You must keep your core and lower body tight in order to complete the push up.  And you often see the core and lower body give out before upper body strength… leading to a really sloppy and ineffective exercise.

Here is a video of pushups:

When you are ready to organize your bodyweight exercises into a progressive program specifically designed to improve fitness, burn fat and build an attractive, athletic body, here are some recommendations:

Option 1:

Workout Without Weights is my flagship bodyweight workout program. If you like building you own workout programs (following a proven, progressive method), this is for you.

There are SIX progressive workout programs here that give you the freedom to choose the bodyweight exercises you use from a list of 190 bodyweight exercises. Just pick the exercises you want to work on, fill in the printable, reusable Workout Journal Sheets… and you’re ready for a great bodyweight only workout you can do at home!

Don’t underestimate the power to achieve your fitness, fat loss and physique building goals using only bodyweight exercises… especially when you follow a PLAN of progression that keeps you improving.

Option 2:

The Ultimate Gymless Workout is for those who want a PROGRESSIVE SERIES or bodyweight workouts where the bodyweight exercises are chosen for them. There are really TWO complete workout programs here… the Optimum Fitness & Physique program and the Above & Beyond program.

First, alternate through the Fitness, Fat Loss and Strength & Size workouts to build the strong, lean, athletic body you’ve always wanted. Then put your newly developed body to the test with the Above & Beyond workouts. And did I mention, these workout use only bodyweight calisthenics exercises and can be done in the comfort of your own home?

Remember… progression is the key for any workout to improve fitness, burn fat and build an athletic body. After all, if you are not progressing then nothing is going to change. And that means you workouts are nothing more than a waste of time. So, make sure to put your bodyweight workouts together in a way that keeps you progressing toward the ultimate goal of a strong, lean, athletically muscular body!

<- Back to 10 Bodyweight Calisthenics Exercises You Can Do At Home (Videos)

Today I was doing some web surfing and I found an news report about a guy who was forced to do 5 push ups in the nude at gunpoint.

Here is the article: Locksmith call leads to naked push-ups, gunfire, arrests

It got me to thinking. If you were forced to do push ups at gunpoint (clothed or naked), how many perfect push ups could you do? Could you crank out 5, 10, 20 or more?

Push ups are one of those classic bodyweight exercises that is used to determine manliness. They are a great full body workout (maintaining a stiff body really works the core and legs) and are essential for any well thought out bodyweight workout program.

So, how many can you do? Drop and crank out as many as you can… I’ll wait! (You can even keep your clothes on if you want).

If your performance was humiliating, (and those push ups with your belly sagging to the floor don’t count!), then it is time to start doing bodyweight exercises on a regular basis.

Go to Ultimate Gymless Workout now to see what I have in store for you.

Eddie Lomax is the Founder & President of Optimum Fitness Network LLC. and author of Ultimate Gymless Workout. This bodyweight only program is really 2 workout systems: the Optimum Fitness & Physique System and the Above and Beyond Package. All bodyweight workouts are not created equal! Click here to see a video of what is included.