Partner Exercise - Push-Up Contest

Nothing like a little contest to pump those muscles and have a little fun! But it’s important to level the playing field if one of you is clearly stronger than the other. So here’s how it goes: The stronger partner has to perform the push-ups on a slight decline or from a toe position. The less strong partner can be in an inclined position or do the push-ups from the knees. Make it is as fair as possible so that it’s actually a contest. Start together, go at the same tempo and see who can last the longest.

Medicine Ball Exercise 1

Kneel to Push Ups
1. Start Position: Your body will be in an upright position sitting on your knees.
2. Hold medicine ball at chest level. Keeping your torso erect fall forward and chest press the medicine ball to a partner or a wall.
3. Upon releasing the ball drop your hands to the floor and immediately complete a push-up.
4. Advanced athletes: To make this more challenging have a partner throw the ball back to you. You will have to explode up with the push-up so that you are back in the seated upright position on your knees. Your partner will throw the ball back to you and then repeat the exercise until the desired repetitions are met.

Stability Ball Push Up

Balance Ball Push Up for Strength and Stability

By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com

Updated: June 16, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

If you want to move beyond the basic push up for upper body strength try stability push ups. This variation of the push up increases the difficulty (as well as the effectiveness of the standard push up).

Most trainers and coaches prefer to have athletes perform functional exercises, rather than just push weights around. Functional exercise is generally an exercise that requires you to use your body as resistance, rather than the weight. Such exercises require more muscles to be activated (stabilizers and core muscles) during the movement. In this way a push up works more muscles than a bench press.

When you add is the requirement of balance, you also increase muscle fiber activation. During functional exercises, a machine doesn't control the movement patterns, so your muscles must control it.

Keep in mind that you should progress from the basic push up to the stability push up in order to perform it safely. Do not attempt stability push ups until you can do 20 basic push-ups.

The stability push up requires a stability ball (, and is much harder than it appears. In additional to being a great upper body and core training exercise, it's also great for shoulder stabilization.

Stability Ball Push Up Technique

• Lay with your chest on the stability ball
• Place your hands at the sides of your chest.
• Place your toes on the floor, legs straight.
• Push your body up until your arms are almost straight (do not lock your elbows).
• Hold and balance for two seconds.
• Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

You Don’t Have To Go To A Gym To Work Out.

What? No gym? How will I get buff?

For those of us lucky to live in locations with great weather, we can use the great outdoors as our natural gym. You can do your stretches at the park. Some people like to stretch in their living room before they go out so that they can lie down on the floor without getting dirty.

You should stretch for at least 10 minutes before starting any exercise.

Don’t forget to stretch after your work out, too.

You don’t have to run on a treadmill or on the track. You can run up hills or up and down the stairs. Running up hills or up stairs not only gives you a good cardio workout, but you also get more strength and muscles in your legs.

Dips are great anywhere! Dips strengthen and tone your triceps. You just need to put your hands facing you on a sturdy surface, such as a chair, bench or steps. Steady your legs in front of you so that you can sink to a seated position, while your arms bend to a 90 degree angle.

Push ups on the steps. You can do this in the city or even your house. As long as you have steps and are steady, you can challenge yourself in many ways with push ups.

Maintaining balance is important as we age. If you have steps, stones or any other solid surface, you can leap from one to another to maintain your balance.

Don't forget to stretch after your work out.


Contact me at melissa@ultrafitsf.com for personal training in the park.