Most people don’t do them anymore, though they enjoyed a brief revival of interest when actor Jack Palance memorably performed several age-defying examples during his Oscar acceptance speech some years back.
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The push-up is, however, still the ultimate and simplest barometer of fitness and strength training for a number of reasons.
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To begin with, it tests the whole body by engaging muscle groups in the arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs. Push-ups require you to be very fit because the body needs to be taut like a plank, with toes and palms on the floor ready for the act of lifting and lowering your entire weight.
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Yet many people are simply not advised to get into the required shape to do them because the focus of health and exercise experts these days tends to be mainly on the upper body and cardiovascular fitness.
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In fact, push-ups can have benefits for every age group. No one expects older people, for example, to pass muster at a Marine Corps boot camp exercise session. But the ability of seniors to do push-ups properly and regularly more than once-a-workout can provide a vital shield against the rigors of aging.
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Push-ups provide the strength and muscle memory for a person to prevent injury during a fall. When people fall forward, they typically reach out to catch themselves, ending in a move that mimics the push-up. The hands hit the ground, wrists and arms absorb much of the impact and elbows bend slightly to reduce the fall. And people who can’t do a push-up may not be able to help themselves up if they do fall.
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Next week we’ll feature more health advantages of push-ups, which, as part of a regular exercise regime and a balanced nutritious diet can help reverse an underlying cause of PCOS excess weight and obesity, namely the imbalance of blood glucose and insulin called Insulin Resistance. By reversing this latter condition, you can facilitate Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome weight loss.
Next Steps
- Take the PCOS Quiz!  Get your score and assess your hormone health risks.
- Join our Facebook Sisterhood Group Pose your questions to this group of like-minded women. Get the answers to your questions and the support you need.
- Checkout the Hormone Reset. Guided Practices to eliminate anxiety, lose weight and boost energy.
We are committed to helping women reverse their symptoms of hormone imbalance – a major cause of excess weight gain, adult acne, unwanted facial hair, depression, anxiety, and heartbreaking female infertility.
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