I've been doing several hundred push-ups a day for a couple months, partially for the appearance-improving aspects of exercise but mainly as a means of keeping fit. What would be an inexpensive way to complement this arm based exercise to have a generally more balanced figure? (preferabley from home, the gym is on the other side of town and generally filled with assholes in the muscle sections.)
In addition to the biking, jogging suggestion- pull-ups... If this is a long term thing and you have the space and cash you may want to invest in your own weights- a bit at a time of course... keep an eye out for tag sales and such. This will enable you to do a variety of things right at home. I'm not all that taken by gym "culture" and compiled my own weight collection. It took a number of years but I have a fairly respectable assortment- including dumbbell pairs up to 120#.
Chin-ups is the back "equivalent" of pushups. Pushups primarily work your triceps and pecs, chins your biceps and lats.
careful.. i was looking for some information for push-ups to help with a bad rotator cuff.. and all i found was how push-ups lead to rotator cuff injuries and bad rotator cuff... trust me.. you do not want a bad rotator cuff.. it is nothing but a nagging injury that limits you
try the perfect push up, it can make it pretty easy on your shoulder area. overhand grip pullups are the best compliment to push ups.
This is actually a very good combination. If you have access to weights I'd respectfully suggest bent barbell or bent dumbbell rows might be equal as complimentary exercises as this has you pulling more or less toward your core as opposed to push-ups- similar to bench press are pushing it away.