Shape_USA-January-February_2017

SHAPE.COM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 149

Push-up
Strictly speaking, your
chest should graze
the floor each
time you lower for
a push-up. If you tend
to fudge it, you’re
not alone. “Our center
of mass is our hips,”
Widerstrom says.
(For men, it’s their
chest.) “That’s why
our legs are tenacious
as hell, but we lack
upper-body strength.”
The good news is
that you can use
your more powerful
butt and legs to
help propel this
full-body move. At
the same time, build
your upper-body
strength and dial
in that full range of
motion with
Widerstrom’s three-
step progression.

1

To perfect the

pressing motion

and strengthen your

chest and arms, do

a barbell bench press

(dumbbells won’t cut it

here because you move

them separately, unlike

the floor). Start with

an empty bar, then add

weight as needed. Lie

faceup on a bench with

feet flat on the floor.

Grab the barbell with

an overhand grip with

hands shoulder-width

apart. Straighten arms

above chest to start.

Lower bar to graze

chest, then press back

up. Do 2 to 3 sets of 1 0 to

15 reps.

2

Incline push-

ups get your core

involved and take

you through the full

motion but without

all your weight. Do

full-range push-ups

with your hands on

a sturdy bench or box

and your feet on the

floor. Do 2 to 3 sets of

8 to 10 reps.

3

Hand-release

push-ups give your

body a moment to

recover and reset half-

way through each rep

while also developing

your strength out of the

bottom of the push-up

from a dead stop. Start

on floor in plank position.

Lower body fully onto

floor. Lift hands briefly,

then plant them on the

floor again and push up

to plank position. Do

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

“Even my contestants on

Biggest Loser with 80 -

to 100 - plus pounds to

lose learn how to do real

push-ups this way,” she

says. “Sometimes they

have to peel up from the

floor, but it’s much bet-

ter for their muscles and

mechanics than drop-

ping the knees.”

The perfect

push-up

Start on floor in plank

position with your hands

below your shoulders

and feet 8 to 12 inches

apart (for a strong

base). “Imagine you

can flip a switch that

turns on the muscles

from your shoulders,

chest, arms, abs, butt

to legs,” Widerstrom

says. “Visualize lighting

up those muscle

groups that will carry

you through the

movement.” Then

begin to lower, bending

your arms so there’s

a 4- to 6-inch space

between your elbow

and rib cage, to ensure

more muscles pitch

in. “Bring your chest

between your hands

instead of lowering

your face to your hands,

which will allow you to

activate more chest

muscles.” Once your

chest brushes the floor,

power back up to plank.

Use your

more

powerful

butt and

legs to

help propel

this full-

body move.