push-up off the Smith Machine bar. In the link, the man is using the Smith Machine but as you can see, the bar is attached to the machine & there are actually posts all along each side of the machine so you can lock the bar in at different heights from top to bottom. I start with push-ups on the floor to failure & then keep doing that at each post along the smith machine from bottom to the chest area (OK, I just got a kick out of this video!) each time to failure. It is quite "the feeling"!!!! I love it.
If you are new to trying push-ups, starting out against a wall or at a higher level on the machine like the chest area link above can help you improve to the point of doing them on the floor. You would do the opposite of me & start higher & work your way down as you get better & stronger. And of course, you can always start with the knees on the floor kind!
PS: Don't forget about my Tuesday post & GIVEAWAY by taking The Pledge for Better Health!
You can pledge multiple times & as long as you put the pledge link in the comments of the link above, it will count for another entry in the Giveaway for the Dick's Sporting Goods gift card. You can pledge, Twitter and Facebook share every day between now & May 8th for a separate entry for the gift card.
You can even teach your children about health. Have them make a pledge too & enter it for them so they can see it pop up on the screen. A fun sharing experience!
Again, feel free to share this on your Facebook page, Tweet it out for a separate entry and mention it on your blog for a separate entry. Just let me know in the comments at my Tuesday Post link about the pledge, Tweet & Facebook sharing. THX!
First off, if you happened to get a bunch of email notifications for a "test" post, sorry for that. GoDaddy is messing up again & I was doing some testing to see what the heck is going on. It is still messed up so hoping for some resolution soon.. but with them, who knows.. it always seems to be something wrong.
So, I am actually going to just do an exercise post today... a post about push-ups! For my long term readers, you know I love my push-ups!!!! I even worked hard to be able to do a clap push-up - well, I can do 4 or 5 depending on the day I try... BUT, I also usually do them at the end of my workout so that ain't bad! I do the regular ones, not the knees on the ground. I don't go to high off the ground but I am just happy I was able to do a couple!
I do all kinds of push-ups: regular on the floor type, hands on a medicine ball (like close grip link but on the medicine ball), close grip, wide, tricep push-up, push-up on a stability ball, push-up with toes on stability ball (medium or larger size) & hands on floor, push-up with toes on medicine ball & hands on upside down Bosu, push-up on both sides of Bosu, clap push-ups with toes on floor & clap off a weight bench (easier to do & helps prepare for the floor ones), push-up with toes on a bench & hands on the floor, push-ups with 1 leg lifted & alternate lifted leg squeezing the butt too! ... OK, you get it.. I really could go on for quite a few more push-up exercises!!!
I love the push-up! It not only is a great chest workout BUT it also works the triceps, shoulders, back AND CORE too! The core is really utilized to hold your body in the proper form.. AND DO USE PROPER FORM OR INJURY MAY RESULT FROM POOR FORM!
So, I wanted to add another way to do push-ups if you have not tried it yet - a push-up off the Smith Machine bar. In the link, the man is using the Smith Machine but as you can see, the bar is attached to the machine & there are actually posts all along each side of the machine so you can lock the bar in at different heights from top to bottom. I start with push-ups on the floor to failure & then keep doing that at each post along the smith machine from bottom to the chest area (OK, I just got a kick out of this video!) each time to failure. It is quite "the feeling"!!!! I love it.
If you are new to trying push-ups, starting out against a wall or at a higher level on the machine like the chest area link above can help you improve to the point of doing them on the floor. You would do the opposite of me & start higher & work your way down as you get better & stronger. And of course, you can always start with the knees on the floor kind!
So, what do you think? Do you do any or all of the above? Want to add your own. I did not put all the ones I do for fear of a way too long & monotonous post to SHARE!!!!
PS: Don't forget about my Tuesday post & GIVEAWAY by taking The Pledge for Better Health!
You can pledge multiple times & as long as you put the pledge link in the comments of the link above, it will count for another entry in the Giveaway for the Dick's Sporting Goods gift card. You can pledge, Twitter and Facebook share every day between now & May 8th for a separate entry for the gift card.
You can even teach your children about health. Have them make a pledge too & enter it for them so they can see it pop up on the screen. A fun sharing experience!
Again, feel free to share this on your Facebook page, Tweet it out for a separate entry and mention it on your blog for a separate entry. Just let me know in the comments at my Tuesday Post link about the pledge, Tweet & Facebook sharing. THX!
Posted by truth2beingfit at 4/26/2010 9:01 PM 
Categories: Giveaway, Workouts, Push-Ups, Exercise
Tags: strength push-ups Exercise Dick's Sporting Goods
Categories: Giveaway, Workouts, Push-Ups, Exercise
Tags: strength push-ups Exercise Dick's Sporting Goods
(groan) I've got to get back to the push-ups (and NOT the bra, thank you very much...although...I could use those, too).
I needed the reminder. I liked the chest video and saw a demo for finger push-ups...have you tried those? The cartoon does them very well.
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I love the push-up. I do them all the time, and have clients who are able to, do them regularly.
As a core exercise, they are supreme. When a client is new to push-ups, or has not done them in a while, it is a given that when they report on their subsequent soreness, it's not the chest, the shoulders or the triceps which they feel the most -- it's the abs. This always takes them by suprise, but I know it's coming.
To keep one's spine in a safe posture during a push-up, one has to flex the abs constantly throughout the motion. This flexion, though a static exercise, builds great strength in the abdominals.
I like to do sets of (10) push-ups in-between legs exercises on my legs days. This usually yeids me 120-140 or so push-ups. I do them with a 1-second pause while my nose (barely) touches the floor.
Like a lot of other exercise, push-ups are also a life-skill.
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Roy, thx for this complete comment & your "barely touch the floor" push-up. Like that!
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I need to get back on my push up routine. This is a good reminder.
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I am a push up fanatic, too. In fact, I just challenged myself to do 10 sets of 10 after my workouts on leg days for a "booster shot" for my upper body.
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I do a number of variations on the push-up. It is a great one since you don't need equipment. I'll have to try a few of your suggestions though. I've yet to try one with my feet on the bench. That one sounds challenging, but I want arms like yours so I'll give it a try!
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i love me some push-ups, but damn girl, i had no idea there were so many ways to do them!!
i have always just done the 'regular' kind - toe on ground, hands placed outside my shoulders. i would do some plank afterwards, but just over the weekend, when i did plank, i left one hand done and raised the other into the air to form a "T". i was quite proud of myself.
hope you iron out the bugs with godaddy. what a pain!
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I've never been a huge fan of push ups (probably because I haven't ever been able to do them)!
Now that I'm doing P90X Tony Horton likes to sneak the little devils in between other exercises like during Yoga moves, which makes it easier for me to do them.
My arms and shoulders are very sore from them. Maybe I'll learn to love them like you do when I get good at them? We'll see...
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I like doing push ups and do them a variety of ways. The toughest one for me is where you lay flat on your stomach, arms outstretched over your head, and bridge up to support yourself on your hands and feet. I don't know if it has a name, but it's a challenge to do
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Dr. J.. YIKES, that sounds hard! I guess I best try it!
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I can't say I am overly fond of push ups but I do them because I know I should and each week add a few more. Maybe you know this question, as it was asked to me: what the heck is a prison push-up? I haven't been to prison latley
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I had never even heard of this Sian but Googled it. Apparently you get a deck of shuffled cards. Turn over the first card & do as many push-ups as the number on the card. Face cards are 10 push-ups. & Aces ar 11. Beginners can try 3-5 cards then a 30 second to 1 minute rest. I guess it would be quite a challenge to finish the whole deck! WOW!
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Love doing pushups except when I get close to my limit, then I hate them. Fortunately that limit slowly keeps going up. I am hoping to get to 100. Honestly, I don't know why but it is such a nice number. I have ways to go though. I am not even 1/3 there.
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