Push-Up Progression to Improve Your Push-Ups

Pushups are an integral part of physical fitness. It is universally seen as a test of your upper body strength and is a mainstay in most physical fitness programs. Below is a push-up progression to challenge you at an appropriate level:

Beginner: Start with push-ups against the wall with feet further back than hands. Work up to push-ups against a stable couch or table. Another option is practicing pushups from your knees. Be sure to keep hips in line with the spine and abdominals pulled in to support the lower back.

Intermediate: Work on increasing repetitions and/or sets of traditional push-ups with only hands and toes touching the floor, hands wider than the chest, elbows lifted and legs together.

Advanced: (only attempt if at an advanced fitness level): Use a medicine ball under one hand during push-ups; Try pushing medicine ball back and forth between hands between push-ups, alternating which hand is on the ball for each push-up; Plyometric push-ups: pushing off the ground as you extend the arms or clapping in between push-ups; Spider push-ups: drawing the knee to the outside of the elbow on the same side, switching legs each time.