Instructions
To try this exercise at home, you first need to find a sturdy chair or bench. A staircase or other stable elevated surface may also work in a pinch.
- Sit on your chair or bench with your arms at your side and your feet flat on the floor, hip distance apart.
- Position your hands so that your palms are down beside your hips. Your fingers should grip the front of the chair seat.
- Move your torso forward off the chair with your arms extended. Your buttocks should hover over the floor and your knees should be slightly bent. Your heels should touch the floor a few inches in front of your knees.
- Breathe in as you slowly lower your body, hinging at the elbows until each forms a 90-degree angle.
- Breathe out as you push up to your starting position with your arms fully extended.
Complete the exercise 10 to 15 times for your first set. Then complete another set. You may work your way up to doing more repetitions or sets of this exercise as you build strength.
Tips for proper form
- Be sure to keep your elbows straight behind you versus splaying them outward.
- Resist shrugging your shoulders — keep them neutral with your neck relaxed.
- Increase the difficulty of this exercise by straightening your legs and placing only your heels on the floor instead of the whole foot.