...Ahhh, Pushups! The best workout routine one can carry with yourself where ever you travel! This simple, cheap (no equipment needed, other than maybe a chair) but effective form of exercise is the inverted form of doing the cumbersum and difficult Bench-presses!
Push-ups are effective when loading yourself in the perfect way (as in not allowing the body ever to get adjusted to your push-up routine!)....
One way to do that is of course; and if you are just a begginner- is to start with the normal feet and palms flat on the ground (hand position like already mentioned above; just about slightly more than shoulder-width)
Note: People tend to sag their stomach and middle part of the torso when doing pushups; you need to keep the back straight at all times.
And no 'pehelwaan' type swinging motions to lift yourself up....just like the name suggests you 'PUSH up' with the stength of your arms, and working the chest muscles...up in a straight path (and not like some 'dand-baithak' routine!)
Now here is how you make even these simple push-ups work for you the most!
Always do three sets of a decreasing pyramid! (so let's say if you do the first set of 25, then do the second one at least 18-20 and squeeze out at least 10-15 from the last....) that way you shock the muscles into responding!
That is just in terms of the Sets....now here is what you need to do if your body is starting to able to perform these floor push ups with ease (or over time);
If that is the case then use an elevated surface to place your feet up on this time (like the seat of a chair, for example) and with hands still on the floor; now perform the same push-ups! (similarily if you wanna make it even more tougher, you can raise your feet even more higher to let's say place them on the edge of a table to load your body! This inclined style puts more pressure on the routine for the torso, chest and arms... (and then do the same three sets like I mentioned)
Remember where you place the arms really decides which area is being worked on more (I am personally myself not a huge fan of the one arm push-up theatrics)
For example; if the hands are slightly more than shoulder width apart- you work the chest the most.
If the hands are placed with almost a foot of width apart between them, then it is the triceps and biceps more than the chest.
...and If when the plams are still flat on the ground but the thumb and for-finger are touching each other almost creating a leaf form in-between; then it is the triceps you are targetting and islolating....
So considering all that, here is my advise: Fortunately the biceps and triceps (or the arms) get worked-out in any push-ups no matter where your hand placement is; therefore the 'slightly more than shoulder-width' placement is the most complete and best workout in my mind .....as you can really see huge gains for your chest and arms!
Note: Contrary to how this the push-ups are traditonally and usually percieved; they are in fact excellent for women too! Consider this...you are only lifting what you weigh!
And no matter what your frame: it helps create a very good upper body phsique!
In the end: Best of luck!!!
