Mountain Climber Push Ups

In college I was a skinny kid. Seriously, if I turned sideways people would ask, "Where's Bobby?!" I envied the guys who had big chests and arms. So one day I decided that I would do push ups every day. I was too embarrassed to do them with anyone watching, so I would do them in my room or the bathroom. I could only imagine what my mom was thinking hearing me grunt behind the bathroom door! However, after several weeks people began complimenting my chest.

If you are just beginning an exercise program, the push up is a great basic exercise to strengthen and build the chest. The best thing about them is they can be done anywhere! Also, push ups can be done many different ways. On the floor, on a bench, on a ball, down the hall ... "I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them Sam I am!"

A great push up variation is the mountain climber push up. Don't worry -- rope is not required. This form of push up will work the chest, shoulders, triceps, abs and legs. Not to mention it will get your heart pumping!

1. Start in the basic push up position, with your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Your body should be one straight line from head to foot. So keep those hips down!

2. Make sure you initiate the core by pulling your belly button in toward your spine. Keep you pelvis tipped under. In other words, you should try to keep your lower back from arching.

3. Lower your chest slowly (count to three) to the floor by bending the arms. Make sure you are not lifting your shoulders up (like a shrug). Exhale and push your body up in one count.

4. Now, here's where things get interesting. Stay in the push up position and bend your right leg, bringing the knee to the chest. Return the leg to the starting position and bring the left knee to the chest and return it to the starting position.

5. Great, that's one rep! Repeat the whole thing again, starting with the push up.

Your goal is to do 12-15 reps, three sets. If you can't do 12, that's OK. Just do as many as you can until you build your strength.

Do you have a question for Bobby about how to improve your time in the gym? Send us an email.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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A.C.E.- and N.A.S.M.-certified, Bobby Solorio has been personal training for over 10 years. You might recognize him from Bravo TV's "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List," where he trains his now-A-list client. For more info check out Bobby's website. 

Comments

[Chad]

What in the hell does this have to do with Kathy's rocking bod? You used her picture but you did not mention her once. LAME>