Getting Started with Push-ups

Push-ups have such bad connotation for some people: Uncomfortable pains in the neck/wrist/shoulders, knucklehead gym rats bullying underclassmen, The Presidents' Fitness Challenge, Jack Lalanne balanced on three chairs, oppressive gym classes at any age. But for all the bad, they are great exercises. Perfect if you want to avoid a gym membership, are looking for a quick and easy way to build upper body strength or just want to look good in a sleeveless-t. Here's a way to get started with Push-ups that is gradual and manageable. Start on the wall: Place your hands on a wall clear of obstruction, just below your shoulder line. Move your feet out from the wall until you are leaning at a slight angle, keep your belly engaged and bend and straighten your arms in a push-up, try and do 10 reps. If you do this everyday you can soon move on to experiment with different hand positions: fingers facing in, wide elbows, wide position of the hands, etc. When the wall Push-ups become too easy, move on to all fours, "Girl" push-ups, then try planks. Eventually you will have the strength and form to do regular push-ups, I find that building strength is best done gradually, but everyone has their own pace. Heads-up: My favorite mat class is on tonight (Wednesdays 6 and 7pm) at the Mark Morris Dance Center. Taught by Blossom Crawford it is rigorous mentally and physically, combining thematic pre-Pilates and yoga and traditional mat exercises. This is the class other Pilates teachers take. If you've never taken a mat class before definitely start with the beginners class at 6pm if you have some experience treat yourself to the beginners class as well and take your time to learn the style before trying the intermediate class (advanced). I take the beginners class and always get something out of it. Have fun, and say hi to Blossom for me. Nathaniel Lee is a Pilates teacher in Fort Greene Brooklyn. He is on the faculty of The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center. He also teaches Pilates one-on-one sessions at Wellness Center at MMDC. For more information visit: http://www.nathanielleepilates.com/