Push-ups are a classic, zero-equipment exercise with a whole lot of perks like serious chest, shoulder, triceps, and core gains–not to mention a visibly toned upper-body. Strengthening those muscles can help decrease symptoms like back pain, poor posture, and even not-so-perky breasts. But doing the same mighty, multi-tasking exercise over and over again can get a little boring.

Luckily, push-up variations abound. “Once you’ve mastered the basic push-up, incorporating different push-up variations will help engage and strengthen different parts of your body,” says certified strength and conditioning specialist Laura Miranda, also a doctor of physical therapy and the creator of PURSUIT. Some will work your biceps or triceps more, while others will work your core and quads. “Adding variation means you’re strengthening your entire body in new ways” she says.

Below, Miranda demos five push-up variations that go way beyond the classic (and that means they’ll help sculpt your arms even faster). Whether you’re sick of standard push-ups or are just looking for new, creative ways to work your chest, triceps, shoulders, back, and core, try these moves below.

And don't be intimidated if they look challenging at first: If you’re not quite ready for these next-level moves, Miranda offers easier variations that’ll get you rocking the real thing in no time.

RELATED: 5 CrossFit Moves That Are Actually Easier to Master Than You Think

Narrow Grip Ball Push-Up

How to do it: Grip a medicine ball in front of your body in push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders. Keeping your body in one long line and your elbows by your sides, squeeze your core and lower your body until your chest touches the medicine ball. Then, exhale as you push back to start. That’s one rep. Aim for five to 10 reps.

To make it easier: Place the ball on an incline–like on top of a bench–so that your grip is the same, but the angle of your body is different. "Doing push-ups on an incline reduces strain on your body while keeping the integrity of the movement and prepping your body for the more advanced move,” Miranda says. You can also grab a larger medicine ball. "The bigger the ball and the wider your feet, the easier this movement will be," she says.

Why it works: "This push-up variation is similar to the Chaturanga push-up that you do in yoga because you're keeping your elbows and triceps as close to your body as possible,” Miranda says. This placement puts a greater emphasis on the triceps muscles. Plus, using a medicine ball, which is less stable than a flat surface, requires you to engage your core and improves overall stability and balance.

RELATED: This 50 Push-Up Challenge Will Transform Your Body in 30 Days

The Cricket

How to do it: Start in a high plank position with your hands flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart, wrists stacked under shoulders. Keeping your body in one long line, bend your arms and lower yourself to the floor. Then, using as much power as you can, exhale and push back up, lifting your body up and off the ground and to the right. Aim to travel anywhere from two to six inches, and land so that your feet and hands return to the floor at the same time. That’s one rep. Try two reps per side, before switching sides. Rest as long as necessary between repeating for three sets.

This plyometric variation of the standard push-up requires not only strength, but explosive strength in the up-and-down and side-to-side planes of motion. It’s best reserved for people who can do at least five to 10 standard push-ups and who can comfortably walk 15 feet in a lateral-moving plank.

To make it easier: Practice your lateral-moving plank. To do that, start in a high plank position with your hands flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart, wrists under shoulders. Then, keeping your body in one long line, practice walking four feet in one direction and four feet in the other.

Build up to a clapping push-up next. The clapping push-up requires the same explosive motion, without requiring you to move laterally. For this variation, after lowering your body to the floor, use as much power as you can in your arms to push up and lift your body high enough off the ground that you can clap or touch your hands together under your chest. This will help build explosive strength and power.

Why it works: “There’s power. And then there’s explosive power. It’s the explosive power that takes your strength to the next level," Miranda says. "The Cricket works on your explosive strength and power because it forces you to lift up while simultaneously moving your body laterally." That lateral movement is also a boon for your shoulder health. “When you only do the traditional push-up, you’re only training your shoulder in one plane of motion, which limits how your shoulder joint functions and strengthens. Moving laterally is another way to strengthen the health of that joint,” she says.

RELATED: 12 Reasons You Have Shoulder Pain–and What to Do About It

Inverted "Box" Jump Push-Up

How to do it: Start in a high plank position with your hands flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart, wrists under shoulders, with your feet about five inches apart on a bench or other elevated surface. Shift your bodyweight into your upper body and core and lower your body as close to the ground as you can. Push back up to start. Then, squeeze your core and jump both feet down from the bench so that your knees and hips land in 90-degree angles. Keeping your back neutral, exhale and explosively drive your feet back up onto the bench to starting position. That’s one rep.

Aim for three sets of five to eight reps. “But if you can only do one or two reps, do [what] you can do, then put your feet on the ground instead of the bench and do a few more reps. This will help build the prerequisite strength,” Miranda says.

To make it easier: Do just a decline push-up or just an inverted box jump. The decline push-up is the same movement except without the jump. This will get your body used to the angle and the increased intensity. The inverted box jump will help strengthen your core and get your body used to the increased time under tension. Keep in mind the higher the elevation of your feet, the harder this variation will be.

Why it works: “This is a full-body movement with a high amount of time under tension,” Miranda says. Time under tension is a measurement of how long a muscle is taxed during a movement, and it helps increase muscular endurance and strength. “All push-ups activate your core, but this particular movement kicks it into high gear because it requires that your upper body, lower body, and core all work together,” she says.

RELATED: Tone Your Arms With Anna Kaiser's Bath Towel Workout

Running Push-Up

How to do it: This movement combines a standard push-up with a mountain climber. Start in a high plank position with your hands flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart, wrists stacked under shoulders. Your feet should be four to six inches apart. Keeping your body in one long line, bend your arms and lower yourself to the floor. Then, push back up to starting position. Next, while maintaining a neutral back, drive your left knee to your right elbow, then drive your right knee to your left elbow. That’s one rep.

This is an endurance-based movement, so Miranda recommends repeating for 30 seconds at a time. “This is a movement that is limited by the number of push-ups you can do. Thirty seconds is a lot of push-ups, even for the most advanced athlete, so when you can’t do a standard push-up anymore, go to an elevated surface like a bench, box, or even a wall and finish the remainder of the 30-second interval,” she says.

To make it easier: Do just a standard push-up or just a mountain climber. When you can do mountain climbers for 30 seconds and three to five reps of a standard push-up, you have the prerequisite strength for this variation.

Why it works: A standard push-up works your shoulders, chest, triceps, biceps, back, core, quads, and glutes; adding the knee drive increases the cardiovascular strain of this movement and incorporates your hip flexors and obliques.

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Animal Kick-Through Push-Up

How to do it: Begin in a high plank position with your hands flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart, wrists stacked under shoulders. Keeping your body in one long line, bend your arms and lower yourself to the floor. As you push back up to starting position, lift and bend your left knee and slide that leg under your body, kicking it to the right. As you do this, lift your right arm and rotate your body to the right. Hold for two seconds by squeezing your core.

Rotate back to starting position and return your left foot and right arm to the ground. That’s one rep. Repeat on the opposite side. Aim for three sets of four reps per side.

To make it easier: Hold a straight arm side plank for 30 to 60 seconds to help strengthen your shoulders and obliques.

Why it works: “This movement adds a rotation, which means in addition to working shoulders, chest, triceps, biceps, back, core, quads, and glutes like the standard push-up, you’re activating and strengthening your obliques, hip flexors, and shoulder girdles,” Miranda says.

Squeezing in a workout has never been easier.

Sure, running is a great workout to have as a part of your cardio repertoire — it’s not only a great way to get fitter, but it improves your mental wellbeing, too. (Read one woman’s story about how running saved her life.) But it’s not right for everyone, and more importantly, running is not the only way to stay in shape. In fact, there are many different types of dynamic cardio workouts that give you a stellar calorie burn, while sculpting muscle at the same time. Try these five workouts on for size — but, instead of going through the motions, maximize your efforts with the expert-approved tips below. Can’t make the modifications just yet? No problem. Work your way up incrementally, and bookmark this page for when you’re ready to take your sessions to the next level.

RELATED: Dread the Gym? Here’s What Might Motivate You

5 Killer Cardio Workouts — That Aren’t Running

The Workout: Indoor Cycling

The Burn: 714 calories per hour
How to Maximize It: After setting up properly, boost your burn by “focus[ing] on pulling your pedals up behind you,” says Holly Rillinger, Master Instructor at Flywheel Sports. “Most times [when spinning] we are only pushing down with our quads, but when you’re clipped in [to a spin bike’s pedals], you have the advantage of using the full stroke.” Focusing on the upwards motion helps target your glutes and hamstrings, so you’ll increase burn more calories while sculpting your entire lower body, too. Rillinger also suggests adding more resistance during quick sprint sessions: “When you have momentum, you can handle more resistance than at the beginning of the sprint. It’ll raise your heart rate and blast more fat,” she says. And use your core to resist that urge to collapse onto the handlebars when you’re exhausted — your abs will thank you later.

The Workout: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

The Burn: 554 calories per hour
How to Maximize It: HIIT, which involves drills like sprints, lunges, and speed skaters with brief periods of rest in between, “keeps your engine revved after [exercising], so you burn more calories than a workout at a steady, moderate pace, ” says Yusuf Jeffers, a trainer at HIIT studio Tone House in New York City. But make sure you’re giving your body its deserved rest periods, says Jeffers. You can’t push yourself hard enough if you’re not recovering fully between rounds. “Plus, insufficient recovery results in overuse injuries and diminished results.” What’s the right amount of rest? Catch your breath for at least half as long as you just worked. A recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Researchfound that a 2:1 work to rest ratio is ideal. (Remember, even though they’re meant to be quick workouts, don’t go too fast. Here’s how to time ‘em right.)

RELATED: Try Our Heart-Rate-Based HIIT Workout, Inferno HR

The Workout: The VersaClimber 

The Burn: 1,000-plus calories per hour
How to Maximize It: You’ll never go back to that dusty StairMaster once you get the hang of this interval-based workout. The key to getting the most from the VersaClimber? Simply keeping up. Because you’re working your lower and upper body together into one climbing motion, expect to get fatigued fast. But even though you’ll feel tired, you’ll be building strength, endurance and coordination, according to Jason Walsh, founder of Rise Nation, an LA-based VersaClimber studio. “The act of climbing on a VersaClimber not only makes you strong, but also reinforces better moving patterns while working against gravity,” Walsh says. “The motions on the VersaClimber build a stronger core and back which gives you better posture and makes you a more deadly athlete.” Win, win.

The Workout: Indoor Rowing

The Burn: 578 calories per hour
How to Maximize It: Hop on an indoor rowing machine to work your entire body in ways you didn’t think were possible. Every stroke you take incorporates about 84 percent of your muscles, says Helaine Knapp, founder and CEO of CITYROW. And unlike running, it’s super-low-impact on your joints. But just as with running, proper form is essential. “The stroke can [feel] counterintuitive if you’re new to rowing,” Knapp says. “Most of the power should come from your legs as you push back, hinging forward at your hips. Your arms move last, pulling in, and are also first to release as you return to starting position.” Sit up straight with your abs pulled in tight, and focus on your power — not speed. Pick up your pace and you’ll likely take short strokes that don’t work the full range of muscle and can put excess stress on your lower back, according to a study in the Journal of Sports Sciences. “The minute you prioritize speed over proper form, your stroke breaks down and you’re cheating yourself out of the full benefits of the workout,” Knapp says.

The Workout: Plyometrics

The Burn: 550 calories per hour
How to Maximize It: See people cranking out jump squats, burpees, or box jumps at the gym? Those are all moves in what’s referred to as plyometrics, a method of metabolic conditioning reliant on explosive movements (think: hops, bounds and fast feet). The goal is to contract the maximum number of muscle fibers in the minimum amount of time. Plyometrics “‘trick’ your nervous into executing movements with maximum force very quickly,” says Jeffers. Channel the need for max force and quick feet by working out when you’re “fresh and ready-to-go, never tired or completing after another workout,” he warns. “Doing so trains your nervous center to react slower and weaker, which defeats the cumulative benefits of the workout.” Try doing these explosive moves on rubber flooring or grass; anything that’s too soft or too hard will diminish your power on each jump or push-off.

RELATED: 6 Plyometrics Exercises for a Shorter, More Intense Workout

All calorie counts are based on estimates from CalorieCount.com.

More from DailyBurn:

3 Quick HIIT Workouts for Beginners

What Happens to Your Body When You Skip the Gym?

7 No-Crunch Exercises for Six-Pack Abs

This article originally appeared on Life by DailyBurn.

Because a week at the beach shouldn’t make you feel like you need to spend a month at the gym.

With its slew of insider-only lingo, intriguingly bare-boned training spaces, and celeb backing (Jessica Biel, Channing Tatum, and Vanessa Hudgens, to name a few), CrossFit has inspired an almost fanatical devotion from its followers.

In addition to being the ultimate (and 4-million-strong) #fitfam, this is likely because the workout program works. Research by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s exercise physiology program found that women who performed two different WODs (that’s "workout of the day" in CrossFit speak) burned over 12 calories per minute and maintained an elevated heart rate throughout the entire workout. Translation: These women were torching calories, building muscle, and improving their cardiovascular endurance in as little as five to eight minutes.

Trouble is, walk into a CrossFit box (or simply scroll through a CrossFitter's Instagram) and you’ll see someone attempting and banging out reps of brag-worthy, tough-looking moves, which can feel pretty exclusive. “A lot of CrossFit moves look super-intimidating,” says level two certified CrossFit trainer Emmy Simpkins, owner of CrossFit Speakeasy and a CrossFit Regionals athlete. “But once you have the strength and skill to complete them, they’re not as tough as they look.”

Whether you’re a WOD-loving CrossFitter or not, you’ll realize that the below five exercises from CrossFit only look tough, after Simpkins and doctor of physical therapy Grayson Wickham, CSCS and founder of Movement Vault, break them down step-by-step.

RELATED: 5 Full-Body Moves to Do When You're Sick of Burpees

Front Squat

Equipment: Kettlebell or barbell

How to do it: Hold one kettlebell in both hands at chest level and stand with your feet hip-width to shoulder-width apart. Stand tall and brace your core, then drop your butt back and down as you keep your chest up, sitting back onto your heels. Driving through your heels, come back up to standing and give your glutes a squeeze. That's one rep. Aim for four sets of eight to 12 reps.

Once you can comfortably complete the above with a 44-pound kettlebell, transition to a barbell front squat. Here, you’ll hold the barbell in a front rack position. “Start out with just an empty barbell, and rock out reps with the barbell. Then, slowly add weight as you feel comfortable,” Wickham suggests.

Why it works: “Any squat variation is going to work the lower body, but because the weight is front-loaded for the front squat, your torso has to be more upright. This front-loaded position makes the movement quad-, glute-, and abdominal-dominant,” Wickham says. Because the rest of your body has to work to stabilize the load of the barbell, this is actually a full-body move, he adds.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatch

Equipment: Dumbbell

How to do it: Pick a weight that you can easily hold overhead for 20 seconds, like a 15- or 20-pound dumbbell to start. To begin, stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, hips shifted back. Using an overhead position (palm facing down), grab the dumbbell with your left hand. Bring the weight in between your legs, pointing your right arm straight in front of you for balance. Explosively drive your hips forward as you raise your left elbow up and back, bringing the weight overhead with a straight arm. Stabilize the weight overhead, then release the weight back between your legs to return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Do four sets of 10 reps per side.

Why it works: “The snatch is an Olympic weightlifting move that CrossFit 'borrowed,' but the great thing about the single-arm dumbbell snatch is that anyone can do this powerful, hip-driven, lower-body-focused movement,” Simpkins says. “Single-arm dumbbell snatches are a fantastic exercise for developing core strength and stability," Wickham adds. "But they also work your lower back, hips, shoulders, traps, glutes, and even calves. They’re deceptively full-body.”

Toes To Bar

Equipment: Pull-up bar

How to do it: Grip the pull-up bar so that your hands are slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart. Hang from the bar with a straight back and engaged core. Keep your legs together as you bring your knees to your elbows. Then, kick your toes and feet to the bar. (Depending on your skill level, this can be done with the help of a kipping motion for momentum.) Keep your arms straight as you bring your toes to the bar. Drop your legs back down slowly so that you are in control of the descent. That’s one rep. Repeat for three to four sets of six to 10 reps with as much rest as needed between.

Why it works: “To lift your legs up while hanging from a pull-up bar, your core muscles have to be fully engaged,” Simpkins says. While the movement primarily engages the abdominal and back muscles and taxes your grip, it also targets the hamstrings, hips flexors, lats, and groin, she says.

Toes to bar is a relatively advanced exercise, explains Wickham, so those who can’t yet do them should focus on knees to elbows. “For knees to elbows, the athlete should try to get their knees as high as possible while keeping their legs together,” he says.

Burpee Box Jump

Equipment: Box

How to do it: Start standing with feet hip-width apart about one to two feet from the box. Next, reach forward and drop your hands to the floor. As your hands reach for the floor, jump your feet back into a plank, and immediately lower your entire body to the floor. Release your hands and allow your body to drop to the ground. Replace your palms on the floor, push up into a plank, and hop your feet forward to your hands. That’s one burpee.

Then, as you stand, without pausing, swing your arms back and jump explosively onto the box. Land as softly as possible with both feet on the box in a semi-squat. Then, jump or step off the box and back to the ground. That’s one burpee box jump.

Try doing 30 at the end of your workout as fast as you can while maintaining good form. Or work up to doing 10 to 15 per minute every minute for 10 minutes for a real cardiovascular burn.

Why it works: What’s so great about burpee box jumps is that they translate into strength, explosiveness, and cardiovascular endurance, Simpkins says. “Burpee box jumps are challenging because they get your heart rate up quickly and are full body, so your cardiovascular system will feel it after only a few reps,” she says.

“Box jumps use all the major muscle groups of the legs, while burpees literally work almost every muscle in your body, including your chest, triceps, and abs,” Wickham says.

If you're not quite ready for a box jump, step up onto the box instead, Simpkins suggests.

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Handstand Push-Up

Equipment: Wall and mat (optional)

How to do it: Kick or walk your feet up the wall into a handstand, so that your back is against the wall and your stomach is facing out. Keeping your legs straight, rest your heels against the wall, and brace your core, glutes, and thighs so that your body is in a relatively straight line.

Then, bending at the elbows, look between your hands and slowly lower your body until your head touches the floor or a mat. (As with the toes to bar, depending on your skill level, this can also be done with the help of a kipping motion for momentum.) Without pausing at the bottom, reverse the movement and return to the starting position by straightening your arms. That’s one rep. Aim for four sets of three to four reps to start.

Why it works: This exercise is all upper-body–triceps, lats, shoulders, delts–but it’s also a core movement, because in order to keep your back from arching, you need to brace your middle, Simpkins says.

Note: This is an advanced movement. The handstand push-up requires the muscles in your upper body to work much harder than standard push-ups because you're pushing a larger percentage of your bodyweight (a.k.a. all of it). It’s best reserved for people who can do at least 10 standard push-ups and who can hold themselves in a handstand for 30 seconds.