How to Do Calisthenics Push-Ups

The calisthenics push-up is an exercise to improve fitness levels and strengthen the upper body. This exercise builds the chest, shoulder and arm muscles as well as the abdominal, back, gluteal and leg muscles. It is truly a total body workout.

Instructions

1. Warm up the muscles of your body before doing a calisthenics push-up to lower the risk of injury.

2. Lie on the floor in push-up position with your face and chest toward the ground. Keep your feet together.

3. Move your hands to the same level as your shoulders, palms down, out wide. Move your feet out to hip width apart, and curl your toes under so that you can balance on the balls of your feet.

4. Contract your abs and squeeze your glutes as you push up against your hands and the balls of your feet into a planklike position. This is the starting and finishing position for the push-up exercise.

5. Lower your body slowly down to just above the ground, so that your chest and nose are hovering above, not touching, the floor, and your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle.

6. Push your body back up to the starting position, keeping your abs and glutes tight, elbows soft, and hips down and level with the rest of your body. Do not make a tent or curved bridge with your body, but keep everything flat like a table or shallow slide.

7. Repeat this exercise slowly until fatigued. Be sure to stretch out the muscles of your chest as well as your shoulder muscles when done.

Tips & Warnings

• Obtain clearance from your doctor before starting any type of exercise routine.