DON'T SLEEP THE BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES!!

WORKING AT HOME

For the past three weeks I have been following the 100 push-up program.  It is designed to have you increase your ability to push-ups to where you can do 100 hundred push-ups consecutively.  When I was in the military and did the  Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) I think I maxed out at 77 or so.  There was no incentive other than self-gratification because the max had been reached and there were no benefits to doing any more.  As it was, there were not many folks who were able to break 60, so I felt pretty good (my run was a max, but I wussed out on the sit up... crap breakfast cramped me up!!) about my ability.  What I remember most about my conditioning program at that time, is that it consisted of mostly body weight exercises and high repetitions.  Before I left home for Fort Jackson, the 'program' I followed consisted of running for miles and miles and doing high reps of everything, pull and push-ups, along with wall squats and whatever else I could think of to condition my body. 

The Army PT  test has remained my benchmark for physical conditioning.  As long as I can meet the minimum requirements to pass the appropriate PT test, I consider myself at a minimum level of fitness.  Using the scoring tables, you can get a pretty good gauge or how good your conditioning is.  After all, if you can't reach the base requirements for service to defend your country, you prolly can't defend yourself, which is scary!!

I don't think it can be repeated enough, all you have to do in order to change your body is to START!  Push-ups, sit-ups and a walk around the block is a FINE start to getting level of fitness up.  One of the reasons that I don't constantly update about working out is that I do believe you need to try a program and learn to be consistent about it.  You can become overwhelmed by the information that is available, which can be as discouraging as the grind that is regular exercise.

Now I am aware that some folks are disinclined to do certain exercises.  For the push-up, you can alternative ways to work the targeted muscles, but I don't think that they can completely replace the main exercise.  So I would have a person expect to get on the ground and 'give me twenty'!  That said, here are some other to do push-ups.  I would add in a push up with an armed chair, where you face a chair and grip the arms with your body angled to lowering your chest into the seat area, which is my preferred alternative to the basic push-up.

Finally, the push-up in any variation is a full body workout.  You engage your core when you lock out to begin the exercise and of course you work you chest, shoulders and arms most directly.  If you only do two exercises, the push-up and a good walk/jog are enough to say you are trying to keep yourself fit.