What comes to your mind when you hear the word “push up”?

For Darcy M., Wellbeats certified trainer with over 15 years of teaching fitness classes, it was in the form of a vegetable.

“It’s the broccoli of fitness,” she admits. “Not everybody loves it, but you know it’s good for you.”

Sound about right?

Whether you love it or hate it, a push up is a common exercise that has been used time and time again for over a century. The goal is by raising and lowering your body using just your arms, you can strengthen your entire upper body, including your chest muscles (pectorals), shoulders (deltoids), and the back of your arms (triceps).

When performed correctly, a push up can provide a series of positive effects on your body*, including:

• Building upper body strength
• Improving posture
• Preventing lower back injuries
• Increasing flexibility
• Enhancing your cardiovascular system

Because it can be performed virtually anywhere without any use of equipment, a push up can be a powerful tool for achieving the body you want.

Nowadays, there are several variations and modifications for performing a push up. When understanding the proper techniques to perform the exercise correctly, a successful “traditional” push up is possible – no matter where you’re at in your fitness journey.

In this video, you will learn how to perform that not-always-fun-but-important push up in less than 2 minutes! Darcy will share insight on common mistakes and how to avoid them so you can build a stronger, learner upper body – without injuring your body (or motivation) in the process.

Turns out broccoli isn’t all that bad, right?

Share with us your best push up and tag us using @Wellbeats with the hashtag #MyImpact.

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To celebrate National Health Education Week on October 15-19, Wellbeats will be sharing tips each day to make a positive impact on public health. To learn more about the Society of Public Health Education, click here.

Source: http://www.keepinspiring.me/10-massive-benefits-of-push-ups/