Push Ups

What is a push up?

The visualisation

You enter a plank position with your palms on the floor, shoulder width apart. Your back is straight and your toes are pressing into the floor. You drop into your first push up. You're surprised by how heavy your body is as you use your bicep strength to lift it back into the plank position. You drop again and push up with your arms.

Two,

three,

 four

five...

You're starting to feel it in your stomach muscles.  They feel tight and hot as you push up for a sixth time and when you go into your seventh push up, you start to feel your middle sag a bit. You fight against your muscles to keep your back straight and drop into your eighth push up. You're amazed that you can keep pushing yourself, despite the burning in your arms. You pause for a minute as you come back up, unsure if you'll be able to lift yourself up again if you go back down. Your body feels like it's gotten fifty pounds heavier since you started.

You go for it. It's much harder now to keep your body from dropping right into the floor. Your biceps are so hot, they feel like they have rug burn. You push up again, groaning at the pain in your abs as you try to keep your back straight. One more, just one more, you tell yourself as your body screams for rest.

You drop again. Your arms feel like jelly, but your will won't let them give up. You press your palms into the floor and raise yourself in one last perfect push up.