You might think that push-ups are boring - try these variations when you're feeling energetic!

Or you might just try basic push-ups naked in the snow...

Or during a run at the beach...

1. SPLIT-LEVEL

(Emphasises pectoralis major and minor, anterior deltoid, triceps.)

Use the same position, breathing pattern and movement as the basic press-up, but place one hand on a box. This exercise helps with flexibility since you can go past parallel. It also develops balance and core strength.

When doing this variation, try to push up from the down position with equal force on both arms.

2. FINGERTIP

(Emphasises pectoralis major and minor, anterior deltoid, triceps, flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundis.)

Use the same position, breathing pattern and movement as the basic press-up, but support your weight with your fingertips. It increases stress on the hand and possibly decreases it on the wrist, since the joint isn't hyper-extended. While this style of press-up strengthens the finger flexor muscles, the increased stress on the fingers may limit the number of press-ups you'll be able to do. As a result, strength development of the upper-extremity muscles can be limited.

Place your hands at the most comfortable angle and then raise up on to your fingertips.

3. WEIGHTED

(Emphasises pectoralis major and minor, anterior deltoid, triceps.)

Use the same position, breathing pattern and movement as the basic press-up, but have someone apply resistance to your back. Adding weights increases the load being lifted, which increases the relative effort for each press-up, causing fatigue earlier.

Place the weight near your mid- to upper-back area to increase the workload.

4. SINGLE-ARM

(Emphasises pectoralis major and minor, anterior deltoid, triceps.)

Use the same position, breathing pattern and movement as the basic press-up, but place one arm behind your back. The single-arm press-up works on stability and balance, and helps develop core strength. Using only one arm at a time greatly increases the load on the muscles worked, which produces a strength-training effect, but it also increases the local stress in the joints, leading to a greater chance of injury.

For better control, start with your legs wide apart. As you get stronger, close the gap between your feet.

5. INVERTED

(Emphasises deltoids, trapezius, rhomboids; secondary emphasis: upper pectorals and triceps.)

Stand facing a wall and go into a handstand, hands set shoulder width apart, legs almost straight and supported by the wall. With your arms fully extended, lower your body towards the floor, bending at the elbows, then push back up to for each side

6. PLYOMETRIC

(Emphasises pectoralis major and minor, anterior deltoid, triceps.)

Use the same position, breathing pattern and movement as the basic press-up (a), but on the ascent from the lowered position, explosively push up high enough to clap.

Because the body is moving when weight is borne, a greater effort is needed to stop at the bottom of the press-up increasing the training stimulus to develop upper-body power.

The less time your hands are in contact with the ground, the better.

7. GENERAL PRECAUTIONS

Always warm up with a couple of sets of basic press-ups before moving on to these variations.

Keep the resistance and exercises varied.

Start with the suggested programme, and work your way up to four sets of 20 for each exercise.

Also, rearrange the order to keep your muscles guessing. For an added challenge, shorten the rest periods between exercises and sets: 10-15 second of rest between sets of the same exercise and only 20-25 seconds between exercises.

Fitness and weight training routines; these are my own bodybuilding and naked / fetish workouts for sports masochists

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You should check your own health and physical condition before attempting any unusual physical activity. Don't workout when tired, intoxicated or ill. If you attempt to emulate these workout plans you do so at your own responsibility and risk.

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