Are push-ups really good for developing the upper body? And do you get the same benefits with "cheater" push-ups?

Push-ups *are* good for developing the upper body. And there is nothing wrong with doing modified ("cheater") push-ups if you're not ready for the more difficult, classic push-ups. (NOTE: Modified push-ups are done with knees on the floor, rather than from your feet.) Push-ups are great because you can do them anytime, anywhere.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Always keep your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with fingers together and pointing straight ahead.
  
  
• Start in the "up" position with your arms straight.
  
  
• Inhale as you lower yourself toward the floor.
  
  
• Don't go lower than forming a 90-degree bend with your elbows. (There is no need to touch your chest or chin to the floor.)
  
  
• Exhale as you push yourself up from the floor
  
  
• Don't lock your elbows at the top.
  
  
• Your back should be straight. Don't let it sag and don't stick your butt up in the air.

Work up from modified push-ups to regular ones. After you can do 25-30 push-ups without stopping, or if you can do three sets of 15 with minimal rest between sets, it's time to make the exercise more challenging. Do this by placing your feet on top of a step or a couple of heavy books. Raising the surface your feet are on will force you to work harder against gravity. Eventually, put your feet on an even higher platform like a coffee table, bench or chair.

Push-ups recruit the muscles of your chest, shoulders and triceps. You still need an exercise for your back muscles and biceps. You can do pull-ups, if you have a doorway high enough to install a bar in, or you can use dumbbells to do one-arm rows for your back and curls for your biceps.

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