Advice for Pushups

erinsueburns

I think it may depend on what a persons issue is with traditional pushups. For me, it wasn't about my core, I could hold planks for a long time. My problem was it hurt my shoulders and mid back. So the knee pushups took enough weight off to get me going.

I had to start with girl push-ups. I used the Runtastic Push-up app and started at the start then worked my way up to 100 (total) girl push-ups in a session then I backed it down and started over with regular push-ups.

I also do bent over rows, lat pull downs, and assisted chin ups.

I wouldn't recommend starting with girl push-ups (I learned this the hard way) since they engage your core in a completely different way. As in, they don't engage your core nearly as much. Using the bar on a Smith Machine is helpful if you have one at your gym. Then you can move it down incrementally and track your progress until you are doing push-ups on the ground.

I can do real push-ups now and I love it!

MisterDerpington

Incline Pushups and then use lower and lower objects. Another idea would be to do kneeling pushups, but over time use a backpack with weight in it or a weight vest to get yourself strong enough to do regular pushups.

paprad

Try keeping your elbows close to your body rather than pointing out. - you'll get better leverage. Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwRLWMcOdwI

I realized recently that I had been taught pushups the older way - with elbows forming a T, as opposed to an arrow with the body

Is that just inefficient? or is it also wrong form? It's difficult getting my body to do it this way now