Primary Muscles Worked:  Pectoralis Major (mid chest) and Anterior Deltoids (front of the shoulder)


1.    Start Position:  Lie face down on the floor.  Bend your knees and position your hands palm down about midway between your shoulders and your hips.  Adjust the width of your hands to what ever is comfortable for you.  Your body is completely straight with abs tight and shoulders down away from your ears.  
2.    Exhale and push your body up off the floor.  Keeping your body as straight as possible.  
3.    Execution:  Inhale and slowly lower your body down to the floor.   Pause at the bottom of the movement.
4.    Exhale and push your body up off the floor.  Pause and repeat the movement.
5.    Avoid this exercise if you have any shoulder or wrist problems or if you feel pain in your shoulders or wrist (or anywhere else).

Trainer Tips:
•    Proper form, posture and correct breathing are very important – not only to isolate the muscle group, but also to prevent injury.
•    Making the mind/muscle connection will insure that you get the most out of the exercise.
•    If you have difficulty performing this exercise, try breaking it into 2 separate moves.  First just try to successfully push yourself up off the floor without bending your body.  Don’t worry about slowly lowering back down.  Concentrate on the push up off the floor to build strength.  Add the second part of the move as you become stronger.