Come to hands and knees on an anti-slip mat, knees under hips, hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart, palms flat on the floor, and look a few feet in front of you (do not drop your head) Tuck your toes on the ground so you�re on the balls of your feet, tuck in your stomach to keep your core tight, engage your glutes, and keep your head, neck, and spine in a straight line. This is the starting position. Exhale and lower your chest towards the floor. Bend your elbows back to 45 degrees by squeezing your shoulder blades together; your elbows should not point straight out to the sides Do not let your hips drop down. Pause for a moment, and push your body up to the starting position by straightening your arms and separating your shoulder blades. Inhale. Repeat the steps again.

Do a full range of motion. Keep the lower back in a neutral position by assuming a posterior pelvic tilt. This will ensure that your hips are neither too high or too low, allowing your proper target point (the chest) to reach the ground first. Make sure to keep your neck as neutral as possible throughout the movement! Hand placement - laying face down on the ground, simply reach your arms overhead and then slide them down until your elbows are at about 45-60�. From here, slide your hands down to about shoulder height and press your body up. Make sure your hands are rotated outwards, to about 2 o�clock. Unshrug your shoulders - keep your shoulder blades back and down throughout. Unshrug the shoulders at the top of the movement and keep them unshrug - do not clench the scapulae when you are at the bottom. Imagine bringing your bicep forward. Instead of going straight up and down, you want to push your body at an angle, similar to what you would do with a bench press. By slightly pivoting off your toes, you will be able to descend forward and then push yourself up and back. This will also allow you to keep your elbows stacked over your wrists, which is key for proper pushup mechanics. Go slow and controlled - 2 seconds on the way down and 2 seconds on the way up.

Begin in a plank position with hands direction under shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Keeping abdominals and legs tight as you slowly lower your chest toward the ground with elbows bending and pointing behind you. Exhale as you push back up to lengthen arms into plank then lift you right hand to tap your left shoulder at the top. Repeat with the other arm tapping.

Start in good push-up position with hands a little wider than shoulder width apart, hands aligned with the chest, legs straight, and hips tucked under. Inhale, lowering the torso until elbows are bent 90 degrees and the chest is one to two inches from the floor. Exhale pressing up, bring one hand in towards the other, then step the other hand out into push-up position again.Inhale, lowering down, performing another push-up, before going back to the other side.

Start in a plank position, your hands slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart, but directly under your shoulders. Your body should form a straight line from heels to head. Tighten your core and begin bending your elbows, so they angle backward at 45-degrees from your body as you lower your chest toward the floor. Inhale as you move through the lowering phase of the exercise. Pick up your right foot and draw your right knee up and out, so your right knee reaches your elbow just as your chest hovers about an inch or two from the mat. Reverse the movement, extending your elbows to press up to the plank position as you simultaneously extend your knee and return your right foot to the floor. Exhale as you press yourself back to the starting position. Repeat to the opposite side, this time bringing your left knee to your left elbow.

Start in a plank position on the floor, with hands firmly on the floor, right under your shoulders. Press toes firmly into the floor too. Keep core tight and back flat and engage your glutes and hamstrings. Your whole body should be neutral and in a straight line. Lift hips up and back until your body forms an inverted V shape. Keep arms and legs as straight as possible. Start to bend elbows, and then lower your entire upper body toward the floor. Stay there for a moment, then slowly push back up until your arms are straight and you�re in the inverted V position. Make sure you maintain control throughout the movement.

Get in the standard pushup position, by placing the hands shoulder width apart and your feet hip-width apart. Keep your core tight and straight back. Push your torso backward and raise your butt up in the air. Keep your arms, back, and legs in a straight position In this position, your body will form an inverted V (downward dog) Bend your elbows to lower your upper chest close to the ground while still keeping the butt up. While your chest closes towards the floor, scoop your head upwards, while arching the upper and lower back. Straighten your arms and push your chest in the upward direction, forming an Upward-Facing Dog Position in yoga. Make sure to keep your chest forward and shoulders blades pulled together, with legs staying tight and active. Return to the starting position, and repeat the desired number of reps.

Get into a push up position with your hands and feet planted into the floor, with your shoulders directly over your hands. Complete a push up by lowering your body towards the ground, keep your back flat and neck neutral. Press your hands through the floor to rise back up, then immediately drive both knees towards your elbows. Stick the landing, then drive both feet back out and complete another push up.

Start in a plank position like you would for a regular push up. You may want to position your legs slightly wider to help with balance. Shifting your weight backwards, bend at the elbows to lower yourself down onto your forearms. You�ll need to raise your hips slightly so your torso is angled down (almost like a pike push up, but with a smaller angle). From here, shift your weight forwards and push through your triceps to lift your forearms off the floor and into a push up so that you lower your chest to the floor. Push down through the floor to raise your chest off the floor like you would a regular push up.

Get into a standard pushup position, however move one hand about 6 inches forward and the other hand 6 inches back to stagger your arms. Raise the leg opposite of the forward brough hand. Slowly lower into the push up then push your hands through the ground to return to the top of the push up position. Complete all the reps in this staggered position, then switch staggered positions with your arms and repeat.

Get into a push-up position with your body in a straight line, feet together, hands wider than shoulder-width apart and your eyes focused on the floor. Explode yourself up to full arm extension, allowing your hands to leave the floor. Catch yourself with your hands on the floor and decelerate yourself to the start and repeat. Don't bounce your chest off the floor, but rather start each rep when your chest reaches an inch or so away from the floor.

Lay down on the floor, facing down, with your hands at the width of your shoulders and your elbows bended. Try to maintain your trunk as a plank and extend your arms in an explosive way so that your hands and legs lift off the floor.

Starting out in a regular push-up position, lower the body until the elbows are bent 90 degrees and chest is one to two inches from the ground. Exhale, pressing up explosively so that the hands leave the ground. While in the air, bring the hands slightly in and back landing in close-grip push-up position, lowering down smoothly. Exhale, pressing up explosively so that the hands leave the ground again and widening the grip again to go back into a regular push-up.

Get into a standard pushup position, however move one hand about 6 inches forward and the other hand 6 inches back to stagger your arms. Lower into the pushup and explosively go back up and quickly switch hands positions and repeat.

Start in a standard push up position. Get into an arm-supported position with your hands positioned beneath your shoulders and fingers spread slightly, ready to push. Engage the muscles of the core and lower back by tensing the abdominals to keep your body in one rigid line. Poise on the toes or balls of your feet to maintain balance throughout the movement. In push up position, the body should be firmly locked into place, but not tense. It can help to keep the neck straight and the legs in line under the hips as if you were standing. Lower yourself until your chest is just above the floor. Bend the elbows to initiate the first part of the push up. Keep the elbows close the body and lower your weight in a smooth, controlled manner. The lowering portion of the push up should take between half a second to a full second; any longer will be using up strength and stability. Stop lowering yourself when your chest touches the floor, or just above it. Push! Reverse the motion by pushing hard through the palms. Again, focus on speed here. Imagine that you�re attempting to push yourself all the way up to a standing position. Keep your force consistent through every part of the push up. Let your hands leave the floor. Just as your arms reach full extension, pull your hands up off the floor. Timing of this part of the movement is crucial: if you time it right, you should feel like you�re floating for a brief moment. This is the interval during which you will perform the clap. If you find that you�re having trouble with your timing, continue feeling out the final part of the movement using the plyo push up. If you lift the hands too soon or too late, you�ll lose the benefit of momentum and all height. Quickly clap and reposition your hands. Once you�ve pushed your body up and your hands are off the floor, bring them together in one quick motion in front of the chest. Ideally, you should clap the hands together while hovering in the highest position of the �jump,� and be ready to plant them back down by the time you begin descending. Separate the hands and place them back underneath your shoulders, catching yourself as you fall.[3] It�s okay to catch yourself somewhat low as you descend. This might make it tricky to begin the next clapping push up if you�re performing them in sequence, but it�s safer to land on bent, expectant arms. Landing in full extension may jar the elbows.

Start in a basic push up position with only difference is your legs spread apart. After you go down the first time, propell yourself into the air and clap your hands and hit your toes together in a similar way as doing a jumping jack. When you go back down, spread your legs again.

Go insane!

Start on your stomach in a superman position with your feet dorsiflexed (toes toward shins), and arms extended. Tighten your core by bracing and posteriorly rotating (tucking) your pelvis. Press down and away with your fingertips (or palms) so that your entire body raises up simultaneously. Maintain a tight core as you lower yourself down and touch your nose to the floor.

Hand placement: place hands about 6-12 inches away from the wall and slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Make sure palms are facing forward, or slightly turned out 5-10 degrees. Kick up into a handstand, with your heels touching the wall. If you have trouble kicking up into the handstand, try practicing this donkey kick drill. Once you have kicked up, establish a strong, rigid midline position. (see above photo) While maintaining this position, lower yourself until the top of your head touches the floor/mat. Try to keep your elbows at a 45 degree angle as you lower. Once your head touches the floor, press up with the same tightness you had lowering yourself, until your elbows reach full extension.

Get into an all-fours position with your knees and toes flexed and in contact with the floor. Your hips should be over your knees. Grip the ground with your hands. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower. Straighten your legs to lift your knees off of the ground so you end up in a push-up position. Your legs should be shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to your heels. Push your toes into the ground. Pre-tension your shoulders and hips while engaging your core. Your ribs should be down and your pelvis should be slightly tucked. Squeeze your quads and glutes. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. Rotate your shoulders outward to engage your lats and upper back. Place your non-pushing arm next to your side and make a fist. All repetitions should begin from this starting position. While maintaining full-body tension, pull your chest toward your hands by bending your elbow. Your shoulder blade should retract as you lower toward the ground. Lower your body until your upper arm is even with your back. Your elbow should be close to your ribcage and your wrist should be under your elbow. Pause briefly at the bottom position. While maintaining your alignment, initiate the upward movement by squeezing your chest, pushing your hand through the floor and straightening your elbow. Your shoulder blade should protract as you push to the top of the movement. Finish the movement by squeezing your chest and triceps. Repeat the one-arm push-up for your desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

On the pull up bar hands width and position is already determined so you don't have to think about that. However, keep your pelvis tucked in, core tight, shoulders unshrugged. Push your body at an angle, not up and down. Do full range of motion and do not shrug your shoulders on the bottom of the push-up, imagine bringing your bicep forward. Your chest must be the first thing touching the ground when doing a push-up always.

On the pull up bar hands width and position is already determined so you don't have to think about that. However, keep your pelvis tucked in, core tight, shoulders unshrugged. Push your body at an angle, not up and down. Do full range of motion and do not shrug your shoulders on the bottom of the push-up, imagine bringing your bicep forward. Your chest must be the first thing touching the ground when doing a push-up always.

Be careful with this exercise to not injure your wrist. Keep your pelvis tucked in, core tight, shoulders unshrugged. Push your body at an angle, not up and down. Do full range of motion. Your chest must be the first thing touching the ground when doing a push-up always.

On the pull up bar hands width and position is already determined so you don't have to think about that. However, keep your pelvis tucked in, core tight, shoulders unshrugged. Push your body at an angle, not up and down. Do full range of motion and do not shrug your shoulders on the bottom of the push-up, imagine bringing your bicep forward. Your chest must be the first thing touching the ground when doing a push-up always.

Do a normal push-up but when you are back up in the plank position (the upper phase of the exercise) raise your hand to greet the masses. Your body must not twist, strengthen your core, your butt should not be moving to any side.

Get on all fours with your hands together under your chest. Position your index fingers and thumbs so they�re touching, forming a diamond shape, and extend your arms so that your body is elevated and forms a straight line from your head to your feet. Lower your chest towards your hands, ensuring you don�t flare your elbows out to the sides and keeping your back flat. Stop just before your chest touches the floor, then push back up to the starting position.

Grasp the parallel bars and hop up so your arms are straight. Lean forward at about a 45-degree angle, bend at the waist, so your legs are vertical, and pull your toes up toward your shins. Pull your shoulders down and back. Maintain this body position throughout the exercise. Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body into the Dip until your upper arms are about parallel to the ground. Keep your elbows tight to your body. Straighten your arms to drive your body up to the starting position. No bars? No problem! You can still do dips. All you need is two identical high-backed chairs. The chairs need to be sturdy, and you may need to weigh them down to ensure they don�t fall inward as you exercise. No chairs with backs available? Place your hands on the seats and start your reps from your knees. For extra resistance equip a backpack filled with something heavy (like a bag of cat litter).

Do a normal push-up but equip a backpack for extra resistance. Fill the backpack with something heavy (like a bag of cat litter).

Stand in front of your box or bench, then squat or bend down and place both hands on either side of it with your fingers pointing forward. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart. If you need a wider piece of equipment to safely elevate yourself, don�t be shy about swapping it out. Once your hands are in the right position, step your body back into a plank position, one leg at a time. Make sure your body is in a straight line, your head is aligned with your spine, and that your lower back isn�t sagging before continuing. Looking a few inches ahead of you, rather than down at the box, can help keep your body straight. Next, bend your arms to help you slowly lower your chest toward the box. Straighten your arms to bring yourself back up into a straight line.

Place two stacks of books or other slightly elevated objects about shoulder-wide on the ground. Starting out in a close-grip push-up position between them, lower the body until the elbows are bent 90 degrees and chest is one to two inches from the ground. Exhale, pressing up explosively so that the hands leave the ground. While in the air, bring the hands slightly out and back landing in normal/wide-grip push-up position, elevating up smoothly. Exhale, pressing up explosively so that the hands leave the ground again and narrowing the grip again to go back down to the ground.

Kneel down with your back to the bench. Put your hands on the floor, shoulders over your wrists and elbows at 45 degrees. Place your feet on top of the bench. Brace your core, glutes, and quads. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor, keeping your back and neck straight. Push into the floor to return to starting position, extending your elbows.

Start in the basic push-up position, with one hand on your object and the other on the ground. Your hands should be about 12 inches apart. Keep your feet together, tilt your head up, and maintain a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. Lower your body as if you were doing a regular push-up, tightening your stomach muscles to engage your abs. Push yourself up and reassume the starting position. Do as many reps as you feel like, then switch the object to the other hand to alternate.

Start in plank position with your hands wider than your shoulders. Face your fingers forward or slightly to the outside. Slowly bend your elbows out to the side as you lower your body toward the floor. Pause when your chest is just below your elbows.

SET-UP: Set up with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width on sliders. With the toes together and hips up, establish proper upper body posture with a neutral back. MOVEMENT: In complete control, lower your chest to the floor while sliding one arm out to the side while the other arm follows a basic pushup pattern. Return to the start position along the same path, then repeat with the other arm. This counts as one rep. EMPHASIS: Don't allow the hips or the lower back to sag. If the exercise is too challenging or you lose stability as range increases, stop the movement and switch to an easier variant.

Start in a push-up position with your arms extended out slightly in front of your body, and your core and glutes engaged as you keep everything in a solid, straight line. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees to lower down so that your chest is slightly above the floor, then lean to one side by bending one elbow and straightening the other. Then, shift your weight to the other side by switching the arms you have bent and straightened. A full-range movement from side to side counts as one repetition, and you can repeat for as many as your body can handle.

Start in the �up� push up position with your arms wider than shoulder-width Keep the body in a straight line- no sagging hips Alternate sides of the dominant hand for the push-up � Bring the body down on the right side by bending the right elbow and straightening the left arm out to the left side. Come back up and into the middle Lower the body on the left side by bending the left elbow and straightening the right arm out to the right side.

Stand facing a Smith machine bar or sturdy elevated platform at an appropriate height. Place your hands next to one another on the bar. Position your feet back from the bar with arms and body straight. This will be your starting position. Keeping your body straight, lower your chest to the bar by bending the arms. Return to the starting position by extending the elbows, pressing yourself back up.

Starting out in a regular push-up position, lower the body until the elbows are bent 90 degrees and chest is one to two inches from the ground. Exhale, pressing up explosively so that the hands leave the ground. While in the air, bring the hands slightly in and back landing in close-grip push-up position, lowering down smoothly. Exhale, pressing up explosively so that the hands leave the ground again and widening the grip again to go back into a regular push-up.

Wrap band around back just under armpits, while holding handles, loop the band and extra time around each hand to tighten it. Kneel down placing handles against the floor then extend legs long until you are in a plank position. Slowly lower chest to floor keeping body long. Press back up until arms are long. Repeat.

Kneel down with your back to the bench. Put your hands on the floor, shoulders over your wrists and elbows at 45 degrees. Place your feet on top of the bench. Brace your core, glutes, and quads. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor, keeping your back and neck straight. Push into the floor to return to starting position, extending your elbows.

Assume a tall kneeling position with your hands on a bench, toes tucked, and knees under hips. Extend one leg at a time and assume a pushup position with the legs straight, elbows extended, and head in a neutral position looking at the floor. Rotate the hands to a reverse grip so the fingers are pointing downward. Slowly descend to the floor by retracting the shoulder blades and unlocking the elbows. Descend until your chest touches the bench. Push back to the starting point by extending the elbows and driving your palms into the bench. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Wrap your left arm around your rib cage and bend your knees slightly. Push with your right arm and allow your body to raise off the ground as you push. Once your right arm is almost fully extended, hold for a second before slowly lowering yourself back down to the floor.

Start in push-up position (hands under shoulders, abs engaged, back flat, legs extended behind you), with left hand on top of the ball part of a horizontal kettlebell. Without rotating your torso, keeping hips and shoulders square, bend elbows behind you, lowering chest toward floor, and press back up. Do 8 reps; switch sides and repeat.

Place hands on leveled bar as you push up twist left then right.

Start at the top of the push up position with your hands on the floor, arms straight and underneath your shoulders. Step your feet back behind you and lift your knees. Engage your glutes, tense your legs and brace your core to keep your body rigid. Keeping your elbows in towards your ribs and your forearms vertical, bend at the elbows to lower your body towards the floor. Your head and shoulders should move forwards of your hands as you get closer to the floor. Use your full range of motion to lower your chest in between your hands, as close to the floor as you can, then push your hands into the floor, keeping you body tensed, to move it up away from the floor back towards the start position. As you get to the top of the push up, shift your weight onto your left hand. Really try to squeeze your pec muscle, this is what this exercise is all about. Lower into your next push-up. Repeat the push-up rotation on the other side and keep going.

You need dumbbells or handles to grip (the push-up bar), so you have that neutral wrist position required to activate the upper chest muscles. Back yourself to a wall and walk your feet up, gripping the handles on the floor. Really try to squeeze those upper chest pecs when pushing yourself up.

When positioning your hands for the push-up, it's important to not place them vertically under your shoulders, but in front of your body, so when you push yourself, it won't be just up, but up and back. When you push yourself up, do not just push, but actually squeeze. Visualize squeezing your biceps together to get that intense contraction. To decrease difficulty, lift your feet on a flat surface.

Perform a push-up, but imagine squeezing up instead of pushing yourself up.

Grip a handle in each hand, and stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door with your back to the door. Position your arms so that they are parallel with the floor, and parallel with the door behind you. Your palms should be facing down. Keep your back straight, head straight and chest up. Push the handles forward, up and in until they about 6 inches apart, and at eye level. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Grip the handles lightly to insure that the majority of the stress is placed the chest muscles. Do not bring your elbows past your shoulders as you bring them back to the starting position.

Grip a handle in each hand. Now stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door, with your back to the door. Keep your back straight, head straight and chest up. Position your arms up (parallel with the floor) and with a slight bend. Your arms should also be back (elbows even with your shoulders). Pull the handles out and around, until your arms are in front of your body. Cross one hand below the other at the end of the movement. Alternate which arm crosses on top for every repetition. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Keep your arms frozen with a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.

Kneel 3 to 4 feet away from the door, with your active side facing the door. Position your active arm so that the upper arm is parallel with the floor, and elbow is slightly bent. Keep your back straight and chest up. Pull the handle(s) down and around until your hand is almost touching the floor, right below your chest. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Keep your arm frozen in position with a slight bend in the elbow.

Stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door with your back to the door. Keep your back straight, head straight and chest up. Position your arm so that it is parallel with the floor, and parallel with the door behind you. Your elbow should be bent so that your upper and lower arm are at a 90 degree angle. Stagger your stance with the leg of your non-active side in front. Push the handle forward and down until your arm is almost fully straight and your hand is in front of your chest. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Keep your shoulders square, do not move them forward or back as you press.

Lay on the floor and place your palms over the band(s), on each side, so that there is no slack. Your hands should be about 10 inches apart with fingers pointed overhead. Elevate your feet by about 12 inches by placing them on a chair or other stable, higher support. Keep your back straight, legs straight and head straight. Push off the floor and raise your body until your arms are straight. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Do not let your buttocks push up or sag down during the movement. Your body should be straight, like a board from your head to your feet. Keep your elbows in and arms tight to your body.

Lay on the floor and place your palms over the band(s), on each side, so that there is no slack. Your hands should be about 29 inches apart with fingers pointed out (away from your body). Elevate your feet by about 12 inches by placing them on a chair or other stable, higher support. Keep your back straight, legs straight and head straight. Push off the floor and raise your body until your arms are straight. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Do not let your buttocks push up or sag down during the movement. Your body should be straight, like a board from your head to your feet. When you lower your body, stop when your upper arms are parallel with the floor.

Lay on the floor and place your palms over the band(s), on each side, so that there is no slack. Your hands should be about 20 inches apart with fingers pointed overhead. Elevate your feet by about 12 inches by placing them on a chair or other stable, higher support. Keep your back straight, legs straight and head straight. Push off the floor and raise your body until your arms are straight. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Do not let your buttocks push up or sag down during the movement. Your body should be straight, like a board from your head to your feet. When you lower your body, stop when your upper arms are parallel with the floor.

Lay on the floor and place your palms over the band(s), on each side, so that there is no slack. Your hands should be about 10 inches apart with fingers pointed overhead. Keep your back straight, legs straight and head straight. Push off the floor and raise your body until your arms are straight. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Do not let your buttocks push up or sag down during the movement. Your body should be straight, like a board from your head to your feet. Keep your elbows in and arms tight to your body.

Lay on the floor and place your palms over the band(s), on each side, so that there is no slack. Your hands should be about 29 inches apart with fingers pointed out (away from your body). Keep your back straight, legs straight and head straight. Push off the floor and raise your body until your arms are straight. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Do not let your buttocks push up or sag down during the movement. Your body should be straight, like a board from your head to your feet. When you lower your body, stop when your upper arms are parallel with the floor.

Now lay on the floor and place your palms over the band(s), on each side, so that there is no slack. Your hands should be about 20 inches apart with fingers pointed overhead. Keep your back straight, legs straight and head straight. Push your entire body off until your arms are almost totally straight. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Do not let your buttocks push up or sag down during the movement. Your body should be straight, like a board from your head to your feet. When you lower your body, stop when your upper arms are parallel with the floor.

Position the anchor of the bands on the lowest hook. Stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door with your active side facing the door. Position your arm so that it is pointing down towards the door anchor and has a slight bend. Your palm should be facing forward. Keep your back straight, head straight, chest up and feet shoulder width apart. Pull the handle up and around until your arm is right in front of your chest. Keep your arm frozen with a slight bend in your elbow throughout the movement. Keep your shoulders square, do not rotate your upper body as you pull the handle.

Position the anchor of the bands on the middle hook. Stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door with your active side facing the door. Position your arm so that it is pointing towards the door anchor and has a slight bend. Your palm should be facing forward. Keep your back straight, head straight, chest up and feet shoulder width apart. Pull the handle around until your arm is right in front of your chest. Keep your arm frozen with a slight bend in your elbow throughout the movement. Keep your shoulders square, do not rotate your upper body as you pull the handle.

Position the anchor of the bands on the highest hook. Stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door with your active side facing the door. Position your arm so that it is pointing up towards the door anchor and has a slight bend. Your palm should be facing forward. Keep your back straight, head straight, chest up and feet shoulder width apart. Pull the handle down and around until your arm is right in front of your chest. Keep your arm frozen with a slight bend in your elbow throughout the movement. Keep your shoulders square, do not rotate your upper body as you pull the handle.

Stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door with your active side facing the door. Keep your back straight, head straight and chest up. Position your arm so that your elbow is up (even with your shoulder), and forearm is pointed down with your hand outside of your chest. Your feet should be wider than shoulder width apart. Push the handle(s) across your body until your hand is in front of the opposite chest. Return to the starting position (controlling the resistance). Repeat. Keep your arm tight to your body as you push the handle(s).

Starting position is lying face down with the anchor point to the side and behind you. Loop band around the anchor point on the side you are working. You simulate the angle of an incline press by lying prone with the band anchored behind you. Press straight out just above the floor to full extension. Done properly, the arm is almost dragging across the floor. Of course, it should never actually touch the ground, but keep it low to maintain the same angle of push that we would have on a traditional dumbbell or barbell incline press. You can build a bigger upper chest by using resistance bands heavy enough to perform this amazing exercise.

I�ve shown you before how effective it is to change a traditional lat muscles exercise into an upper chest exercise by modifying the position of your hands. A resistance band pullover makes changing hand position easy. Even better, by hooking the bands with the backs of your hands touching each other, you create internal rotation which reduces the impingement risk found in a traditional pullover and you get better activation of the clavicular fibers. Starting position is lying face up with your low anchor point behind your head. Loop band to the anchor point, place both hands in ensuring there is enough resistance, and initiate the band pulldown. Guys, I promise you: this banded pullover will light up your upper chest like never before.

The Saw gets its name from a back and forth sawing motion across your chest. You might think of it as a resistance band crossover, but it�s not technically a crossover, because a true crossover would take your arm farther out in front of your body, inviting a lot more shoulder into the exercise. It�s not about getting your arm away from your chest. We want to isolate the chest as much as possible and make it do the work. Starting position is standing with feet flat on the floor next to the anchor spot for your band. Set up for the saw by anchoring a heavy band to something sturdy at about chest height, and put your hand inside the band with the elbow locked. Plant feet firmly, and using the heel of your hand, drive your arm across your chest into adduction, keeping it about chest level. The farther you drive the arm, the more you�ll pull the band taut and the more contraction you�ll feel. Maintain your core strength the entire time.

You are going to keep walking out until your arm is no longer able to maintain its position along the midline of your chest.

With a band in one hand, perform what appears to be a normal pushup. However, when you get to the top of the rep pick up your hand with the band in it and cross it over the other until you can put it flat on the ground on the opposite side of it. This will briefly provide an incredibly strong contraction of the chest. Pick up the hand and return it to the starting position.

Position the anchor of the bands on the middle hook. Stand 3 to 4 feet away from the door with your active side facing the door. Position your arm so that it is pointing towards the door anchor and has a slight bend. Your palm should be facing forward. Keep your back straight, head straight, chest up and feet shoulder width apart. Pull the handle around until your arm is right in front of your chest. Keep your arm frozen with a slight bend in your elbow throughout the movement. Keep your shoulders square, do not rotate your upper body as you pull the handle.

In this exercise you want to focus on the elbow riding high, going low, and trying to make contact with the sternum at the end of the exercise. When you get to the top, you want to twist a little bit to open up the shoulder to get it into external rotation, so when we come back and in, we get internal rotation as that elbow drives toward that lower chest. Once again, we�re following the fibers. We�re using science and letting our anatomy dictate the exercise selection. The next two exercises help you get more adduction for your lower chest. You can perform them with either one arm at a time or both. Focus on creating that mind muscle connection in these two exercises because it will carry over to help you get better muscle development and a defined lower chest in the long run.

In the �sunrise� portion when the arms are moving up, they�re following the fibers as they come from the low outside position up toward each other at the top position. When you reverse into sunset position, we come out to the side and back down, diving in from the top. As we�re driving the arms down, we�re finishing in the contracted position with arms angled up and an added internal rotation of the arms that can intensity the chest contraction as well.

If you�re looking for an exercise that will allow you to incorporate heavy weights, this next option fits the bill. That�s because it allows us to shorten the range of motion and the moment arm, making it possible to load the upper chest more effectively. Using cables for this exercise allows us to use a consistent line of force because the cables can follow our movement all the way up.
Start with your elbow at your side and drive it upward until it�s in front of your chest. You should feel a strong contraction in the upper chest.

Technique first, weight second - no one cares how much you bench if you get injured. Keep the bar in line with your wrist and elbows and ensure it travels in a straight line. In order to keep the wrist straight, try to position the bar as low in the palm as possible while still being able to wrap the thumb. If you want to keep more tension through the triceps and chest, stop each repetition just short of lockout at the top. Don�t worry about tucking the elbows excessively, much of this advice is from geared lifters using suits. A slight tuck on the way down may be advisable for some lifters but other lifters can use an excellent cue from Greg Nuckols that will accomplish the same thing: �Flare and push�. Arching may be advisable depending upon your goals but ensure that most of the arch comes from the mid to upper back and not your lower back. If your lower back is cramping as you set up for the lift, you�re out of position and putting yourself at risk for potential injury. The bar should touch your chest with every single repetition. If you want to overload specific ranges of motion, look into board presses or accommodating resistance with chains or bands. As the bar descends, aim for your sternum (breastbone) or slightly below depending upon the length of your upper arm in order to promote a linear bar path. Intermediate and advanced lifters may use a thumbless or �suicide� grip but for the majority of lifters, it would be wiser to learn how to bench with the thumb wrapped around the bar at first. Fight to the urge to allow the wrists to roll back into extension, think about rolling your knuckles toward the ceiling. Experiment with grip width - if your have longer arms you may need to use a slightly wider grip. However, if you�re feeling pressure in the front of the shoulder during the exercise, you may need to widen your grip, improve scapular retraction, or slightly lessen the range of motion via exercises such as floor or board presses. Squeeze the bar as tightly as possible to help enhance shoulder stability. Some lifters prefer to tuck their toes while other prefer to keep the feet flat in order to optimize leg drive - experiment with both and see which one feels and allows for greater power production. Ensure the shoulder blades remain retracted and don�t allow them to change position as you press. The bar should descend under control and touch the lifter�s chest - no bouncing or excess momentum. Think about trying to push yourself away from the bar instead of pushing the bar off of you. Tightness through the upper back should be one of your main priorities throughout the course of the lift. Ideally, use a spotter to help assist with the lift off in order to maintain tension through the upper back. Keep the feet quiet throughout the lift and utilize leg drive by pushing your feet into the floor and squeezing your glutes to stabilize the pelvis. Focus on pulling the bar apart or trying to �bend the bar� in order to activate some of the intrinsic stabilizers in the shoulder. The glutes and shoulder blades should maintain contact with the bench throughout the entirety of the movement.

Load a barbell and lie on the bench with your back arched slightly and your feet on the floor. Grab the bar with your thumbs over your front delts. (Wrap your thumbs around the bar, both for safety and to save your wrists.) Lift the bar off the supports and hold it over your chest with your arms straight. Slowly lower it to your chest with your elbows close to your ribs�don�t flare them out, in other words. Push the bar back to the starting position and repeat.

Lie on the bench, pull your shoulder blades together and down, and slightly arch your back. Grip the bar at about 1.5�2x shoulder width. Inhale, hold your breath, and unrack the bar. Lower the bar with control, until it touches your chest somewhere close to your sternum. Push the bar up to the starting position while exhaling. Take another breath while in the top position, and repeat for reps.

Pick up the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in). Position the ends of the dumbbells in your hip crease, and sit down on the bench. To get into position, lay back and keep the weights close to your chest. Once you are in position, take a deep breath, and press the dumbbells to lockout at the top. Slowly lower the dumbbells under control as far as comfortably possible (the handles should be about level with your chest). Contract the chest and push the dumbbells back up to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
TIPS: Ideally you should twist the dumbbells back to neutral (palms facing each other), bring your knees up so the ends of the dumbbells are touching your thighs, then use the weight of the dumbbells to rock back to an upright, seated position.Maintain more tension through the pecs by not locking out the elbows entirely. Keep the weights slightly tilted at a 45 degree angle in order to keep the elbows in a neutral position. Don�t allow the dumbbells to collide at the top of each rep - bouncing them together may cause you to lose stability within the shoulder and injure yourself. Squeeze the dumbbells as tight as possible to improve a phenomenon known as �irradiation� which promotes greater shoulder stability. Keep your shoulder blades pinched together to ensure the shoulders remain in a safe position. Imagine you�re trying to push yourself away from the weights rather than pushing the weights away from yourself. If you�re feeling pain within the shoulder joint itself (specifically at the front), ensure your shoulder blades are slightly retracted and try to keep the shoulder girdle �packed�. Ensure you maintain some tension in your abs and don�t allow your lower back to arch excessively. Keep your feet flat on the floor and don�t allow the lower body to move during the set.

Pick up the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in). Position the ends of the dumbbells in your hip crease, and sit down on the bench. To get into position, lay back and keep the weights close to your chest. Once you are in position, take a deep breath, and press the dumbbells to lockout at the top. Slowly lower the dumbbells under control as far as comfortably possible (the handles should be about level with your chest). Contract the chest and push the dumbbells back up to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
TIPS: Ideally you should twist the dumbbells back to neutral (palms facing each other), bring your knees up so the ends of the dumbbells are touching your thighs, then use the weight of the dumbbells to rock back to an upright, seated position.Maintain more tension through the pecs by not locking out the elbows entirely. Keep the weights slightly tilted at a 45 degree angle in order to keep the elbows in a neutral position. Don�t allow the dumbbells to collide at the top of each rep - bouncing them together may cause you to lose stability within the shoulder and injure yourself. Squeeze the dumbbells as tight as possible to improve a phenomenon known as �irradiation� which promotes greater shoulder stability. Keep your shoulder blades pinched together to ensure the shoulders remain in a safe position. Imagine you�re trying to push yourself away from the weights rather than pushing the weights away from yourself. If you�re feeling pain within the shoulder joint itself (specifically at the front), ensure your shoulder blades are slightly retracted and try to keep the shoulder girdle �packed�. Ensure you maintain some tension in your abs and don�t allow your lower back to arch excessively. Keep your feet flat on the floor and don�t allow the lower body to move during the set.

CLOSE GRIP PRESS TIPS: Maintain more tension through the pecs by not locking out the elbows entirely. Squeeze the dumbbells as tight as possible to improve a phenomenon known as �irradiation� which promotes greater shoulder stability. Keep your shoulder blades pinched together to ensure the shoulders remain in a safe position. Think of the movement as a fly combined with a press. Press together while pressing horizontally. If you�re feeling pain within the shoulder joint itself (specifically at the front), ensure your shoulder blades are slightly retracted and try to keep the shoulder girdle �packed�. Ensure you maintain some tension in your abs and don�t allow your lower back to excessive arch. Keep your feet flat on the floor and don�t allow the lower body to move during the set.
CHEST FLY TIPS: Imagine you�re trying to hug a tree while completing the exercise. Don�t squeeze the dumbbell handles excessively tight as this can over recruit the forearms and biceps thereby reducing activation of the pecs. Avoid touching or banging the dumbbells together at the top of each repetition in order to keep constant tension on the intended muscle groups. Always keep a slight bend in the elbows and never lower the weight to the point where you get any sort of pain and pressure at the front of the shoulder joint. If you�re feeling pain within the shoulder joint itself (specifically at the front), ensure your shoulder blades are slightly retracted and try to keep the shoulder girdle �packed�. Keep your feet flat on the floor, focus solely on keeping your elbows bent and activating your pecs. Ensure you maintain some tension in your abs and don�t allow your lower back to excessive arch.

Lie back on the floor holding a dumbbell in each hand just to the sides of your shoulders. Your palms should be facing towards your feet in the starting position, although if you have shoulder issues then switch to a neutral grip, where the palms face each other. Press the weights above your chest by extending your elbows until your arms are straight, then bring the weights back down slowly.

Start off by laying on an incline bench and hold a dumbbell in each of your hands, about shoulder-width apart. Begin the exercise with your arms extended above your torso and your palms forming a supinated grip. In your starting position, your back should be arched as your feet push firmly into the ground, and your lats should be tight. Lower the weights to your chest by flexing your elbows. After a brief pause, return the weights to the starting position by extending your elbows. Repeat the dumbbell bench press exercise for as many repetitions as you like.

Start off by laying on a flat bench and hold a dumbbell in each of your hands, about shoulder-width apart. Begin the exercise with your arms extended above your torso and your palms forming a supinated grip. In your starting position, your back should be arched as your feet push firmly into the ground, and your lats should be tight. Lower the weights to your chest by flexing your elbows. After a brief pause, return the weights to the starting position by extending your elbows. Repeat the dumbbell bench press exercise for as many repetitions as you like.

Lie on a bench with your feet shoulder-width apart and resting them on the floor. Take dumbbells in both hands and raise them above you at chest level. Take the starting position, slightly bending your arms at the elbow joint, bring the dumbbells together so that the palms are directed towards each other. Important! The angle of the elbow joint and the direction of the palms remain unchanged during the entire exercise. Spread the dumbbells to the sides in one vertical plane. The location of the dumbbells at the level of the shoulder girdle will be the end point in the exercise. Bring both dumbbells together over your chest. Perform along the same trajectory along which they descended.

In a standing position, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing upward. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart and your arms down straight in front of your center. Extend your arms up and out to the sides, keeping your elbows straight and your arms at chest level. Bring them back to the center to finish a single rep.
Perform this exercise slow and controlled, really focusing on the eccentric contraction. Exhale during the concentric (muscle-shortening) part of the motion. Start with a light set of weights if you�re a beginner, and slowly increase the amount of weight each week as you build strength. Don�t let the dumbbells touch as they meet at the top, holding for a second in the contracted position. Internally rotate your wrists in towards the top of the movement to allow for maximum contraction of the chest. Pick a weight that you can control, that�s not too light or too heavy � find what�s right for you.

In a standing position, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing upward. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart and your arms down straight in front of your center. Extend your arms up and out to the sides, keeping your elbows straight and your arms at chest level. Bring them back to the center to finish a single rep.
Perform this exercise slow and controlled, really focusing on the eccentric contraction. Exhale during the concentric (muscle-shortening) part of the motion. Start with a light set of weights if you�re a beginner, and slowly increase the amount of weight each week as you build strength. Don�t let the dumbbells touch as they meet at the top, holding for a second in the contracted position. Internally rotate your wrists in towards the top of the movement to allow for maximum contraction of the chest. Pick a weight that you can control, that�s not too light or too heavy � find what�s right for you.

Lie on the floor with two dumbbells above your shoulders, (arms 15-degrees shy of full extension) With palms facing, lower the weights in an arching motion When your elbows hit the floor, they should be even with your chest; pause briefly for a half second Squeeze the dumbbells back together in an arching motion Stop the dumbbells a few inches shy of touching to keep constant tension on pecs Repeat for desired number of reps Concentrate movement on pectorals

Hold the dumbbell down at your side and shrug up and across your body so that the dumbbell lines up under the opposite pec. This will allow you to get the same strong adduction, feeling it more from the bottom up. If you�re going to work your chest with dumbbells, make sure to include adduction exercises into your routine!

In the �high� version of this exercise we are trying to take that arm from the low and away position, up and across your body, following the direction of the fibers of the upper chest. Standing with feet flat on the floor and holding a dumbbell in your left hand lift the dumbbell straight up, keeping it at arms length, bending your elbow slightly. Lower the dumbbell slowly and repeat. If we can �follow the fibers�, we can get good chest activation.

Begin with the dumbbell over your face and then lower it behind your head. Focus on stretching the triceps. Think about dropping the dumbbell down to the floor, directly behind your head. Instead of pulling the dumbbell back over your face using your lats or pecs (that will happen to some degree anyway), focus on using your triceps by prioritizing elbow extension instead of shoulder extension. Think heavy and high reps here: Two sets of 15-20 reps, going hard in the paint on both sets. Trust me, two all-out sets will have your triceps screaming for days.

To prepare for this exercise, sit on the end of a stable weight bench. Place your feet on the floor, slightly wider than the bench. Hold a dumbbell with each hand. Next, roll back, so you are lying on the bench. Your back, neck, and head should be fully supported. Extend your arms toward the ceiling, over your chest. Your palms should be facing each other, and your elbows slightly bent. Inhale and extend the weights back and over your head, keeping a strong back and core. Take about 3 to 4 seconds to reach a fully extended position where the weights are behind�but not below�your head. Exhale slowly and return your arms to the starting position.

Anchor the band at lowest height. With the back to the anchor point, grab one side of the band in each hand. Take a split stance to maintain balance. Step out farther to increase the amount of tension from the band, if necessary. Lift the arms up and out to the sides so that the arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Maintain a soft bend in the elbows throughout the movement. Pull the arms towards one another against the resistance from the band (as if giving a hug). Keep the chest puffed up throughout the movement and focus on squeezing pecs as the hands come together. Control the arms back to the start position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Lie back on the bench, then press the dumbbells up above your chest with a neutral grip. Drive your shoulder blades back into the bench to set your shoulders. Keep your feet on the ground and squeeze your glutes and abs to create full-body tension. Move your hands to turn your pinkies toward each other. This will help to create some external rotation at the shoulder joints. Bend your elbows slightly, then lower the weights down to the sides, moving only at the shoulders. Lower down only to a comfortable point for your range of motion, when you feel a stretch on your chest. Squeeze your pecs to raise the weights back up to the starting position. Don't slam the weights together at the top�instead, stop with the weights just slightly apart, continuing to squeeze the chest.
Squeeze at the Top! The true benefit and magic of the dumbbell fly happens not when your arms are at their widest, but when you bring your arms together. It's here that you get the chance to squeeze your pectoral fibers and really promote chest growth. Focus on this squeeze, thinking of lingering at the top for a good one second to get the most out of the fly. Avoid touching the dumbbells at the top, too, because doing so removes that chance to really squeeze your pecs. Just as importantly, if you're driving the dumbbells up so quickly that they're clanking together, you're doing the motion without the precision and control required to really get that chest squeeze. Take your time with each rep.
Never Lower Too Deep! Remember: The magic of the fly occurs at the top of the movement, not the bottom. So don't try too hard to overstretch your pecs by lowering your shoulders extra-deep. Aim to get your upper arms parallel with the ground, but don't worry about going too deep on them. This isn't an exercise for flexibility; you're using the movement to build size, strength, and definition. And not every person has perfect shoulder range of motion, especially if you work a desk job. So lower the dumbbells only until you feel a slight stretch in your chest; if you feel this in your shoulders or biceps, you're over-stretching. A good starting point: Think about lowering until your upper arms are parallel with the ground or just a few degrees deeper.
Never Stop Squeezing Your Shoulder Blades! Start each set of dumbbell flies by driving your shoulder blades into the bench, and think about squeezing them as you lower the weights. This will help protect your shoulders. As you begin to fly up, though, continue to squeeze your shoulder blades together. This does two things. First off, it will once again help you protect your shoulders. It's really easy to compromise joint space in the shoulder as you fly up, giving your rotator cuff tendons less space to move. By squeezing your shoulder blades, you help maintain that. Even better, if you continue to squeeze your shoulder blades together when you finish the dumbbell fly, you'll challenge your chest to really squeeze at the top of each rep. The difference is subtle: If you release your shoulder blades, you can essentially bring the entire shoulder complex along for the ride at the top of the rep. But if you keep squeezing hard on that rhomboid, it forces your shoulder blades to stay tight and keeps your shoulders down. That means the finishing squeeze on the dumbbell fly winds up coming purely from a pectoral contraction. Even if this feels like it cuts your range of motion, it's not actually doing so. It's simply forcing your pecs to fully work through their natural range, instead of pointlessly over-extending the movement.

Maintain a neutral stance with an upright posture. Hold the handle with your palm facing down and the elbow bent 90 degrees. Punch forward with the handle until the elbow is completely extended inline with your lower chest. Control the handle back to the starting position to complete the repetition.

Place your hands on the floor directly levelled with your shoulders and a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Come up on your toes. Push your hips back and bend at the knees extending your hands overhead. This is your start position. Staighten your knees until your body is straight lowering down by bending at the elbows. As you lower down, bring one leg up and at your side. Bring the knee towards the same side elbow. Breathe in at this phase of the movement. Breathe out as you straighten your arms, bring that leg back and pushing the hips back to the start position. Remember to alternate legs for each repetition.

Do a full range of motion. Keep the lower back in a neutral position by assuming a posterior pelvic tilt. This will ensure that your hips are neither too high or too low, allowing your proper target point (the chest) to reach the ground first. Make sure to keep your neck as neutral as possible throughout the movement! Hand placement - laying face down on the ground, simply reach your arms overhead and then slide them down until your elbows are at about 45-60�. From here, slide your hands down to about shoulder height and press your body up. Make sure your hands are rotated outwards, to about 2 o�clock. Unshrug your shoulders - keep your shoulder blades back and down throughout. Unshrug the shoulders at the top of the movement and keep them unshrug - do not clench the scapulae when you are at the bottom. Imagine bringing your bicep forward. Instead of going straight up and down, you want to push your body at an angle, similar to what you would do with a bench press. By slightly pivoting off your toes, you will be able to descend forward and then push yourself up and back. This will also allow you to keep your elbows stacked over your wrists, which is key for proper pushup mechanics. Go slow and controlled - 2 seconds on the way down and 2 seconds on the way up.