The Badass Body Diet: The Breakthrough Diet and Workout for a Tight Booty, Sexy Abs, and Lean Legs (29 page)
Authors: Christmas Abbott
Tags: #Health & Fitness, #Diet & Nutrition, #Diets, #Exercise, #Weight Loss
Where It Burns:
You may not realize that the push-up affects almost every part of your body—even your fingers and hands. This move targets your biceps, triceps, shoulders and forearms, back, legs, and even your abdominal and glute muscles.
Blunders to Avoid:
If you position your hands wider than your shoulders, you’ll put strain on the front of your shoulders. As you get into push-up position, make sure your wrists are directly below your shoulders.
Tip:
Try to increase the number of push-ups you do on a regular basis, and you’ll notice an increase in muscle tone and definition. Push-ups help trigger the release of growth hormone, which helps boost muscle growth.
VARIATIONS OF THE PUSH-UP
THE PIKE PUSH-UP
The Payoff:
This exercise is great for building shoulder strength. It also strengthens your core and your arm muscles.
Where It Burns:
Your arms, abs, shoulders, back, and chest.
Blunders to Avoid:
Don’t let gravity do the work for you. The negative, or lowering, portion of the move, builds strength, too.
Tip:
If you’re just starting out, feel free to limit how far you go down at first. Go halfway down, for example. As your strength builds, you’ll be able to touch your head to the ground.
EXPLOSIVE PUSH-UP
The Payoff:
The main benefit of doing these push-ups is an increase in strength.
Where It Burns:
Like the push-up, this exercise works every inch of your body, plus gives you a cardio boost.
Blunders to Avoid:
Don’t even try this exercise unless you can easily do at least 30 regular push-ups with solid form.
Tip:
You can modify this exercise in the same ways that you’d modify a regular push-up: performing it on your knees, for example. Also, if you can’t clap (yet), just lift your hands slightly off the floor or go to a thigh push-up version of this.
THE SEXY BACK PUSH-UP
The Payoff:
This exercise sculpts your back, shoulders, and chest. That way you can offset wider hips, creating more balanced proportions. It also engages the abs.
Where It Burns:
Back, shoulders, arms, chest, and abs.
Blunders to Avoid:
Don’t perform this exercise too fast. The faster you do an exercise, the fewer muscle fibers get stimulated. Your muscles have to be under tension in order to become toned. Performing an exercise slowly and deliberately is best.
Tip:
To modify, you can make the scoop a little less dramatic by not grazing the floor as closely.
INCHWORM
The Payoff:
This exercise challenges the entire body, plus makes you more flexible. It’s called the inchworm because it mimics the forward motion of a worm moving across the ground.
Where It Burns:
Practically everywhere, but most notably in your arms, hamstrings, and chest.
Blunders to Avoid:
To prevent stress on your back during this exercise, keep your back as straight as possible as you perform the move. Don’t let your lower back round.
Tip:
In order to touch your hands to the floor to begin the exercise, widen your stance. This will allow you to place your hands, palm down, on the floor.
