How to do a proper Push Up

Push ups are one of the those exercises that you either love or hate. However push ups are one of those exercises that everyone should do.

Push ups can help you build upper body strength, they help improve shoulder functioning, they tone and shape your arms (especially the triceps) and are a great core builder.

Even better push ups are one of those exercises you can do anywhere and require no gym and no equipment. I have to say they are one of my favorite exercises along with Pullups, Squats, Lunges, Dips and Planks.... (I'll be writing about these in future articles).

To do a push up is quite simple - get in the proper push up position lower you body and push back!!! However not because it sounds simple makes them easy to perform and like any other type of exercise these too require proper technique, which most of the time folks tend to get wrong.

The technique: 

• Assume the push up starting position (prone position) with your feet together, palms on the floor (at approx. shoulder width apart), arms extended and elbows locked. 
• Keep a straight line from your ankles, legs, hips, back, shoulders and your head.
• Lower your body bending at the elbows till your chest almost touches the floor. 
• Push back up against the floor without bending your back.

Push Up Starting Position:

Push Up Lower Position:

There many ways to vary the classic push up position. For starters if you lack the upper body strength and mechanism to perform it like this, you can drop into your knees and do the push up following the same guidelines. 

Other Push Up variations:

Wide grip stance: you will place your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart.

Close grip stance: place your arms in a narrower shoulder width apart stance. As you lower yourself, keep your elbows tucked in close to the body. This shifts the workload to your triceps. 

Iso-Push Up: perform a regular push up but hold it at the bottom position for a few seconds... its a killer!!! And its actually pretty good for those who lack the upper strength as it helps them build it quickly.

1 Leg Push Up, Incline or Decline push ups, Spider push ups, Crab push up, 1 arm push up, depth push ups... 

The list goes on and some of these are pretty advance so make sure you have the proper technique, shoulder stability and are injury free. Also and consult a professional to guide you through some of these.

Example of a modified 1 arm knee down push up:

Advance: 1 arm spider push up...

When you practice and perform push ups just keep in mind that you must avoid looking forward, bending your back and bring your butt in the air. All of it bad form and can negate the benefits of the exercise, not mention in some instances could lead to injury. 

For more tips on exercise, cardio, nutrition and/or proper training programs contact me here. 

Eduardo Lorenzo, NASM-CPT specializes in sports performance, injury prevention, corrective exercises, physique enhancement, Boot Camp and weight loss programs. 

The Decision: Exclusive Interview with Thomas Lorenzo

The suspense surrounding Thomas Lorenzo free agency has come to an end. AP reports that Thomas Lorenzo is headed to Dell.

And in an exclusive interview Fitlorenzo was able to sit down with Thomas Lorenzo and find out what was going through his mind. When asked what's new he only said "its been exciting this whole process". Due to the unprecedented attention and interest sorrounding Thomas Lorenzo decision we have decided to make this announcement on a international level, using the Internet.

FL: What have you thought about this process?
Thomas: This process was not easy. These types of decisions involve many things, what type of products and services will I provide my loyal customers? Can I generate enough income to help those around me like my family, my friends, and my community? There’s a lot of stress on making this type of decision because it’s not about the money but what am I representing....

FL: Have you enjoyed the free agency process?
Thomas: Yeah it allowed me to focus on business, life, soul searching, my overall fitness conditioning... I've lost weight, I gave myself time to become a better me and thanks to the Fitlorenzo Training System I am reaching that goal. Ed as my fitness and personal coach he kept me focused and motivated through this journey... I also got a lot of support from friends and family so at the end I am a better person...

FL: Did you know from the beginning that Dell was your destination?
Thomas: I was leaning towards Dell; they give me the best opportunity to help my customer’s succeed. But we had looked at options in Florida, Puerto Rico and even Costa Rica. But at the end Dell demonstrated my same passion to excellence and commitment to be great.

FL: Now that you have landed at Dell… What's next?
Thomas: Hard work! We are assembling a dream team if you will, so I will do some recruiting to make sure we get the players that we need to reach our goals and take the company to the next level. I guarantee my work and my service always, so I need the players around me that want to play at that level.

FL: Did you consult someone or maybe who has been your biggest influence?
Thomas: Wow that’s a hard one, so many people where part of the process. My mom, my brother and trainer Ed and even customers that have become friends helped me get to this point. People like Roberto Adelardi, Javier Alapont, Jean Hernandez, Silverio Saladin, Henry Chavarria and so many others... Like I mention it was a tough journey so I needed to be in fit condition both mentally and physically. Ed gave me a good beating with his online program a new life style that helped me get from 225 down to 194. When you're fit you are also energize, you’re ready for anything and that’s how I feel today, ready to help my customers reach their goals as Ed help me reach mine.

FL: How does this affect the rest of the league in your opinion?
Thomas: Look out… We are doing history. We are going after it really hard. One of my goals this year is to help us win the Customer Satisfaction award and we going for it all. I have lots of friends on other teams but when you step out on the field your customer doesn’t want to know about your friends they want results. AND WE ARE GOING FOR IT!!!

FL: Do you have any additional comments you'd like to add?
Thomas: Yes I want to thank everyone in this process this journey… I want to thank Dell for putting me in this position to succeed. Thanks to my customers – all we do is for your success and we will continue with that tradition in Dell. And thanks to Ed and Fitlorenzo, they gave me the support, the faith, the new life style. I recommend anyone that wants to take he’s or her life to the next level GET ON BOARD WITH FITLORENZO…

Fitlorenzo wants to thank Thomas Lorenzo for his time in this exclusive interview. Also we want to thank all of our readers and folks who have tuned in for this broadcast. Proceeds of this event will go somewhere.