the PUSH UP

Dreams of a few push ups around four in the afternoon dancing in your head? Join me!

1) Starting on the floor in a hands and knees position, place your hands on the floor shoulder width apart. With your arms lined up under your shoulders, straighten out your body and raise yourself up onto your toes.
Your body should be making one straight line (on a diagonal plane) from your head down to your feet (the head being the highest point while your feet are the lowest).

2) Maintaining this alignment, inhale lowering your body down toward the floor until your arms form a 90 degree angle (in other words, arms perpendicular to the floor).

3) Exhale as you push your body back up to the starting position.

Form Pointers:
1) Be sure to keep your abdominals and lower back braced during the entire exercise.

2) Avoid letting the back sag.

3) Your neck is in neutral alignment while your head stays in line with your spine. Do not let your head hang down.

4) Straighten your arms but do not lock your elbows out at the top of the movement.

Training Tip: If you would like to incorporate more of the tricep area while doing push ups, keep your arms closer to your sides as you do the exercise (closer than shoulder width apart).