Good News/Bad News

The good news is that there is an exercise that requires absolutely no equipment, can be done anywhere, anytime and is one of the best upper body challenges around. The bad news is that this particular exercise never seems to get easier to do, no matter how much you work at it--unless of course, you cheat. (We don't advocate that unless you're having a really bad day and you need to feel some measure of success somewhere.)

The exercise: PUSH-UPS. Without a doubt that deceptively simple up-down movement is part of a true love/hate relationship--sort of like getting on the scale or eating turkey bacon.

We have tried so many ways to distract us while doing push-ups. We have had push-up parties when we invited gym friends to join us for 25. We've played mind games when we would do only five at a time, but 20 times. We counted up; we counted down. We tried them on the stability ball and we tried them outside in the park. It did not help They were still hard. And we still whined.

We do not like them Sam I Am.
Not at a party, not with our friends,
Not just a few, then counting again.
Not counting up, not counting down,
Not in the park or the sidewalks downtown.
We do not like them Sam I Am.
I fear they're worse than green eggs and ham.

Unfortunately, even bad Dr. Seuss changes nothing. Push-ups are still hard. But, here's the good news again: Those who make doing push-ups part of their fitness routine WILL see results in more defined arms and a toned back. Really.

So quit reading and give me 20.