26/365 Three Ways to Push Up

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Drop and give me 20! For some of you, this may be intimidating and you may think near impossible. However, you can get to doing push ups the standard way by going through these modifications first.

This what I like to call a Puppy Push Up because you start out on your hands and knees like a puppy. Position your knees hip-width apart and your butt right on top of your knees. Place your hands under your shoulders then walk them out laterally so that yours hands are slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower yourself down by bending your elbows until they reach 90 degree angles. Keep your back flat. Your hips are your hinges. Push yourself up thinking about your chest muscles squeezing together. Repeat.



If this is too easy, you can try this version instead. Instead of having your booty up in the air, bring it down so that it falls in line with your straight thighs, back, and neck (like in the picture). As before, lower yourself down with your elbows. Push yourself back up using those lovely pectoral muscles. The hinge is now your knees. You can either bring your feet up or keep them on the floor, either is good for me.

Once you've become comfortable with both of these, you can graduate to a standard push up. You can start by laying on your belly and positioning your hands a hands-width or more away from your shoulders. Push yourself up into a plank. Your ankles are your hinges. Same as before, lower yourself down until your arms are at 90 degree angles. If you can't get it to exactly that degree, it's okay, just work towards it. Push yourself back up and repeat.




In health,

Lauren