"I can't do a single pushup", Sandy says on her first day of personal training with me.  "How often do you try?", I ask her.  "Never", she replies.  "Well there's your problem!".  Can't do a pushup?  Do you struggle to properly perform a pushup only to find you don't have the strength necessary to lift your body weight?  Here at BeFit Lifestyle, we've created a beginner's guide on how to perform a proper pushup that can have you going from zero to 5, 10, or more in under a week!


DAY ONE

First, you should start off by doing basic "assisted" pushups, otherwise known as girlie pushups.  Using your knees on the ground redistributes some of your body weight to your knees so that you can work on proper posture.  With your hands flat on the ground, shoulder width apart, start shallow and work your way into each pushup deeper and deeper. 

When you're able to do between 15 and 20 assisted pushups, perform 5 sets sporadically throughout the day.

DAY TWO

Preparing yourself for full pushups is going to be very difficult.  On day two, you're going to focus on two different positions to practice with throughout the day.  This is the first step toward doing a "real" push-up.  Don't get frustrated if you aren't able to grasp these as quickly as the assisted push-ups from day one.  Just take a break, re-energize, and get right back to it.  Persistence wins the race-- as cliche as that sounds, it's true.

We're going to start with the starting position for a pushup.  Balancing your lower body on your toes, with your hands shoulder width apart, hold yourself all the way up for 30 seconds at a time.  You should keep the elbows slightly bent, as you don't ever want to lock out the arms while doing a static hold.  Take deep breaths, squeeze the abs, and then rest.  Repeat this exercise 5 times as needed.  This static hold helps strengthen the muscles needed for doing a proper push-up.  If you can maintain this hold for 30 seconds, you're well on your way to doing a real push-up!

Your second position that you will be attempting will be the hardest-- besides the actual push-up of course!  First, you will lower your body all the way to the ground.  You will not be propping yourself up, but you will be relaxing your stomach and putting no strain on any muscles.  Count to 5, take a deep breath, and try to push your body off of the ground and into the starting push-up position.  If you're not able to remotely lift your body up, the key is not to give up.  Even though you think you might not be succeeding, you actually are engaging the proper muscles.  So keep it up!  You think you might not be accomplishing much by laying on the ground trying to unsuccessfully push your body up, but I promise that you will only get better with practice!

DAY THREE

Everything that you've done to prepare yourself leads up to this moment.  You've done assisted/girlie push-ups, you've strengthened your muscles from starting position, and you've started from the laying position.  Now you're ready to attempt a full push-up.

Once again, if you're not able to at first, don't feel hopeless.  Re-focus and keep trying.  If you've done everything in this guide properly, you should be able to perform at least one full push-up.  Even if you're barely able to lift your body, arms shaking, body trembling, you're still doing a push-up!

Congratulations!  Now work on adding more push-ups to your reps and in no time you'll be a push-up king!  You're living the BeFit Lifestyle!

 

 Do you want to know how to do a crunch without straining or hurting your neck? 

Whenever you attempt to do an abdominal crunch or sit-up, does your neck always seem to strain?  Does your neck tend to hurt before your abs do?  If so, then I'm going to give you the correct procedure so that you can perform crunches without hurting yourself and straining your neck muscles.

To perform a proper crunch, you must be engaging the abdominal muscles.  You must teach yourself how to properly lift your upper body off of the ground without putting un-needed strain on your neck, so here are a few ways to do a crunch without your neck wearing out before your abs:


1.  Support your head, don't pull on it-  Most people perform a crunch with their hands behind their head.  Although this isn't an incorrect way to do an abdominal crunch (there are several ways, you just have to find the method that works best for you), it's definitely the one that leads to the most neck injuries and pain.  Here's why;  when you lift  your upper body to perform the crunch, you might be using your hands and pulling your head up instead of letting your abs do the work.  Instead of using your hands to pull your head, train yourself to relax your head and let your abs to the work.


2.  Place your hands somewhere else-  If you just can't seem to support your head without pulling on it, then you should try placing your hands crossed over your chest.  Lead to the ceiling with your chin and don't lift with the head, lift with the chest.


3.  Concentrate on the abs-  Place all of your thought onto contracting the abs when you are in the middle of a crunch.  Stare at the ceiling and train yourself to not lead with the neck, which can cause unneeded strain on the neck and even the back.


4.  Get a personal trainer-  If you still aren't able to perform a crunch without pain in the neck, you might need a trainer to stand over you and show you exactly what you need to do to perform the crunch correctly.  You can never go wrong with an expert showing you how to do something!
 

5.  Use your legs-  So, you've tried every hand position, variation and method and still can't perform a basic crunch without hurting your neck.  It's time to try something new, at least for now.  Try doing reverse crunches.  To do these, lay down on your back with your knees bent.  Slowly raise your knees up to your stomach and squeeze your abs, then lower the feet to the ground.  Repeat as needed.  This takes every bit of pressure off of the neck!


If you vouch for method 5, remember not to give up on the standard crunch.  Just keep coming back to it every few days and practice until you can perform a proper crunch!  Remember, you can walk around all day with your neck supporting your head, so you should be able to do a few ab exercises without your neck ready to give up!

No matter what the reason, we can all relate to a time or two in our lives when we've felt down.  Perhaps it was a momentary situation.  Maybe your low self esteem is due to peer pressure.  Maybe you can't pinpoint WHY you have low self esteem.  Here are a few tips and tricks to help you re-evaluate your life, yourself, and regain the confidence that you deserve!  I've come up with a list of ways to increase your self confidence and self esteem in a matter of days.

So go ahead and remove that sad face, clean up those Twinky packages, and get up off the couch.  You've seen enough Oprah re-runs already.  It's time to start living life, fulfilling your dreams, and being the best person you can be, no matter what the goal.

1.  Dress for success, give your cosmetic image a makeover!  Good hygiene, a fresh haircut, and a minty fresh breath can go a long way in the pursuit of self confidence.  Start dressing nicer as well!  Wash your clothes on a regular basis, press your jeans, make sure you are wearing clean shoes!  I'm not saying go out and buy an entirely new wardrobe (Although that could help!) but if you don't have the financial means to do so, do what you can to present a positive outlook on life.

2.  Smile just because.  Have you ever wanted to approach a complete stranger who is looking down at the ground?  As uncomfortable as it may sound, start smiling and step out of the former shell of an introvert that you used to be!  Say hello to complete strangers while you're out in public.  Smile and nod, strike up conversations with anyone you come across!  Help an elderly person cross the street, hold the door for someone behind you in a restaurant.  You'll be amazed what this can do for your self confidence in the moment.

3.  Stop the negative way of thinking right now this very moment!  That pessimism won't get you anywhere, I promise!   There are two types of situations in the universe when it concerns your life:  Things you can control and things you can't.  If you can get a grasp on the things that you can control, become a positive thinker no matter what the outcome, and develop a fresher view on your life, you will actually see great things start to happen in your life!


4.  Feeling down about your situation?  DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!  Are you upset because you are overweight?  Then sit down, come up with a weight loss game plan, and jump into it head first.  You can want, wish, and pray all you want-- but the bottom line is that you have to take action for things to happen.  My father told me when I was younger, "Son, things just aren't going to fall into your lap."  He was right.  Positive things in my life started happening when I changed the way I approached life.

5.  Do things you've always wanted to do.  You can attain a sense of accomplishment and a new sense of meaning in your life if you take on new tasks, hobbies, and maybe even a new lifestyle.  It can be anything!  Just think of something you've always wanted to accomplish and get the ball rolling.  The sense of accomplishment can do wonders for your confidence and self esteem!

In just a few days, your attitude toward life can change if you really put forth the effort.  Not only is this really a daily struggle, it's an hourly struggle.  Sometimes, you might find yourself down and out for no good reason that you can think of.  Just take a deep breath, look at everything you've accomplished in your life and remember a time when you were happy.  With time, a positive attitude, and persistence, you can change your self esteem and maybe even the rest of your life!

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

This is the brutal, ear deafening sound that I'm so lucky to hear every morning at 4 AM. Before the sun even decides to shed a little light over the horizon, I'm up, in the shower, and on my way to my first client. The demands of a personal trainer are strict. Clients want to work out at all times of the day and it's my job to make sure that I do my best to fit their schedules, or else I don't have any clients. If I want to stay in business, I have to bend over backwards. No matter how much I whine and moan about it, I love what I do. I just don't care for the odd hours, but it's part of the lifestyle of a personal trainer. Take the good with the bad!

From 4 AM until 8:30 PM, I'm busy. It's almost impossible to sit down and enjoy a lunch, but I somehow still manage to fit exercise into my weekly routines. I hit the gym 3 to 4 days a week, for at least an hour each time. Although you might think I get enough exercise with my clients, I unfortunately do not. My hour with a client is for THEIR workout. I monitor, prescribe exercises, watch posture, and help them with their concerns and motivation. I don't get to work out when I'm with a client. I have to find time on my own to squeeze in a workout.

So, how do I manage to fit exercise into such a tight schedule? It's not easy, but it's possible. With a little tweaking and time management, anyone can get enough exercise into their lifestyle to create a routine.

First off, I don't screw around when I'm in the gym. I don't shuffle through my iPod, check my phone, or talk to other people for too long. I hit the gym with my game face on, attack my workout, and know exactly what to do.

You should always know before-hand what you're going to do. Is today a cardio day? Am I working only certain muscle groups today? Where is the equipment I need? How much time do I have? Set a game plan, hit the gym and get done what needs to be done. Don't spend too much time resting or walking around. I see it all the time: People just randomly walking around the gym watching others work out. People resting between sets for more than 5 minutes at a time. Those 5 minutes add up! I've seen someone spend 3 hours in a gym and do 20 minutes worth of actual exercise. Manage your time wisely! Take it seriously!

Secondly, if you can't get to a gym, you can always do things at home. Wake up 15 minutes earlier in the morning if you're able to. Or better yet, do your exercise routine at night before you hit the hay. Pushups, crunches, lunges, squats, calf raises, etc. can all be done with no weight or equipment at all. No treadmill or elliptical? Too cold to go jogging outside? Jog in place, do jumping jacks, mountain climbers, etc. There are tons of ways to get your heart rate up inside with no extra equipment.

Put in the effort. If you're going to do something, do it right. Agreed? If you know you can lift more weight, walk faster, or increase the incline, do it! You get out of your body what you put into it! I promise that if you eat right, exercise regularly, and stick with it, your body will thank you in more ways than one!

For more tips, read several other articles I've written. In the meantime, stay fit!

As a personal trainer with pectus excavatum, I know how tough it can be to live the day to day life with pectus. It's constantly on your mind, especially during the hot summer days or when you're wearing a thin t-shirt. I know, I've been there. You're not alone.

I've never wanted to opt for any of the surgeries. It's a personal choice. I noticed it when I was about 13 years old, and ever since then, I've come up with ways to hide it, certain clothing that looks better on me, etc.

I've since learned of several exercise, yoga, and training techniques, which have helped the appearance with a lot of dedication. My pectus has probably improved about 25% in the past 2 years or so, which is absolutely amazing considering there was no surgery involved. That combined with the fact that I've bulked up the areas surrounding the "dent" make it look a whole lot less noticeable. You can read my article on how to improve your physical appearance with pectus by clicking here.

My confidence has improved ten-fold. Half of that was mental preparation. I managed to convince myself that nobody cares about it and that it's all in my head. I challenged myself by making the pectus noticeable in public situations, and when nobody would notice, my confidence started to build and I'd say to myself, "hey, maybe nobody does care!". Don't get me wrong, the extra effort I've put into stretching and working out has helped as well!

This article is for those of us who don't want to take the surgical means to correct pectus excavatum or don't have the financial ability to to so.

If you're reading this, you're probably looking for ways to make your PE less noticeable in public, while you're hanging out with your friends, etc. I don't blame you. I don't condone "hiding" it for the rest of your life. I came up with these methods WHILE I worked to improve the appearance of my pectus. I promise that if you combine what you read in this article with the article I've linked above, you'll see improvements. It just takes time and patience.

Let's start with your posture.

When I first tried to hide my pectus excavatum, I'd walk with my shoulders slumped forward and my back arched. This does help hide it somewhat, but it also contributes to not only really bad posture, but it also contributes to the PE form. Stand straight, pull those shoulder blades together, and walk proudly. This might feel weird and very, very uncomfortable at first, but you will get used to it. Your chest muscles will probably feel really, really tight. This is because your muscles are adapting and aren't used to being stretched like this, after all, you've been shaping yourself around your dent. It's time to make your dent conform to you!

I found that avoiding t-shirts was my best bet, but if I did have to wear a t-shirt, I would generally wear tighter t's that would "stretch" over the dent, therefore not conforming to it. Combine this with a tight "wifebeater" or "a-shirt" underneath and it should do a decent job of hiding the PE. Although wifebeaters will stretch out over time and won't maintain their elasticity until you wash and dry them to help tighten the fabric back up.

The texture of the t-shirt REALLY helps. Generally thicker t-shirts will hold their shape better than a really thin t-shirt. I've found that t-shirts from the Gap, American Eagle, Wal-Mart are TOO THIN for this purpose. The best shirts I've found from my experience come from Abercrombie, Hollister, Lucky, etc. I've also found that t-shirts by the following brands are generally made of thick material:

Tapout
Affliction
Ed Hardy

If you have any more to add to the list, please leave your answer in the comments!

Now, if you're like I used to be, you'd avoid t-shirts at all costs because they seem to sink into the dent more than other shirts. I've found that button up shirts were always my favorite choice. With a t-shirt underneath, you can leave a button-up shirt unbuttoned all the way to the pectus and it gives you a great look. You will find that when you're wearing a button up, you think a lot less about your pectus than you would otherwise.

Another great choice is a polo-shirt. Because of the V-shape in the collar, it conforms to your pectus as well. The thicker the polo shirt, the better.

I can't seem to explain why the following idea works, but it does. I've found that sleeveless t-shirts seem to take the focus off of the pectus excavatum dent. It could be because of my muscled arms! (Just kidding, or maybe not.)

Do you have anything to add? Leave some comments!

Other sources:

pectusinfo.com
pectusservices.com