They don’t require any equipment, can be done anywhere, use multiple muscle groups in the body, and everyone-from beginner to advanced fitness levels-can do them and benefit from them. Don’t be intimidated by them, they are not just for the military!

The primary muscles that are worked are the chest and tricep. However, if you look at the form needed to do a perfect push-up, you muscles from your neck all the way to your toes are engaged in some way. This includes the all important core muscles, back, shoulders, legs and hips.

They are an all-around great exercise. Most people don’t love doing them, and many people don’t do them at all. Many people claim that they can’t do push-ups, even though they have never really tried (or they are just unwilling to push through because they are difficult). But the benefits are well worth the hard work.  You have to start somewhere to train your body to do them! Start with the modification on your knees, and slowly build up to being able to do full-body, on your feet, push-ups. You will love seeing yourself get stronger as you are able to do more reps on your feet. It’s a great way to measure your progress! Also, once you master the basic movement, there are many modifications to change it up and to increase the level of difficulty.

To Perform:

With feet together and with hands placed (fingers pointing forward) as wide or slightly wider than shoulder width. Keeping the body straight, lower body to the ground by bending arms at the elbows. Raise body up off the ground by extending the arms. Repeat.

Body weight should be lifted by the arms; don’t be tempted to use your butt, stomach or the lower half of your body to pull yourself up. To maintain correct body alignment, imagine a straight line running from your head down to your ankles.

Modification: “Knee” push ups – to reduce the lifting load, you can do the same exercise, but do it on your knees. Keeping a straight line from neck to torso is still important, so please pay attention to correct body alignment as you do them.

• 50 Pushups
• 50 Good Mornings
• 60 second Plank
• 50 Alternating Lunges

1 round equals completing all 4 exercises. The goal is to complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes (or 15) based on your fitness level. Make sure to spend about 5 minutes warming up before you start.

*If this is too advanced, you can modify by cutting each set in half: 25 Pushups, 25 Good Mornings, 30 Second Plank and 25 Alternating Lunges.

Push yourself.  You should be sweating and breathing hard if you’re getting after it.  Enjoy and post a comment to let me know how you did.

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**The next phase starts on Monday, February 1st.  Now is your chance to lock in at our lowest rates to date before they go up!!

Merry Christmas from Body By Buck!  Hope you are enjoying this special time of year with some of those you love the most.

Controlling what you eat is extremely difficult this time of year with all the craziness of Christmas and holiday food that’s surrounding you so I included a quick bonus home workout for you (below).  I did it earlier today and was feeling it.  So try it out…it will rev up your metabolism and help minimize some of the damage you’re doing with all that food

Also we have some new things in the mix for 2010 including January Bootcamp so get ready – it’s just around the corner.

Bodyweight Circuit:

Here’s a quick circuit you can do from home or on the road.  No equipment required.

4 exercises. (15, 14, 13…1) Start with 15 reps on each exercise. 15 pushups, 15 squats, 15 situps, 15 squat jumps – that’s one set.

Then go back through each exercise for 14 reps.  The goal is to go all the way down to one rep in as little time as possible so that means little (or no rest) between exercises.

• Pushup (full range of motion)
• Squat (parallel on depth)
• Situp
• Squat Jump

20 minutes is average. Under 15 minutes is advanced.  And if you’re feeling really good. Repeat the circuit a second time.

Post your time in the comments section and let us know how you did…Merry Christmas!

• I’m really not eating much at all so how can I be gaining weight?
  • Well how much is not much?  Not much can mean a lot of different things. I will say it’s pretty much impossible to gain weight if you’re burning more calories than you consume so maybe you’re eating more than you think.  Read more here: Calories In vs Calories Out

• Are there other sources of protein besides meat?
  • You bet there are.  And actually you need to be eating different sources because they provide different amino acids and nutrients so you need a balanced approach with eating.  Read more here: Other sources of protein

• I’m strapped for time.  Do you have any ideas for squeezing in exercise?
  • Oh yeah.  There’s always time.  You just have to find it.  Don’t be a slave to the concept that you have to go to the gym to get a good workout it.  Some of my best workouts occur in my living room.  And you don’t have to waste time commuting.  Read more here: Burn fat while watching TV.

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It’s a good idea to change your exercise routine at least every MONTH or so. This is about the time your body will adapt to what you have been doing and need a new challenge. Also, you will have something new to look forward to, and it will prevent you from both mentally and physically getting into a rut.

Benefits of changing your workout:

• Prevents plateaus-which will in turn help you keep moving toward your goals!
• Helps prevent injuries by constantly challenging muscles to adapt and not creating muscle imbalances or overtraining injuries
• Recruits more muscle fibers- which will help develop more tone & strength and increase your body’s ability to burn more fat

There are several ways you can mix it up, but here are a few:

• Exercises (there are MANY ways to work one muscle group-don’t get married to just one! Each time you increase the difficulty of an exercise, your body has to scramble to adapt and perform)
• Volume (how many reps & sets you lift)
• Intensity (how hard or how much weight you lift)

Don’t get in a rut-you will get discouraged and want to give up because you aren’t seeing results.  Change it up! You won’t be disappointed.

Interested in changing it up but don’t know how?  Or just not able to get the intensity you need b/c it’s hard to push yourself when you’re alone. If so, the BodyByBuck Bootcamp is a great solution for you!  Your body desires change…

There is time.  You just have to be disciplined to find it or make it.

Work in an office or at a desk?  Every hour or so, stand up and do some bodyweight squats or other exercise for 30s – 60s.  Or if you work at home or have a flexible schedule?  Knock out some bodyweight exercises every hour for one minute a minute or so.

You can do squats, pushups, lunges, planks or situps or even go walk a few flights of stairs.

Sometimes at the Fire Academy when we’re in the classroom all day, me and a few firefighters will knock out a set of pushups at every break.  By the end of the day, that’s an extra 100-200 pushups completed as opposed to just going to the vending machine for something terrible.  And it didn’t really cost us any extra time.

I promise all these little times will add up. Not only will it help give you a boost of energy but can also boost your metabolism and burn some extra calories.  Plus you’ll make healthier choices since fitness is on your mind.  Make time and sneak it in.

So here’s what yesterday’s workout consisted of:

• Warmup: Medium paced jog with some bodyweight exercises
• Hang Clean 4 sets of 4-6 reps
• DB Chest Press(Flat Bench): 4 x 10-12
• Barbell Squats (Deep):  4 x 8
• Pullups (Weighted): 4 x 10
• Lateral Plyo Pushups(bench): 3 x failure
• Decline Situp/Russian Twist: 2 x 15
• Shower and post workout shake

Nothing fancy.  Just getting the job done.