Team: Sexy Arms! The 'How to' of Push-ups!

This one is for Berrie and Jen! HI GIRLS! :) [see Jen at www.jenhoon.blogspot.com!]

I have been finding out lots about Push-ups, I want to make sure I'm doing them right, so that all the Team Sexy Arms ladies get their sexy arms, and don't injure anything in the process! This is only the beginning, I will add more as I go! :)

The Three Levels of Push-ups:
Starting out – (Little upper body strength):
Opt for the wall push-up. Stand on your toes and place hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart on the wall, at about shoulder height. Press into the wall slowly, hold, and press out again as exhaling.
The Further away your feet are from the wall, the greater angle you have and the harder it becomes. So if you are getting comfortable, move the feet out and keep challenging yourself!

Moderate level
Knee push-up. Like a Full push up, except with knees on the ground and feet up in the air, ankles crossed together. Follow instructions as fornormald remember to keep back and body straight!

Serious Push-ups! :)
Up on toes and keeping straight, lower and lift with arms.

Helpful technique tips:
1 Your palms should be at shoulder level, and slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
2 Your feet should be together and parallel to each other
3 Look forward rather than at the floor (I think this is so you don’t bump you nose on the floor if you collapse! : )
4 Don’t bend or arch your back as you push, keep your body straight.
5 Exhale as your arms straighten out to the ‘top,’ and pause at the 'top.'
6 Move slowly and pause slightly at ‘bottom’ as well.

I find number 3, looking forward, and number 5, exhale as going up, interesting and am going to have to try them out!
I also found this useful piece of information on Muscle Definition. As women we don’t want to bulk up, but nicely tone. So this could be useful if you do want to work on a particular part of the chest, or if you want to not work a particular part! For example, if you have been having your hand slightly further out, and don’t want to have that muscle defined, move them back in a little! :)
To Make push-ups harder:
If you get used to your push-ups and want to make them harder, then slow down! Go slower down, hold and slower up. Much harder!
You can also go onto your knuckles, (also good if you have bad wrists, like me, I find it less pressure... each to their own!) or even onto dumbbells or bricks (I think I'll leave all those options for my hubby! :)


Muscle definition
To gain greater definition on different pectoral muscles, do the following:
Top of pec: Do your push-ups with your feet on a higher surface (decline push-up).
Bottom of pec: Do push-ups with your hands on a higher surface (incline push-up).
Outside of pec: Do push-ups with hands spread SLIGHTLY further from the body.
Inside of pec: Do push-ups with hands SLIGHTLY further under the body.

And my most important tip (which I actually only found meantioned in one place, and I think it's more important than that!) is:
***Don't go past 90 degrees with the bend of your elbow! [I've gone further... you don't get back up, and it hurts things!! Just don't! :) ] ***

I think one of the good things of doing this research is that it has mostly reassured me that i am doing them right, and not badly. Would hate to grow an extra muscle or something from doing them badly!! *big grin* Hope everyone else finds something interesting too! :)