Pushups are a Bride’s “Best Friend”
5 Push-Up Exercises For Workouts at Home
The simple push-up is an exercise that almost every fitness professional will use when programming a training routine. It works multiple muscle groups, and brides should love them because pushups focus in on two of the key strapless wedding dress areas at one time — the arms and the rear shoulders. When you add some variations to the standard pushup move, you can also put more emphasis in tightening the abs/core, legs and butt.
Needless to say, pushups are a great exercise to take advantage of during almost any workout, especially if your goal is to be strapless gown ready!
Here are five different variations of pushups that you can incorporate in your workouts no matter where you are because they don’t require any equipment. You have the flexibility to do them at home, while on the road when traveling, or at the health club.
The five pushups to share with you today are:
- Spiderman pushups
- Triple-stop pushups
- Plank to pushup (see video above)
- T-pushups
- Incline pushups
Make sure to engage the core muscles by bracing the abs throughout all of these exercises.
Spiderman pushups: Start in the standard pushup position. As you lower your body down, drive your knee up to your elbow, then return your knee and foot back to their original position on your way back up. Alternate sides.
Triple-stop pushups: Start in the standard pushup position. Lower your body half way down and stop to hold for one full second. Continue by lowering your body to its lowest position and stop and hold for one full second. As you raise your body back up, stop at the half way position again, hold for one second, and finally extend your arms to the straight position and hold for one full second. Continue stopping for one second in all three places for the required number of repetitions.
Plank to pushup: (see video above) Start in the body plank position with the abs tight and your body in a straight line while supporting yourself on your elbows, forearms and toes (all are about shoulder width apart). Move your body up by straightening your arms and placing your palms on the floor about shoulder width apart so that you are in a standard pushup position. Perform one pushup and then return to your starting body plank position. Repeat for the required number of repetitions.
T-pushups: Start in a standard pushup position. As you push up, rotate your body outward into a “T” position by extending your arm. Return, to pushup position, perform one pushup and then rotate to the other side. Continuing alternating sides and repeat for the required number of repetitions.
Incline pushup: The final variation is the incline push up. To do this one, you will need a step, a block, or a bench to elevate your body at least twelve inches or so. The more you elevate your body, the less challenging it will be to perform. Place your hands on the bench about shoulder width apart, line your breast bone up with the edge of the bench and keep the core tight. Lower the chest while squeezing the glutes and return to the starting position. Repeat for the require number of repetitions.
Give one or two of these a try in each workout you do from now until your wedding. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, and when combined with a sound, supportive nutrition plan, you will have that beautiful “bridalicious” look in your dress!