A properly done push-up may be the perfect exercise to engage all major muscle groups in the body. It also requires no additional equipment except your body. The push-up works your arms, shoulders, chest, back, abs, hips and even your legs.
To perform a push-up, start by getting on the floor in the prone position with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Your legs should be straight with just the tips of your toes on the floor. As you raise yourself off the floor, keep your core tight and your body inline -- not sagging or bulging out of alignment. Inhale as you lower your body down until your elbows reach 90 degrees of flexion. Your chest and hips should stay off the floor. At this point, exhale and push your body back up until you reach the starting position.
The difficulty can be increased once you master the standard push-up. You can make your grip wide or narrow to trigger different muscle fibers. You can also place your legs on a physioball, adding to the difficulty. If you find the standard push-up too hard, you can use the edge of a table to do a modified push-up until you are able to perform one completely prone. As with all exercises, make sure you obtain a proper warm-up and stretch prior to your activity.
