That's Fit

The push-up is one of those exercises that's enjoying a boom in popularity these days for one simple reason: it works. And it's for this reason that I do push-ups regularly. Or at least I try to--sometimes it's harder than it looks. But I recently discovered something about my push-ups that's helped me get a handle on them.

For months, out of fear of hurting my wrists, I insisted on spreading my hands only as wide as the short end of my fitness mat was in order to cushion them properly. But my fitness teacher recently alerted me to the fact that my hands were too close together -- they should be as wide as your elbows, and I had mine at shoulder width. Since I figured this out, push-ups have been much easier on me.

Yeah, I know. You probably already know that your hands should be wide. My point is this: We all get used to doing certain exercises a certain way, and sometimes we forget to check what the proper way to do them is. So if you're struggling with the push-up, I would recommend checking out eHow's instructions on the proper push-up technique.

Anyone who's ever had a problem with their knees, ankles, hips or another joint -- whether serious or not -- knows the importance of keeping your joints healthy. After all, without they're what keep you moving. So do something good for your joints by following these tips from Everyday Health:

• Keep your body at a healthy weight -- excess weight puts unnecessary stress on joints.
  
• Get regular exercise to build muscle around your joints
• Be cautious when doing heavy lifting
• Don't ignore pain -- talk to your doctor about it
• Move frequently -- don't spend too much time in one position unless necessary
• Wear wrist pads and knee pads when doing activities that might lead to injury.
  

Hey yogis, do you find that yoga is hard on your wrists? I sure do. All those downward dogs and upward dogs and the occasional crow pose leave my wrists aching to the point where I feel like I can't take it anymore and have to retreat to child's pose. Fitsugar has recently addresses this issue, and they have the following suggestions:

• In poses like downward dog, where there's a lot of weight on your wrists, make sure put some of the weight in your hands too. Each of your knuckles and each of your finger tips should be digging into the mat, but the undersides of your fingers don't have to be touching. Make sure the weight isn't concentrated on the pinky side on your hand. It will make a huge difference.
• Move slowly and take a break when your wrists are screaming.
  
• Try some wrist stretches.
• Ice your wrists if they need it.
  

I'll have to try these the next time I'm at yoga class. Do you have any other suggestions?

I sprained my ankle about a year ago and one of the hardest things to get used to (besides using crutches) was taking a break from my workout routine. Most people would welcome the imposed laziness but I was really into going to the gym and when I'm tin the mindframe to go to the gym, I don't want to mess with that -- fore soon, I'll be a full-blown couch potato if I don't keep up with my workouts.

My sprain was a result of my overwhelming clumsiness, but it's surprisingly easy to injure yourself while working out. Don't let an injury sideline you -- here are some tips for avoiding injuries: