So simple and so often overlooked when creating a health and fitness training program. The Push Up works so many muscle groups, it can be done anywhere, it fits into any schedule, and when done regularly, will have dramatic effects on your body.
Often times when we decide to make a new commitment to fitness we join a gym, or a running club, or try a new kind of diet. Some of the most basic and effective body weight exercises like squats, chin ups, crunches, and push ups can often be overlooked. But a workout designed primarily around these types of exercises is more than enough to get you in the best shape of your life.
In fact, how often have you spent money on a gym membership, exercise equipment, or diet book and you don’t end up sticking with it? You spend all that money and you never reap the rewards. Sometimes it might be laziness that takes you off track and other times we have very legitimate reasons whether work has kept us too busy to make it to the gym or do a whole lot of cooking at home.
So instead of investing another dime in your quest to finally get fit, resign yourself to start doing body weight exercises. Let’s even make it simpler, let’s start out for 1 month where all you have to do is 1 set of push ups to failure every day. This way you have no excuses not to do the work. Also, if you can make this one simple change a habit you can slowly add exercises over time to build a quick and effective fitness routine.
Push ups by themselves work all your major pressing muscles (chest, shoulders, and triceps) as well as your abdominals and even your glutes. Think about it, one of the most popular abdominal exercises these days are planks. A plank is where you simply hold the top position of a push up for a duration of time (e.g. 30 seconds to a minute). To hold you core straight in this position requires your abdominals and glutes to engage to keep your body rigid. So while push ups do not work your entire body, they do work a good portion of your physique. From a time perspective you don’t have to waste time doing umpteen exercises to work all these different muscle groups when push ups will work them all at once.
If you can stick with this for one month add lunges for month 2. Do one set of lunges for each leg along with your one set of push ups to failure each day. For month 3 add crunches. For month 4 add chin ups. Pretty soon you will surprise yourself with just how strong and lean you are becoming.
If you can stick to this simple fitness routine you will be on your way towards a healthier, stronger, and leaner you. Health and fitness training doesn’t have to be an all or nothing choice. Start by making small changes in your life with small amounts of exercise and little dietary changes and over time you will develop the kind of habits that keep you looking and feeling great.