Push up help

LowCoffinLucifie

So I cant do one push up, I thought I could, but i got a mirror so I could check my form and I cant make it to parallel with the floor. If I do I collapse. How do I proceed from here? I really wanna work up to being about to do at least 20 push ups. I just cant seem to figure out how.

cgvet37

So, if you keep your back arched, you are fine? If straighten your back, then you fall? Sounds like your abdominal muscles are weak to me. I would suggest doing some planks, which is a similar position to pushups, and see if that helps you.

l_juliett

Can I suggest to try knee-push ups? You can find how to on youtube, I guess. Try to do some and see how you feel. If that's still to difficult, try to do the wall push ups. That's standing and with your face towards the wall.
You probably need to buildup slowly until you feel stronger for the next step.

chickybuns

Try them on your knees first and build up. It won't take long if you do it regularly. I used to never be able to do a tricep push up on my feet and now I can do three!

daweasel

Another progression you can try is to do them on your feet but with your hands on a step/chair/bench. The higher it is the easier. Focus on doing them slowly with a very controlled movement pattern, and through the full range of motion. Make sure you're engaging your core as well. I can do a couple of "normal" ones (on the floor on my toes) through the full range of motion but then I find if I go all the way down I can't get back up so sometimes I go down on my toes then drop to my knees to push back up.

You can also try exercises that work the same muscle groups, like chest press/bench press with weights, and as someone else suggested core strength is really important and planks would definitely help. If I've done a lot of core work then try to do push ups straight afterwards it doesn't go well!

One other exercise you can try which might help is "commandos" (google "commandos exercise" and you'll find them). I don't know that these will definitely help, but I do them sometimes and again, uses similar muscles.

LowCoffinLucifie

cgvet37 wrote: »

So, if you keep your back arched, you are fine? If straighten your back, then you fall? Sounds like your abdominal muscles are weak to me. I would suggest doing some planks, which is a similar position to pushups, and see if that helps you.

I definitely have issues with my core but I can hold it for a bit, but I'm sure this is part of my problem as well. I have difficultly breathing when trying to do push ups too so I assume its cause of this as well? So from what I've read with everyone sounds like I def need to incorporate planks.

l_juliett wrote: »

Can I suggest to try knee-push ups? You can find how to on youtube, I guess. Try to do some and see how you feel. If that's still to difficult, try to do the wall push ups. That's standing and with your face towards the wall.
You probably need to buildup slowly until you feel stronger for the next step.

I think I should try this, I can do Knee push ups, Not a lot but maybe I should practice these and planks until my cores a bit stronger, Maybe thats what makes it so hard to do the regular push ups? I just wonder how long it will take to be able to do 20 regular ones like I wish I knew the right structured schedule and time frame.

chickybuns wrote: »

Try them on your knees first and build up. It won't take long if you do it regularly. I used to never be able to do a tricep push up on my feet and now I can do three!

yup general consensus is that I need to do planks and knee push ups sucks but gotta do what I gotta do.

daweasel wrote: »

Another progression you can try is to do them on your feet but with your hands on a step/chair/bench. The higher it is the easier. Focus on doing them slowly with a very controlled movement pattern, and through the full range of motion. Make sure you're engaging your core as well. I can do a couple of "normal" ones (on the floor on my toes) through the full range of motion but then I find if I go all the way down I can't get back up so sometimes I go down on my toes then drop to my knees to push back up.

You can also try exercises that work the same muscle groups, like chest press/bench press with weights, and as someone else suggested core strength is really important and planks would definitely help. If I've done a lot of core work then try to do push ups straight afterwards it doesn't go well!

One other exercise you can try which might help is "commandos" (google "commandos exercise" and you'll find them). I don't know that these will definitely help, but I do them sometimes and again, uses similar muscles.

Yup if I go all the way down (parallel) like your supposed to I cant push back up, never thought of just going from my knees there. And will def look up the commandos, Thank you everyone !

jessicarobinson00

Before I could do a proper push up, I did them off the counter: high reps...then eventually the stairs and finally the floor. It took time, because I too struggled with core strength.

rybo

I would suggest using the elevated hands progression over doing them from your knees. And then continue to use a lower step until your hands are on the ground.

Need2Exerc1se

Start out doing them against a table, chair or stairs. Stairs are good if you have them because you can gradually work your way down the stairs until you are on ground level.

sgt1372

Pushups involve quite a few muscle groups and all of them need to be developed in order to do a lot of pushups. The muscles involved include the pecs, lats, biceps, triceps and the shoulder girdle (traps and others). Unfortunately, women usually do not have ever strong muscles in these areas.

Your "core" is really not that critical to doing pushups. All you have to be able to do is to hold your body straight and use your feet as a lever. Doing knee pushups makes it even easier. All the work is being done in your chest/back and shoulders. So, I don't think you need to devote much time to ab/core work.

Wwhat you need to do to work up to doing 20 push ups is to build the muscles involved. Some exercises that would help with this are: bench press; overhead press; barbell rows; lateral and forward dumb bell raises; lat pull downs and/or cable rows; bicep curls and tricep dips/extensions. You don't need to do ALL of these exercises; these are just some that will help in developing push up strength. They will also help w/pull ups and chin ups as well.

Good luck!

BalletAndBarbells

OK, just over 1 year ago I could not do 1 single push up - I can now do 1 handed push ups, handstand push ups and feet elevated push ups and I quite enjoy them!
Start with wall push ups, then kitchen counter, then chair, then step, then proper push ups. I am a big advocate of working down to a push up rather than up from knees - the reason being that people often do knee push ups wrong and that isn't going to help you be able to push up! No amount of bum in the air head bobbing is going to work the right muscles for push ups!
I also agree with adding planks, sit ups and hollow body hold (Google it) for core strength and dumb bell fly, lat pull down and overheard press for shoulder/back strength. I would also advocate starting to try chin ups now because this will help with arm, shoulder and core muscles and whilst you won't be able to do them (I can only just do these now and I can bang out 100 push ups), it's a good headstart on the next goal whilst helping you to reach the 1st goal of doing pushups.
Good luck

cgvet37

sgt1372 wrote: »

Pushups involve quite a few muscle groups and all of them need to be developed in order to do a lot of pushups. The muscles involved include the pecs, lats, biceps, triceps and the shoulder girdle (traps and others). Unfortunately, women usually do not have ever strong muscles in these areas.

Your "core" is really not that critical to doing pushups. All you have to be able to do is to hold your body straight and use your feet as a lever. Doing knee pushups makes it even easier. All the work is being done in your chest/back and shoulders. So, I don't think you need to devote much time to ab/core work.

Wwhat you need to do to work up to doing 20 push ups is to build the muscles involved. Some exercises that would help with this are: bench press; overhead press; barbell rows; lateral and forward dumb bell raises; lat pull downs and/or cable rows; bicep curls and tricep dips/extensions. You don't need to do ALL of these exercises; these are just some that will help in developing push up strength. They will also help w/pull ups and chin ups as well.

Good luck!

Your abdominal muscles act as stabilizers while doing pushups, if not, you would arc downward.

SonyaCele

cgvet37 wrote: »

sgt1372 wrote: »

Pushups involve quite a few muscle groups and all of them need to be developed in order to do a lot of pushups. The muscles involved include the pecs, lats, biceps, triceps and the shoulder girdle (traps and others). Unfortunately, women usually do not have ever strong muscles in these areas.

Your "core" is really not that critical to doing pushups. All you have to be able to do is to hold your body straight and use your feet as a lever. Doing knee pushups makes it even easier. All the work is being done in your chest/back and shoulders. So, I don't think you need to devote much time to ab/core work.

Wwhat you need to do to work up to doing 20 push ups is to build the muscles involved. Some exercises that would help with this are: bench press; overhead press; barbell rows; lateral and forward dumb bell raises; lat pull downs and/or cable rows; bicep curls and tricep dips/extensions. You don't need to do ALL of these exercises; these are just some that will help in developing push up strength. They will also help w/pull ups and chin ups as well.

Good luck!

Your abdominal muscles act as stabilizers while doing pushups, if not, you would arc downward.

yeah but your abdominal muscles aren't usually the weakest link in doing pushups. For most women its their triceps. Building strength in those muscles will help, along with all the other upper body muscles like lats, shoulders etc.

sgt1372

cgvet37 wrote: »

Your abdominal muscles act as stabilizers while doing pushups, if not, you would arc downward.

No doubt about that but the OP wanted to know what to do in order to work on building strenght to do pushups and tbe focus would be on the back, shoulders and arms.

My point was that you don't need to focus on the core by doing crunches or whaever to build up strength to do pushups. The core will take care of itself by doing the exercises mentioned as well as others.