How to Teach a Basic Push Up to a Female

All push ups start in the plank position with the hands roughly shoulder-distance apart.

The push up is a basic upper body workout that targets the pectoral muscles (chest) and triceps (upper arm). Push ups can be performed by anyone regardless of their gender without modification to produce the same effect of developing a leaner, more muscular chest and upper arm area. Because of this, teaching a female student how to do a push up is the same as teaching a male student how to do a push up.

Instructions

1. Instruct the student to enter into the "plank" position. In this position, her legs and back are straight with only her toes and hands touching the floor. Her hands are positioned below her shoulders slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and her arms are fully extended.

2. Instruct the student to bend her elbows and lower her face and chest to the ground. Her back and legs must remain straight during this movement. At the end of this movement, her chest, shoulders and nose should almost (but never fully) touch the floor. This position is sometimes called "chaturanga."

3. Instruct the student to straighten her elbows and raise herself back up into plank position. Her back and legs must remain straight during this movement. When her arms are fully extended, her body is straight and her elbows are locked, she has successfully completed a push up.

Tips & Warnings

• If your student cannot complete a standard push up, have her try one from her knees instead of her toes and slowly build her up to standard push ups.

References

• YouTube: How to do Push Ups