To increase the difficulty of a push-up, which adjustment would be appropriate?

Performing a push-up from the toes instead of the knees increases the difficulty of the exercise primarily because it engages more muscle groups and requires greater core stabilization. When executing a push-up from the toes, the participant must support their entire body weight, which activates the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core to a greater extent compared to performing the exercise on the knees.

This adjustment does not only increase the load on the upper body muscles but also enhances the engagement of stabilizing muscles in the abdomen and lower back. The push-up becomes a more challenging and compound movement, making it effective for improved strength and endurance.

In contrast, avoiding the exercise altogether or performing it from the knees would not increase its difficulty. The adjustment of doing push-ups from the knees removes a significant amount of body weight from the equation, thereby reducing the challenge. Therefore, performing push-ups from the toes is a valid method to intensify the exercise and promote further strength gains.