For a good full upper body workout, push-ups help you come stronger, toner and fitter.  Focusing on your arms, abs and lower body, all at the same time, push-ups train your muscles to work together and become stronger.

Push-ups do not require you to join a gym or the use any equipment to do them and there are several variations on the push-up for different levels of fitness from beginners to more experienced.  Just with this simple exercise you work several different muscle groups and can increase the difficulty of the exercise as you get fitter and stronger as well as incorporate it into a quick high intensity routine for calorie burning.

Beginners

Push-ups – Against a wall
Ideal for those who are just starting/wanting to improve their fitness or have limited movement or getting down on to their Knees.

Find any wall and stand with your feet apart parallel uto your shoulders.
Place your hands on the wall directly in front of you.
Allow your arms to bend and elbows out, leaning into the wall, then push away from the wall returning to your starting position and repeat until your muscles start to lose some of them stability from fatigue.

Intermediate

Push-ups – Knees
For those who have improved their fitness and are ready to increase the difficulty.

Start by kneeling on the floor.
Place your palms flat on the floor, centred under your shoulders, with your fingers pointed forwards.
Supporting yourself on your knees and palms.
As you raise and lower your body in a push-up, keep your elbows out and don’t let your middle sag.
Repeat this exercise until your muscles start to lose some of their stability from fatigue.

Advanced

Push-ups – Full
Traditional push-ups, same as previous except this time the knees raised of the ground parallel with the shoulders.

To perform a traditional push-up, start by lying on your stomach.
Place your palms flat on the floor, centred under your shoulders, with your fingers pointed forwards.
Then, lift your body off the floor, supporting yourself on your toes and palms with your body held in a straight line from you head to your heels.
As you raise and lower your body in a push-up, keep your elbows out and don’t let your middle sag.
Repeat this exercise until your muscles start to lose some of their stability from fatigue.