As timeless as the push-up is, let’s face it, performing one is not as easy as it looks. That’s because you’re basically lifting the weight of your whole body with your shoulder, chest, and arm muscles. If those muscle groups are not as strong as you’d like, doing a few push-ups may seem like an impossible feat. “Push-ups engage three major muscles of the upper body,” says Joan Pagano, an exercise physiologist in New York City. “The push-up targets the chest, the front of the shoulders, and the back of the arm [the tricep], and it engages your core muscles.” Enter: The push-up modifications.
“If you don’t like traditional push-ups there are a [few] modifications you can do that will make them more manageable for you,” says Pagano. Here are three push-up variations that are effective for every body: the wall push-up, the kitchen counter (diagonal) push-up, and the half push-up.
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