Boots WebMD September 2009

Could the press-up be the ’perfect exercise’?

Here's what it can do for you and how to get it right.

While fitness fads come and go, some types of exercise transcend trends. Among them is the press-up (sometimes known as the push-up), which uses your own body weight along with gravity to tone and condition muscles. With good reason, fitness experts have called the press-up the closest thing there is to a perfect exercise.

Fitness trainers say that one of the reasons the press-up has endured for so long is it's cheap, it's easy and it doesn't require any equipment. “The press-up is a ‘must-do’ move”, says London-based personal trainer and fitness writer, Laura Williams. “It's a highly effective compound move which means that it uses more than one joint and therefore multiple muscle groups. This makes it a time-efficient exercise too.” Press-ups can really benefit women. They “tone the pectoral muscles which lie underneath the breasts. Strong pecs provide a good strong surface for breast tissue to sit on”, says Williams. “They also work the triceps, the muscles at the backs of the arms, which is an area a lot of women struggle with”, she adds.

Fitness trainer Williams admits she can’t commit to five hours in the gym every week and says she doesn’t see why her clients should either. So, for her, the press-up is a useful tool. She has these golden rules for her clients:

• Maintain a straight back - don’t allow the back to arch
• Keep the abdominals tight throughout the move
• Take care of your joints – don’t lock the elbows, keep the hands and fingers facing forward and position the wrists underneath the shoulders.
  
  

To book a session or to find out how Laura can help you get into shape, email her at laura@laurawilliamsonline.co.uk

Or call her on 07712 001525.