Fitness

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Push-up

Weight training includes exercises that use your own body weight for resistance. The push-up, for example, strengthens the pectoral muscles in the front of your chest and the triceps muscles in the back of your upper arms.

Position yourself on your hands and feet with your eyes facing the floor. Place your hands slightly greater than shoulder-width apart and your feet comfortably apart. Slowly bend your elbows and lower your chest until your chin reaches the ground. You'll feel tension in the muscles in your back, your abdomen and your upper arms. Then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

When you're doing push-ups, be careful not to let your back sag down or arch up. Keep your movements smooth and controlled.

1. Jeffreys I. Warm-up and stretching. In: Baechle TR, et al. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 3rd ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:295.
2. Pollock ML, et al. Resistance training for health. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. http://www.fitness.gov/resistance.pdf. Accessed March 1, 2010.
3. Peterson DM. Overview of the benefits and risks of exercise. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 1, 2010.
4. Wilmore JH, et al. Principles of exercise training. In: Wilmore JH, et al. Physiology of Sport and Exercise. 4th ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:186.
5. Earle RW, et al. Resistance training and spotting techniques. In: Baechle TR, et al. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 3rd ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:325.
6. Harman E, et al. Administration, scoring, and interpretation of selected tests. In: Baechle TR, et al. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 3rd ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:249.