Wide-Hand Push Up
Take position on the ground with hands just outside shoulder width apart, fingers facing forward and arms outstretched until the elbow joint is totally opened lifting the torso up. You should be up on your toes and with your body flat, not arched either way. This is the starting position.
Lower your torso down as you inhale, keeping the elbows close by the body not flaring them outward. Your chest should just touch the floor.
Squeeze your chest and exhale as you reverse the movement back to the starting position.
Decline Push Up
Take position on the ground with hands just outside shoulder-width apart, fingers facing forward and arms outstretched until the elbow joint is totally opened lifting the torso up. Your feet are elevated onto a bench, you should be up on your toes and with your body flat, not arched either way. This is the starting position.
Lower your torso down as you inhale, keeping the elbows close by the body not flaring them outward. Your upper chest should just touch the floor.
Squeeze your chest and exhale as you reverse the movement back to the starting position.
Diamond Push Ups
Take position on the ground with the hands forming a diamond-shape, fingers facing forward and arms outstretched until the elbow joint is totally opened lifting the torso up. You should be up on your toes and with your body flat, not arched either way. This is the starting position.
Lower your torso down as you inhale, keeping the elbows close by the body not flaring them outward. Your chest should just touch the floor.
Squeeze your chest and exhale as you reverse the movement back to the starting position.
Single Arm Medicine Ball Push Up
Take position on the ground with one hand on the top of a medicine ball and the other hand just outside shoulder-width apart. On both hands, fingers are facing forward. The non-ball arm is outstretched until the elbow joint is totally opened lifting the torso up. The ball-arm will have a necessary slight bend at the elbow. You should be up on your toes but with your legs spread wider if necessary to support the movement. Your body should be flat, not arched either way. This is the starting position.
Lower your torso down as you inhale, keeping the elbows close by the body not flaring them outward. Your chest should approach but the floor but not quite touch with the available range of motion due to one hand being on the ball.
Squeeze your chest and exhale as you reverse the movement back to the starting position. Change sides.
Cable Crossovers
First pin the cable height to the highest position then pin a suitable lifting weight. One at a time, grab the cable handles and position yourself in the centre of the cable rack, just forward of the rack line and pulley lever.
Your arms will be outstretched, you should have a small forward bend from the waist and your core is tight. You may choose a symmetrical stance with the feet just outside shoulder-width or an asymmetrical stance with one foot forward in front of the other, which ever lets you feel more balanced. This is your starting position.
With a slight bend at the elbow, squeeze your chest to bring your outstretched arms together in front of your body and (angled downwards) over 1-2 seconds as you exhale. The body remains stationary as your arms draw a large arc from the shoulder joint. Pause and squeeze for a brief second at the end point of the movement where the cable handles meet in the middle.
Now reverse the movement inhaling as you do, bringing the chest back to full expansion with arms outstretched. You should feel the chest muscle being stretched and opened right up.
Low Cable Pec Fly
First pin the cable height to the lowest position then pin a suitable lifting weight. One at a time, grab the cable handles and position yourself in the centre of the cable rack, just forward of the rack line and pulley lever.
Your core is tight and your arms will be outstretched, angled slightly back behind your body with palms facing forward. You may choose a symmetrical stance with the feet just outside shoulder-width or an asymmetrical stance with one foot forward in front of the other, which ever lets you feel more balanced. This is your starting position.
With a slight bend at the elbow, squeeze your chest to bring your outstretched arms together in front of your body, just above shoulder height, over 1-2 seconds as you exhale. The body remains stationary as your arms draw a large arc from the shoulder joint. Pause and squeeze for a brief second at the end point of the movement where the cable handles meet in the middle and the palms are facing upward.
Now reverse the movement inhaling as you do, bringing the chest back to full expansion with arms outstretched. You should feel the chest muscle being stretched and opened right up.
Middle Cable Pec Fly
First pin the cable height to the middle position then pin a suitable lifting weight. One at a time, grab the cable handles and position yourself in the centre of the cable rack, just forward of the rack line and pulley lever.
Your core is tight and your arms will be outstretched, angled slightly back behind your body with palms facing forward. You may choose a symmetrical stance with the feet just outside shoulder-width or an asymmetrical stance with one foot forward in front of the other, which ever lets you feel more balanced. This is your starting position.
With a slight bend at the elbow, squeeze your chest to bring your outstretched arms together in front of your body at around nipple line, over 1-2 seconds as you exhale. The body remains stationary as your arms draw a large arc from the shoulder joint. Pause and squeeze for a brief second at the end point of the movement where the cable handles meet in the middle and the palms are facing each other.
Now reverse the movement inhaling as you do, bringing the chest back to full expansion with arms outstretched. You should feel the chest muscle being stretched and opened right up.
Burpees
The starting position is standing with feet facing forward, shoulder width apart and arms by side.
Commence the movement by placing your hands on the ground and bending your knees down into a squat.
Kick your feet out to land you into a prone push up position with body flat and arms at full extension.
At this point, reverse the position back into the squat with hands on the ground and then straight into a vertical jump with hands extended above the head.
