Q&A for How to Do a Push Up

If you have a floor-length mirror, do your push-ups in front of it. As you do the push-ups, look into the mirror to check that your body is straight and flat as you go up and down.

If 3 sets of 15 becomes too easy, try some variations to continue building strength. More than 3 sets of 15 may start to add wear and tear to your shoulder, but if your shoulders feel fine, you can do as many as you want.

Try doing push-ups with your knees on the ground rather than planting your feet.

Yes. Spread your fingers apart as wide as you can. This will give you better stability and lessen the strain on your wrists.

Depending were you're starting from, if you can do say 10 correct push-ups in a set, try doing two to three reps in the morning and in the evening. After a week, start growing your reps by two to five at a time, advance at the pace you feel you're not overdoing it. It's useful, especially in the beginning, to do more small reps, which will ensure that you don't tear your muscles doing 50 reps at at time, allowing you to gradually build up your resistance.

Diamond push-ups (hands closer to each other) help increase arm strength more than chest.

Try wide arm pushups. Spreading your arms farther out will make it easier on your arms, but harder on you chest.

Just keep doing 10 to 20 push ups each day. Eventually, you will have the strength and energy to do more push ups.

It is next to impossible to know for yourself if the stance looks right -- you can feel it but only after someone has checked that you look right. Ask someone familiar with doing push ups to make sure that your back and legs are straight and that your arms are the correct distance apart.

A minute of doing push ups results in about 7 calories being burned. For reference, it would take about 8 hours of pushups to lose a pound.

You can still do any physical activity when you're on your period. For example: you can do push ups, sit ups, hockey, netball.

Probably because push ups are a better indicator of muscle endurance than outright strength.

Growth is normal, and doing exercise doesn't stop it.

If you are afraid of falling on your stomach, you can put a pillow or a cushion under you in case you fall.

Try knee push ups instead. Get in the push up position, lay a towel under your knees, put pressure on your knees instead of your feet, and do as many push ups as you can.

Maybe you should try an easier type of push up. Perhaps a wall push up or an inclined push up. You can also support yourself with your knees. Over time you will gain the strength to do regular push ups.

You can try to do easier push ups, by using your knees. Continue practicing and building your muscles, and you will be able to eventually do a full push up.

Push-ups do not generally work on your abs. They are an upper body workout. If you want to work on your abs, try planking (holding a push-up position with your arms extended in front of you).

This varies among people, so try and find the amount that is most effective for you. Then try to increase the number of push ups each day, so you become stronger.

This is an indication that your leg muscles are weak, so I would recommend doing some leg exercises to make those muscles stronger.

You should be doing 10-15 a day. If you do any more you could tire your muscles out. This is enough to maintain the muscle strength.

Triangle push ups (thumbs and index fingers touching) are my favorite because they work your triceps and chest. Wide grip push ups are good, too: they work your pecs more. You can do decline push ups as well.

Anyone can do pushups. They're a great exercise. Just do as many per day as you can do correctly.

Yes, doing push-ups can help you develop both those sets of muscles.

It's okay if you can't reach all of the reps - yet. Make it a goal to work towards! Slowly build up your arms until you are able to complete your workout. Just start with what you can do and work your way up.

Start with the knee push-ups until you get used to regular ones, Be patient and keep working hard at it, and you will be able to achieve your goal of doing a regular push up.

It's is perfectly fine. Just make sure that you keep your hands just inside your shoulders and let your elbows bend naturally.

Not really. They are more for strengthening muscles. If you want to lose weight, try running, sports, squats, etc.

If you're not regularly doing push ups, your muscles can get quite shocked. If you keep doing push ups, your muscles will strengthen over time.

No, that's great! Just don't overdue it. If you're really sore after having done them, stop and wait until you're not very sore before doing them again.