Didja Know? #3 ~ The secret agony of pushups!

I hate to tell you all this, but I think the majority of you all probably know the fact for today. At least in part. But just in case…

Did you know that a simple pushup works six muscle groups:

1. Pectoralis major–large chest muscles, think breast area
2. Deltoids–shoulders
3. Triceps brachii–backs of the upper arms
4. Serratus anterior–under the armpits and in the back of the chest
5. Abdominal muscles–stomach area (even if you’ve got a layer of insulation, you still have muscles under there!)
6. Coracobrachialis–shoulder blade to upper arm

Here are some benefits:

1. Muscle stretching and strengthening–also adds definition!
2. Fire up the cardiovascular system which is good for both a healthy heart and weight loss
3. Improves your posture
4. Increases bone mass
5. Best of all…works your abs without the dreaded crunches! (They’re probably not so bad, but I always get vertigo when I do them.)

While the above is true for everyone if the pushup is done correctly, my next statement might not be accurate for everyone:

When doing a minimum of two within a five-minute span, be prepared to be extremely sore for no less than 36-hours! This is one of those “don’t ask me how I know” facts. All I can say is: 1. I have another post to put up today that might explain this all a little better and 2. I may or may not be extremely sore after starting a “pushup” challenge yesterday… but I’m not talking.