Press-ups have a long history, it was first noted as an amalgamation of two other Indian exercises.

Press-ups also have a interesting link with Burpees and the Front Leaning Reach (FLR) (see link below).

For those who don’t know, a press-up – which is a common calisthenics exercise (i.e. using your own body weight) – is a compound strength-training exercise that involves raising and lowering the body using the arms while facing down in a prone, horizontal position.

A compound exercise works several muscle groups at once, and includes movement around two or more joints. Most compound exercises build strength that is needed to perform everyday activities, and press-ups are no exception.

Some say press-ups are a solo activity, but others disagree.

Some also say press-ups can be hard … but are they really!

You can learn about:

• The history of press-ups;
• What a press-up is (apart from being hard and awkward!);
• The muscles involved;
• Press-up’s link with burpees; and
• A load of other fascinating information here.