Fitness and Weight Loss: 12 pushups that will transform your chest

Step away from the bench and do these instead.

The pushup needs no introduction—it is one of the greatest exercises there is. Not only does it strengthen your arms, chest, and shoulders, but it also trains your core and builds conditioning (with no equipment necessary). You can drop and give 20 anywhere anytime.

But pushups are equally as versatile as they are popular, as BJ Gaddour demonstrates with these 12 variations in the video above.

You can do them with your hands elevated to decrease their difficulty, or you can do them with your legs elevated to increase their difficulty—the weight will shift from your legs to your arms and shoulders.

If you're looking for even more of a challenge, try the pike pushup, the crazy cousin to the overhead press, or the archer pushup, which simulates doing the exercise with just one arm.

Or strengthen your core with the T-pushup or the close-grip pushup, keeping your abs tight with each rep. (Looking for more ways to chisel your abs? Try Men's Health Anarchy Abs to build muscle in just six weeks.)

So make sure to start your week off right, and celebrate International Chest Day each Monday by adding at least one of these pushups to your workout.

You'll have a ripped upper body in no time.

Step away from the bench and do these instead. Read Full Story