Not many of my clients don’t enjoy doing push-ups, I hear a lot of grumbles when I prescribe them during a prenatal or postnatal workout. Sure moms roll their eyes, but they do them because I ask. Now I’m asking you to do them on your own with AMC’s inaugural Push-Up Challenge. Beginning October 1st, I challenge you to complete 10 push-ups everyday for the month of October. Make it a family affair for additional accountability and fun; ask your spouse and kids to participate in the challenge with you!
TOP 5 HEALTH BENEFITS OF PUSH-UPS
- Push-ups build muscles! You need muscles for parenthood. It’s easy to lift an eight pound infant, but that infant is going to grow fast and soon you’ll be lifting – if you aren’t already – a 25-50 pound toddler. And if you’re pregnant the demand on your core muscles is just as great, and as important, to keep strong to power through labor.
- It’s an exercise that multi-tasks and takes minimum time. Parents are all about multi-tasking. Push-ups work out a number of different muscles simultaneously (triceps, biceps, deltoids, lower back, abs, chest, and quadricep muscles) and produce functional strength. Do as many push-ups as you can today – with good form, of course – and see which muscles hurt tomorrow. I promise it will be more than one.
- Modified push-ups are as effective as a full push-up from your toes. Everyone has to start somewhere. Begin with modified push-ups from your knees and practice until you can complete 15-20 with good form. Once you conquered 20 modified push-ups, progress to a full push-up from toes. Build up to 10 full push-ups. Be consistent and you’ll be rockin’ them out in no time, and now you’ve got some bragging rights mama!
- Push-ups build strong abs. It’s a effective exercise to build core strength and upper body strength. Did you know the act of a push-up demands as much strength from your abs and hip muscles as upper body muscles? Start pumping for stronger abs, crunches are so 1980.
- Lose weight. Exercise is an essential component to lose weight. Push-ups are a form of exercise. The added bonus of push-ups is that they build muscles, which increases your metabolism, making you burn more fat.
Join AMC’s Push-Up Challenge! Complete 10 push-ups, every day, anywhere. If you miss a day, make-up up the 10 push-ups the next day. It will take LESS THAN ONE MINUTE a day to do the Challenge, there are really no excuses! The goal is to complete 310 push-ups in October. Push it out and reap the rewards – get stronger and more fit!
Share images of you and your family members in action and post daily pictures on AMC’s Facebook wall, Instagram, or Twitter accounts. Use the hashtag #AMCpushupChallenge.