Modified Push-Up
Lie on your stomach, bend your knees, and cross your ankles. Bend your elbows and place your palms on the floor a bit to the side and in front of your shoulders. Straighten your arms and lift your body so you're balanced on your palms and knees. Tuck your chin a few inches toward your chest so your forehead faces the floor. Tighten your abdominals.
Bend your elbows and lower your entire body at once. Rather than trying to touch your chest to the floor, lower only until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up. Don't lock your elbows at the top of the movement and don't do the dreaded "head bob." That's when you dip your head toward the floor without moving any other part of your body. Do 2 sets of 8, working up to 3 sets of 15.
Standing Push-Up
Stand about ten inches from counter. Place hands on counter, arms in front of you, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend arms at elbow and lower your trunk to the counter and return. Do 2 sets of 8, working up to 3 sets of 15.
Dumbbell Fly
Best to do with a spotter. Lie on your back on a flat bench. Don't have a bench? Try using an ironing board between 2 sturdy chairs Grip a five- to ten-pound dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up. Bring arms straight out, and bending elbows slightly, extend arms straight over your chest until weights touch. Do 2 sets of 8, working up to 3 sets of 15.
Full Water Bottles Press
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and a 16-32 oz water bottle or dumbbell in each hand. Push the water bottles up so your arms are directly over your shoulders and your palms face away from you. Pull your abdominals in but don't jam your back into the floor; don't let it arch way up, either. Tilt your chin toward your chest.
Lower the water bottles down and a little to the side until your elbows lightly touch the floor. Push the water bottles back up, taking care not to lock your elbows or allow your shoulder blades to rise off the floor. (you can also fill up the water bottles with sand)
Incline Fly
Lie on the floor with your head, neck and upper back propped up against several large pillows. Hold a water bottle or dumbbell in each hand and press the weights directly above your chest, palms facing each other. Tuck your chin to your chest to align your neck with the rest of your spine, and maintain your natural back posture, neither arched nor flattened.
Spreading your arms apart so that your elbows travel down and to the sides, lower the weights until your elbows lightly touch the floor. Maintaining a constant bend in your elbows, lift the weights back up.
Chest Press
Lie on the floor or on a "step" bench, face up. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Using a resistance band, stretch the band behind your back or under the step bench and grasp an end in each hand. Position your hands on top of your chest, with your elbows pointing out.
Straighten your arms, pressing your hands toward the ceiling. Do not arch your lower back. Slowly lower your hands back to the chest. If you do not feel tension when pressing up, adjust the band so there is less slack.
Crunch & Fly
Lie on your back on a bench, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand above mid-chest with your palms facing in. Keeping your elbows bent slightly, lower the arms outward until the elbows are just below the level of the bench. Contract the abdominals and allow your shoulders, head and neck to lift slightly off the bench. At the same time, press the arms back up the starting position. Slowly lower the torso and repeat.
