Pushups are already one of the toughest exercises you can do using just your body weight, but if you’ve mastered the classic way of doing them, there are still plenty of ways to make them even more challenging. Just ask any Pilates instructor. Julie Erickson, instructor and founder of Endurance Pilates , who has more than 30 years of experience teaching the modality, points to the Pilates pushup into leg pull front combination as a way to progress while simultaneously challenging the entire body.

“This exercise will build shoulder girdle stability and mobility, arm and chest strength, torso control, leg flexibility and muscular endurance in hip extension, full-body coordination, and control in isometric balance,” Erickson says.

As you age, keeping your shoulder stability, core strength, and coordination helps you stay strong and move confidently, whether it be lifting heavy objects or catching your balance after a stumble.…