Twenty five ways to do your press-ups
The humble push-up is one of the most effective all-body workouts you can perform. A Pilates instructor shows 25 variations of the exercise
It's simple, can be done anywhere and no equipment except your own body is needed. Basic as it may seem, the push-up is one of the best exercises for any fitness regimen.
Granted, it can get monotonous and boring doing push-ups over and over again. So, Pilates instructor Jason Clark of PilatesAthlete has created a circuit of 25 variations of the exercise.
By simply narrowing or widening the position of the hands, different areas of the arms and back can be targeted, says Clark. Changing the incline of your position, or the stability of the surface you're resting on, can also add intensity and challenge.
"Having push-up options will also offsets your training when your muscles plateau, as you can do alternative versions at different times. Then you can come back to previous versions when you plateau again," he says.
Push-ups, along with movements such as dips, lunges and squats, are forms of body weight training - the top fitness trend for this year, according to health and fitness professionals surveyed by the American College of Sports Medicine.
"The push-up seems to be having a resurgence in popularity at the moment - and there is good reason," Clark says. "The push-up is an exercise that can provide a complete workout for most muscles in the body."