We knew Michelle Obama had gorgeous sculpted arms of steel, but even that knowledge didn't quite prepare us for her performance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Ellen (who herself is surprisingly buff) challenged her to a push-up contest, and the First Lady wowed the audience by pounding out 25 real push-ups one after the other. And, she would have kept going if Ellen hadn't stopped her!
So what exactly do I mean by "real"?
It simply means an honest-to-goodness push-up where your abs are in, your body is in a tight, straight plank position (no butt in the air), and you push up from your hands and the balls of your feet.
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The alternative, of course, is doing a push-up on your knees, which can feel easier. Sometimes these push-ups on the knees are referred to as "girly push-ups." But I think this term is sexist, not to mention inaccurate: I've seen quite a few men in my Wednesday night rebounding class drop down to their knees when they think no one's looking -- I SEE you!
Not that there's anything wrong with a push-up on your knees. In fact, many people new to fitness (and of BOTH genders) start with those kind of push-ups until they are strong enough to graduate to the "real" ones. Personally, I think it's better to work hard every day at a few real push-ups (even if you can only do one or two) rather than doing 10 push-ups on your knees. But you should do what's most comfortable for you.
And in the meantime, let's check on our First Lady ... yeah, she isn't messing around (although if I had to critique her form, I'd say she should go down another inch or so):
How many push-ups can you do? Are they "real" or the other kind?
Image via PBO2012/YouTube
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Comments 19
BAahaahaaa momtolittleg. that was good.
Thanks to boot-camp, I can do 14 before I cry like a sissy.
That's awesome! I can only do a couple "real" ones ;-P
it must be nice to have sooo much time on your hands.....Hillary, Barbara and Laura never had that much time they were actually working
juju- seriously? the bush first ladys agendas were literacy and i honestly dont remember hilary's.. but what michelle did is akin to one of the bush ladies reading a book- she modeled her agenda of fitness and health. this is what she is SUPPOSED to make time for. it is what all americans are supposed to make time for, unless every medical professional in america is just lying to support the evil obama propaganda machine.
go michelle!! awesome example and role model for kids! i'm going home to work on getting myself to 25 tonight lol
No offence but those are not real push ups. Real ones are when the upper and lower arms make a 90 degree angle. lol, not bad tho for a woman her age.
Umm I thought Ellen's were better she looked like she was going down a bit farther. Now I feel mean b/c really both those ladies did better than I could do.
Go head ladies!