Chris Powell's Choose More, Lose More for Life (22 page)

Keeping your hips on the floor, slowly press upward with your arms, extending your elbows and back.

Bending your elbows, slowly lower your upper body back to the floor into the starting position.

Intermediate

Start in the plank position with your knees together on the floor, your hands on the floor below your shoulders, and your elbows extended so you’re pushed up at the shoulders. Your body should be rigid from your knees to your shoulders; your abs should be tight, and your legs should be bent up behind you at an angle of about 90 degrees. Your feet should be together.

Bending your elbows, lower your body and touch your chest and thighs to the floor while staying rigid from your knees to your shoulders. Your knees should remain bent and your feet should be together in the air behind you.

Immediately press upward again until your elbows are fully extended and you’re in the starting position.

Advanced

Start in the plank position with your hands on the floor below your shoulders and your elbows extended so you’re pushed up at the shoulders. Your abs should be tight, and your body should be rigid from your heels to your shoulders.

Bending your elbows, lower your body and touch your chest and thighs to the floor while staying rigid from your heels to your shoulders.

Immediately press upward again until your elbows are fully extended and you’re back in the starting position.

Super-Advanced (Palm-Release Push-Ups)

Start in the plank position with your hands on the floor below your shoulders and your elbows extended so you’re pushed up at the shoulders. Your abs should be tight, and your body should be rigid from your heels to your shoulders.

Bending your elbows, lower your body and touch your chest and thighs to the floor while staying rigid from your heels to your shoulders.

As your chest and thighs touch the floor, raise your hands a fraction of an inch off of the ground, enough so that you can slide a piece of paper underneath them.

Immediately press upward again until your elbows are fully extended and you’re back in the starting position.

Start lying facedown on the floor, with your hands aligned beneath your shoulders, your abs tight, and your body rigid.