Indeed, push-ups don’t just give you a stronger upper body, they also trains your abs—as long as you’re doing them correctly.  Normally the accompanying videos to the article are useful to view but this video is imperative as Darin actually demonstrates the techniques described below and, as has been said for nearly a hundred years now:

“One picture is worth a thousand words “

Here, I demonstrate the perfect push-up, and goes through the three key strategies for building great abs:

1. Proper form
2. Alternating your technique to target different muscle groups
3. The progression of exercises so that you can get stronger and gain muscle

Proper Form is Crucial to Avoid Injury and Get the Benefits

Common mistakes most people make when performing a push-up include:

• Going too fast
• Using only partial range of motion

So, first, slow it down and use a three-second contraction. Try to really feel the muscle groups you’re targeting, and do a full range of motion; starting all the way down at the floor and pushing all the way up.

Pay particular attention to the alignment of your elbows. The ideal angle from your sides is about 45 degrees. This allows you to effectively work your chest muscles.

I recommend watching my demonstration of the proper form, but here’s a summary of key points to remember:

• Keep your body stiff and straight as a plank
• Elbows at a 45 degree angle from your sides
• Breathe in on the way down
• Lower your body all the way down, allowing your sternum to gently touch the floor
• Breathe out on the way up

Techniques for Targeting Different Muscle Groups

Push-ups are traditionally used to work your chest muscles, but by altering your technique slightly, you can work different muscle groups, including your abs.

But first, you need to understand the structure of the abdominal wall.

Your transverse abdominis (TVA) is like an inner sheath that holds your gut in place. On top of that are your internal and external obliques, and on top of that, beneath your skin, is your six-pack rectus abdominis. You also have lower pelvic muscles that are responsible for sexual function and elimination of urine at the bottom of the abdominal wall. On top, you have the diaphragm.

The technique demonstrates allows you to focus on and really feel those abdominal muscles at work while you’re doing the push-up.

Here are two key points:

• While in plank position, pull in your bellybutton. Your bellybutton is attached to your transverse abdominis, that inner sheath that holds your gut inside and gives your spine and vertebrae a nice, weight belt-tightening type of support. So by pulling it in, you begin to contract that deep inner transverse abdominis muscle.
• Next, do a Kegel squeeze. More women than men might be familiar with this term. A Kegel squeeze is performed by drawing your lower pelvic muscles up and holding them up high and tight. For men who aren’t familiar with that term, it’s similar to trying to stop urinating in the middle of the flow. This squeeze will allow you to feel and focus on your abdominal muscles.

If you want to work your six-pack rectus abdominis muscle, drive your chin down toward your toes while you’re focused on squeezing your bellybutton in.

These techniques are very effective, and will build the deep inner core muscles that lay the groundwork for that six-pack look. Keep in mind however, that in order to really get “six-pack” abs, you have to shed fat. Men need to get their body fat down to about six percent, and women around nine percent in order to achieve that classic six-pack.

How to Progressively Get Stronger and Build Muscle

Using a progression of exercises can help you focus on the abdominal techniques described above while stimulating the muscles in different ways.

You’re probably familiar with the advice to avoid doing the same exercises all the time. You need to “confuse” the muscle to keep building it. Darin demonstrates several unique techniques to accomplish this, no matter what level you’re starting out at.

How do you know when it’s time to progress to the next level?

Once you can do 12, 15, or 18 repetitions for two or three sets, move on to the next level or technique.

First, if you’re just starting out doing push-ups, you may want to begin by keeping your knees on the floor. Bring your heels up toward your buttocks, and keep your body straight. In this position you can still pull your bellybutton in and perform a Kegel squeeze to work those deeper ab muscles. Remember to go slow and use full range of motion, allowing your chest to gently touch the floor. By pulling your elbows closer to your sides, you can place more focus on your chest muscles.

Once you can comfortably perform about a dozen push-ups this way, advance to the regular push-up technique, keeping your legs straight and balancing on your toes.

A more advanced technique that will improve the strength and grip of your hands is to do push-ups off our fingertips.

Another advanced technique is to do push-ups off an unstable surface. Two medicine balls will work well for this. Place the palms of your hands on top of the balls and perform the push-up from there.

The next progression could be to put your feet higher than your hands. This will put additional weight on your chest- and ab muscles. Find a bench, stool or other level surface that is about 12-16 inches high, and with your feet on this surface, perform your push-up.

If at any point you find the push-up causing pain in your wrists, simply use a couple of light dumbbells. By gripping the dumbbell instead of having your palm flat on the floor, your wrist will stay nice and straight, preventing painful strain.

Lastly, here’s a very advanced technique called a push-up dumbbell row. This will give you great ab development!

In this demonstration I use 20-lb dumbbells, but you can start at a weight suitable to your current level of strength and fitness and progress into higher weights as you go along. Place the dumbbell’s at a 45-degree angle; pull in your bellybutton; draw up your lower pelvic muscles (Kegel squeeze), and breathe in as you lower your upper body to the floor. Breathe out on the way up, and once your arms are in the fully extended position, perform a row—pulling the right dumbbell up toward your chest.

On the next push-up, pull up with your left.

This technique will work your abs from side to side, and target those deep core muscles as well.

Push-Up Plyometrics—A  Mini Peak 8 Exercise

To further stimulate the muscles of your core, try push-up plyometrics. Plyometrics are quick, explosive types of movement. To do a plyometric push-up, once your sternum touches the floor, hold your position and breathe for about three seconds, then perform anexplosive push upward.

Another technique called the three-minute push-up challenge is extremely challenging, but delivers fantastic results.

It’s quite simply, how many push-ups can you do in three minutes?

You need to have good technique, good form, and a strategy. If you go all out you’ll lose your energy and likely won’t last for three minutes. So go at a pace of about 80 percent of your total ability, and when you can’t go any further, rest for 20-30 seconds; stretch, and then resume.

The last technique is super-advanced and works your shoulders, triceps and core—the handstand push-up.

Facing a wall, place your hands at a 45 degree angle about one-to two hand-lengths from the wall. Kick your legs up. You can use the wall to stabilize you as you perform the push-up. Breathe in as you lower yourself to the floor, and breathe out as you push yourself up.

Again, I recommend you watch the videos to really get the proper forms and techniques before you try these on your own. It’ll definitely keep you from wasting time and effort on ineffective technique.

Thanks so much for following me and supporting me.   I hope you found this post helpful.  please consider commenting below and using the buttons below to send this to your friends and family who may like it.  Until,  next week;

MAKE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…….

THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE!!

YOUR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE COACH

DARIN STEEN

To work out with me in my Private facility 30 min. south of Chicago - Train With Darin for as low as $184 a month

To work out with me On LIne - Lose Fat & Gain Muscle with Darin On Line

IF YOU WANT TO GAIN MUSCLE & LOSE FAT WHILE WORKING OUT LESS YOU MUST

IMPROVE IN; THE THOUGHTS YOU THINK – THE FOODS YOU EAT – THE EXERCISE YOU GET

FOOD – If you want to lose fat and gain muscle you must eat small meals with protein and veggie type carbs combined together. You must eat every 3 hours. And depending on you present condition, your metabolism, and your goal; you must learn how to cycle in the right amount of starchy carbs in addition to your “protein and veggie type carb”.

THOUGHTS – You must get some leverage on yourself by having a goal, a deadline, or an event to get ready for. Everyone of our clients has a specific date that we are going to retake their body composition and their pictures. So you need to find something to shoot for. Making a bet with a buddy helps a lot. Put some money on the line and watch yourself make better choices.

Here is a copy of your commitment sheet. Fill in the blanks and start using it asap;

Commitment Sheet (This is a commitment to yourself)
A pact that you will do everything within your power to peak your health & fitness
So you will thus be able to peak in all the other areas of your life: Your mind body & soul are directly connected
I _________; am very excited about my NEW, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE that Darin & I have created together.
On ___________ (6,5,4,3,2,1) weeks away from my retest and photo shoot I will have:
Goals☺
1. Lost _____ lbs. of fat
2. Gained ___ lbs. of muscle
3. Lost ____inches of my waist (at navel)
4. Gained ____ inches on each arm
5. Lost ____ inches off of buns
6. ____________ ( improve any physical issue that you may have with your body)

Emotional Reasons

So that: 1.) I can get off blood pressure medication
2.) I can attract a soul mate
3.) I can have more real energy and productivity
4.) I can improve my sex life
5.) I can increase my body and self image and hold my head up high

EXERCISE – Squat-Burpee-Push up-Rotation-Plyo Hop

The exercise in the video is an amazing, unique exercise. Start with a light weight and remember to do the two press’s in the top position very slow. And you will be able to feel your core working during the exercise and it will be sore a day or two after.

Make sure to do some recovery walking on the treadmill when you are done to aid in muscle recovery. If you do a cool down walk on the treadmill at the end of an intense work out your body will:

1.) Feel better
2.) Your muscles wont get as sore for the next couple of days
3.) Your muscles wont stay as sore as long
4.) You will recover from the work out faster:

1.) Feel better
2.) Your muscles wont get as sore for the next couple of days
3.) Your muscles wont stay as sore as long
4.) You will recover from the work out faster.

If you have any question, please comment below in the comment section.
Also please use the buttons below to pass this on to your friends on
Facebook, Twitter, Link in, etc.

Make the Rest of Your Life… The Best of Your Life!!

Your Coach,

Darin Steen

Work Out With Darin in his Private facility 30 min. south of  Chicago –   Train With Darin for as low as $184 a month

Train with us On LIne – Lose Fat & Gain Muscle with Darin On Line

IF YOU WANT TO GAIN MUSCLE & LOSE FAT WHILE WORKING OUT LESS YOU MUST

IMPROVE IN;     THE THOUGHTS YOU THINK – THE FOODS YOU EAT – THE EXERCISE YOU GET

Food – If you want to lose fat and gain muscle you must eat small meals with protein and veggie type carbs combined together.  You must eat every 3 hours. And depending on you present condition, your metabolism, and your goal; you must learn how to cycle in the right amount of starchy carbs in addition to your “protein and veggie type carb”.

Mindset – You must get some leverage on yourself by having a goal, a deadline, or an event to get ready for. Everyone of our clients has a specific date that we are going to retake their body composition and their pictures. So you need to find something to shoot for.  Making a bet with a buddy helps a lot.   Put some money on the line and watch yourself make better choices.

Exercise – Kettle Bell Bur-pee – Split Squat The exercise in the video is an amazing, unique exercise. I failed to mention in the video that you must switch legs and do a set for each leg. Do two or three sets of this exercise twice a week and watch you body fat start to melt off. It is a good idea to do this exercise at the end of your weight training routine. Make sure to do some recovery walking on the treadmill when you are done to aid in muscle recovery. If you do a cool down walk on the treadmill at the end of an intense work out your body will:

1.) Feel better 2.) Your muscles wont get as sore for the next couple of days 3.) Your muscles wont stay as sore as long 4.) You will recover from the work out faster.

If you have any question, please comment below in the comment section.  Also please use the buttons below to pass this on to your friends on Facebook, Twitter, Link in, etc.

Make the Rest of Your Life… The Best of Your Life!!

Your Coach,

Darin Steen

If you want to lose fat, gain muscle, and become fit; you must have a goal. When you set a specific goal you have a deadline. When you have a deadline you create leverage. All leverage means is you become stronger.

People ask me all the time, how do you get is such great shape? My answer is always the same. I just do everything the 5 Pillars to the 100th percentile. It’s that simple. The five Pillars are;

1. Lift weights and stretch (2-3 times per week)
2. Do Interval Cardio (2-3 times per week)
3. Good Nutrition – Eat small meals often
4. Goal Set – visualize – positive thinking
5. Social Support – announce your intentions and ask for help

Only 10 days left till I take 20 members of the Fatloss Lifestyle.com team to race with over 4,000 other climbers up to the top of the Sears Tower in Chicago.

Today; when the sun came up we were outside pounding out some stairs in preparation for the big race. One of our climbers is paralyzed. If he can do it, so can you. It was fun exercising as we were getting interviewed by the SouthTown Star.

If you would like to help us in our fund raising efforts click below;

Tax Deductible Donation For Rehab Patients

By the way, we have raised over $2800 for a great cause. Thanks!!

If you thought this video and blog post was inspiring, please hit the like button below and leave a comment and the “Share This and Tweet This” button. Thanks You Very Much!!

To Your Success,

Your Healthy Lifestyle Coach,

Darin Steen

PS — If you want to be one of the 50 that are working 1 on 1 with Darin from any where in the world; And if you want to “Work Out Less and See More Results” then click ====>>>> Fatloss Inner Circle

Each Month You will have the ability to hang with me and 50 other individuals that will put positive pressure on you to make better choices.

Five of My Top Mentors who have guided me are:

Tom Venuto,

Bill Phillips,

JOE MERCOLA,

Tony Robbins,

Joel OSteen

As Wendy said in the video; using my Fatloss Lifestyle System she is working out far less than ever before. And so can you.

Wendy’s Body Transformation is one of the best stories in the making that I have ever been involved with. I can’t wait to see her progress as she steps on the stage for a bodybuilding competition in the near future.

Not only his she making big changes to her waistline, but to her brain and her heart as well. This is a full transformation. You can do the same. We all have it in us.

Please click the “Like” Button below and leave a comment.

Also please send this story to a friend to help motivate them. Tune in next week as I follow Wendy along her Body Transformation Story. IF SHE CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU!!

Click here to use the same cardio work out that Wendy uses; Interval Cardio
This technique works great for me and my clients. And it wil work great for you too.

If You Want Me In Your Face Every Week Like A Drill Seargeant then click here: Fatloss Inner Circle

If you thought this video and blog post were helpful, please hit the like button below and leave a comment and the “Share This and Tweet This” button. Thanks You Very Much!!

To Your Success,

Your Healthy Lifestyle Coach,

Darin Steen

PS — If you want to be one of the 50 that are working 1 on 1 with Darin from any where in the world; And if you want to “Work Out Less and See More Results” then click ====>>>> Fatloss Inner Circle

Each Month You will have the ability to hang with me and 50 other individuals that will put positive pressure on you to make better choices.

Five of My Top Mentors who have guided me are:

Tom Venuto,

Bill Phillips,

JOE MERCOLA,

Tony Robbins,

Joel OSteen

Advantages of Interval Cardio
•You burn extra calories for up to 8 hours after your interval session. With jogging you stop burning extra calories when you stop exercising.

•Your heart and lunges become bigger, stronger, and able to take on sudden intense challenges more easily and recover quickly. With jogging your heart and lunges actually become smaller. Having a bigger and stronger heart and lunges is very important in order to live long and strong.

•Your body changes the way you store your carbs in the future. To help fuel future intense interval challenges your body will become more efficient at converting carbs into glucose and glycogen; which means that you will have more fuel for short bursts of intense challenges like lifting weights or running 100 yards quickly. Another side benefit is glucose and glycogen is anabolic. It burns energy just sitting there. Fat does not. Do low intensity jogging type cardio and your body becomes more efficient at converting carbs to body fat. In order to get ready for future low intensity jogging sessions. Fat is the bodies preferred source of fuel for jogging, glycogen is the bodies preferred source of fuel for interval type cardio.

•Interval Cardio is much more time efficient. You only need about two three 30 minute interval cardio sessions per week. Traditionally many have jogged for between four and 8 hours per week. With as fast paced as most people are running now a days, less is best. In order for most people to stay consistent with exercise, it can only consume three five hours per week. Including resistance training and stretching and flexibility work.

Advantages of Interval Cardio performed on a treadmill

•Most people stay more consistent with interval because they can control the climate and the variables (speed and incline); which is very helpful here in Chicago the windy city. Because of the ability to control the variables, the interval cardio session can be more precisely carried out.

•Safer on the joints, tendons and ligaments because of the shock absorption of the tread on the tread mill. Also clients can keep their body tight and have proper technique so that the majority of the pounding goes into the muscles (which is good) and stays out of the bones, ligaments and tendons (not good). It is not possible to hold the body tight during 60-90 minutes of jogging. Therefore a lot of the pounding goes into the bad places.

•More functional than a stationary bike or elliptical. On a bike or elliptical the legs get worked more and balance and stability does not. Sprints on a treadmill tie your upper body to your lower body through your core. Most sprinters have incredible abs because of this benefit. Sprinters got their abs from sprinting not from doing sit ups.

You have many options for Interval Cardio on a treadmill.
This technique works great for me and my clients. And it wil work great for you too.

If You Want Me In Your Face Every Week Like A Drill Seargeant then click here: Fatloss Inner Circle

If you thought this video and blog post were helpful, please hit the like button below and leave a comment and the “Share This and Tweet This” button. Thanks You Very Much!!

To Your Success,

Your Healthy Lifestyle Coach,

Darin Steen

PS — If you want to be one of the 50 that are working 1 on 1 with Darin from any where in the world; And if you want to “Work Out Less and See More Results” then click ====>>>> Fatloss Inner Circle

Each Month You will have the ability to hang with me and 50 other individuals that will put positive pressure on you to make better choices.

Five of My Top Mentors who have guided me are:

Tom Venuto,

Bill Phillips,

JOE MERCOLA,

Tony Robbins,

Joel OSteen

CLICK THE ARROW ON THE VIDEO BELOW. IT IS ONLY 1 MINUTE LONG BUT COULD CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE!!

We all can relate to this video. It is so easy to make excuses. I can tell you that with working with over 600 people professionally in the last 10 years as a full time Healthy Lifestyle Coach and Personal Trainer, the #1 factor is “Are You Ready”? Cause when you are very unhappy with your present body, energy, and life, you have what they call “Leverage” my friend. You can move mountains when you have leverage.

If you are done making excuses and ready to “Really Do This” then consider a working with me. A one time fee of $47 will get the job done.
Click here. Get Your Best Work Out Plan Personalized

PLEASE CLICK THE “SEND TO A FRIEND” OR “SHARE” BUTTONS BELOW TO MOTIVATE YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS

If You Want Me In Your Face Every Week Like A Drill Seargeant then click here: Fatloss Inner Circle
To Your Success,

Your Healthy Lifestyle Coach,

Darin Steen

PS — If you want to be one of the 50 that are working 1 on 1 with Darin from any where in the world; And if you want to “Work Out Less and See More Results” then click ====>>>> Fatloss Inner Circle

Each Month You will have the ability to hang with me and 50 other individuals that will put positive pressure on you to make better choices.

Five of My Top Mentors who have guided me are:

Tom Venuto,

Bill Phillips,

JOE MERCOLA,

Tony Robbins,

Joel OSteen

Thoughts That You Think:
Most of us are really stressed. The stress is limiting our abilities to be fit and healthy. And it is killing some of us. Most of us are running around like chickens with our heads cut off. With the turbulent world and the fast paced-ness of todays society a lot of us are not able sleep well and have real energy. Exercise can definitely be a vital tool for anyone and everyone at coping with all the new kinds of stress we are facing.

Deep Breathing can be a way to slow down and release some anxiety and nervousness. By doing so we can focus more on our fitness program and start to become fit and healthy.

Try This:

5 Seconds – Blow all of your air out as you pull your navel in.

5 Seconds – Take as much air in as you can as you push your navel out.

8 Seconds – Hold your breathe and focus on not thinking of anything. I like to listen to and feel my heart beat.

8 Seconds – Blow all of your air out

Try this 2-3 times and see how you feel. I bet you will feel great. I do.

Tip: As you are breathing in and out, clear all thoughts out of your mind and simply listen to the sound the air is making going in and out .

Breath in your nostrils and out your mouth.

Exercise You Get:

Slow down how fast you lift and lower the weight. More gains are made when you lower (negative) the weight than when you lift (positive).

Try a 3-1-3-1 second contraction. Put the mind in the muscle and really work on squeezing the target area.

Make a light weight feel heavy by going slow and improving your mind muscle connection.

You should try to get to failure around 15 reps on the first set and 12 reps on the second. That’s it, just 2 or 3 sets at most.

Fat Burning Finisher ;

Medball Squat / Push

Do 20 Reps of the first set with feet wide and toes pointed out.

Rest 60-90 Seconds and do 15 Reps with the feet staggered (back toe only about 6 inches from heel). Think of it as a one legged squat using the front leg.

Remember on this and all plyometric exercises to get the buns nice and deep at the bottom of the movement. And land soft and deep on the heels.

Use this or any of my past “FatBurning Finishers” in the last 1/4 of your traditional body building type work out. With these “FatBurning Finishers” you do not ever have to do traditional slow, boring cardio again.
To Your Success,

Your Healthy Lifestyle Coach,

Darin Steen

PS — If you want to be one of the 50 that are working 1 on 1 with Darin from any where in the world; And if you want to “Work Out Less and See More Results” then click ====>>>> Fatloss Inner Circle

Each Month You will have the ability to hang with me and 50 other individuals that will put positive pressure on you to make better choices.

Five of My Top Mentors who have guided me are:

Tom Venuto,

Bill Phillips,

JOE MERCOLA,

Tony Robbins,

Joel OSteen

If you want to Work Out Less, and See More Results then you must have a simple plan for:

The Thoughts That You Think
The Foods That You Eat
The Exercise (cardio and resistance training) That You Get

In this Video, I cover:

Foods That You Eat:
You must eat small amounts of protein every 3-4 hours. Or else you will go catabolic if you are training intensely with weights (which I am sure most of you are).

For this reason it is important for your to make sure that you eat a small dinner with protein and non-starchy carbs @ 6:00 p.m.’ ish and then eat a small protein snack before bed. Preferably a whole food source that is absorbed nice and slow. That way you will get a steady release of amino acids in your blood stream for up to 2-3 three hours after you go to sleep.

Following this tip will allow you to wake up the next morning in a anabolic (muscle building) state.

Exercise That You Get
Try this standing Side Crunch / Arnold Press exercise as either a muscle builder or ad a plyo-metric jump to turn it into a Fat Burning Finisher Exercise.

You Do Have The Power To Change!!
Build A Better Body, Build A Better Life!!
Please comment below to ask us any questions or to let us know how you are doing on your weight loss challenge.

Click hereDigital Fatloss System To Lose Fat and Gain Muscle With Me Any Where In The World by using my On-line Program. The System is 311 pages and it will be sent to you within minutes. It give you a perfect, individualized plan on exercise (weights and cardio), food, goal setting, and positive thinking all for a one time fee of $47.

To Your Success,

Your Healthy Lifestyle Coach,

Darin Steen

PS — If you want to be one of the 50 that are working 1 on 1 with Darin from any where in the world; And if you want to “Work Out Less and See More Results” then click ====>>>> Fatloss Inner Circle

Each Month You will have the ability to hang with me and 50 other individuals that will put positive pressure on you to make better choices.

Five of My Top Mentors who have guided me are:

Tom Venuto,

Bill Phillips,

JOE MERCOLA,

Tony Robbins,

Joel OSteen