Push-Ups

Support yourself on the floor facing down and your arms extended hands shoulder-width and with your feet close together. 

Inhale as you bend your elbows at right angles along the sides of your torso, not splayed outward, as you lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor. As a variation, instead of nearly touching your chest to the ground, bending your elbows at an angle of 90 degrees reduces shoulder stress.

Focus on keeping your back straight and your abdominal muscles tight.

Exhale while pushing back up to the complete arm extension. That is one rep.

Reps: Start with 3 sets of 5 reps working your way up to 15 reps.

A wider hand stance will work the outside part of your chest muscles (pectorals or ‘pecs’). A narrow hand stance, close together, isolates the inside of your pecs. In general, the back of your upper arms (triceps), shoulders, legs, and core will also benefit from doing push-ups.

Push-Up Hands on Bench

This can also be called an inclined push-up. This position isolates the upper part of your chest.  Place your hands on the outer edge of your bench and extend your body back in a straight line.  Lock your elbows and walk your feet back to ensure your body is fully extended.

Inhale as you bend your elbows at right angles along the sides of your torso, not splayed outward, as you lower yourself until your face almost touches the bench.

Exhale while pushing on your hands and slowly raise your body while making sure that you do not bend your body in the middle; keep your body rigid. That’s one rep.

Start with 3 sets of 5 reps and work up to 15 reps.

Push-Up Feet on Bench

Here is another variation with your feet on the bench. This position isolates the lower part of your chest. Place your hands flat on the floor and rest the balls of your feet on the bench  

Inhale as you bend your elbows at right angles along the sides of your torso, not splayed outward, as you lower yourself until your face almost touches the floor.

Exhale while pushing on your hands and slowly raise your body while making sure that you do not bend your body in the middle; keep your body rigid.  Again, in all the pushup variations shown, if lowering your chest nearly to the ground is uncomfortable just bend your elbows at the 90 degree point.

 That’s one rep. Start with 3 sets of 5 reps and work up to 15 reps.

Side Bend

Stand up straight with feet comfortably apart for stability and arms hanging by your sides and breathe normally for this exercise.

Rest your left hand on your left hip and bend to the right, extending your right hand down your calf as far as it will go.  

When you have reached down as far as you can go, return upward about half-way and gently bounce down toward your calf, again trying to bend a little further down your calf.

Come back to the upright position while placing your right hand on your right hip while simultaneously straightening your left arm along your left side. This is one rep.

It is important to ensure that your trunk remains in line with your body when you are bending and that your trunk does not swing forward or turns to the side when bending. Also ensure that your legs remain straight and your hips stay firm. Start with 15 reps and work up to 30 reps each side.

Trunk Twisting

Stand with your feet about shoulder width and rest your hands on your hips. Breathe normally for this exercise.

While keeping your hips firm and the legs straight, turn your body as far right as possible. Return about half way and gently bounce back to the right again

Return to the starting position and repeat the movement to the left.  This is one rep. Start with 15 reps and work up to 30 reps.

Deep Knee Bend

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on your hips. Rise on your toes, stretching up as far as you can.

Then while drawing in your breath, hinge your hips back, bend your knees and lower your body as far down as you comfortably can. Don’t go so far down that you have difficulty standing up again.

Your knees should be turned well outwards. To help you preserve your balance, keep your eyes fixed on a spot on the wall a little higher than your head. Now breathe out and rise to tip-toe, straightening legs, and then lower your heels to starting position. This is one rep. Start with 10 reps and work up to 30 reps.

Make sure that the whole movement is performed smoothly, and especially ensure that the body is lowered into the knees and not dropped. Don’t allow the body to tip forward and keep your back straight throughout the movement.

Rise on Toes

This exercise will be improved upon if you stand with your toes on a block of wood about 2-3 inches thick and your heels on the floor.

Legs should be locked and straight. Breathe naturally and with hands on hips and legs straight, rise on your toes while making sure that your body does not sway forward. 

Rise slowly, taking your body up to the fullest extent of toes, and then equally slowly lower your heels to the floor. Maintain your balance by fixing your eyes on a spot on the wall a few inches above your head. This is one rep.

Start with 25 reps and work up to 75 reps.