Pushups can be the best upper body exercise to hit the chest, shoulders & triceps, but only if done correctly.

The set up of a pushup is critical for good form.

1) Start on your stomach with your thumbs under your chest (nipple line).

2) Now slide your hands out wider and check to see if your elbow is directly over your wrist (vertical forearm).

3) Push yourself to the top of the pushup. If you are on your knees make sure you keep your feet firmly rooted into the floor.

4) Keep your abs engaged and don’t let your head drop.

5) Lower yourself “forward and down” so that your elbows go behind you 45 degrees (or 4 & 8 o’clock). Make sure you keep your elbows over your wrists at the bottom and in a 90 degree angle.

6) Work to get your chest to touch the floor before you go to pushups on the toes.

Tip: to keep your shoulder blades down and your chest open imagine you have a big paper towel under both hands & your are tearing it apart at the seam in the middle on the way down & up. Hands don’t move, however.