push-ups: technique or strength?

JenLeggo

can't do 'em to save myself ... should i focus more on learning the correct technique? or improving my strength?

i feel like a lost cause!

Grey_1

Form. All about form and technique. The correct form will build your strength as well. It's a great exercise.

fishgutzy

I do them leaning against my desk in the office.
When I was hitting the weight room every day (my former employer had a fitness center just steps from my cubicle) I did get to the point where I could do 10 proper push ups. Have to work back to that.
Pull ups are another disaster for me (that's why I went ASAF back in '79. Army and Marines require pull ups. Ha)

singletrackmtbr

Always form first. Every single exercise, every single time.

jemhh

Both.

If you cannot do a regular pushup on the floor, starting against a wall or table or steps and gradually working down to the floor is helpful. All of those regressions require a slightly different form than doing them on the floor. The difference is just the angle you're at to the floor but it is still a difference. While you're doing those, you build up strength. At a certain point your strength and form will come together so that you can do a full pushup.

GauchoMark

Like has been said, it doesn't matter what exercise you are talking about, form is king. If you use perfect form on a push up, they are not exactly easy - that's why you see people cheating on them all the time with their butt up in the air or sagging or not getting full range of motion.

The problem with bodyweight exercises are the weight is not something you can do a lot about, so you have to build up the strength to do the exercise properly. You can do this a couple of ways - angles or alternatives.

to work the angles, do something like this:
http://convict-conditioning.com/convict-conditioning-push-up-progression/

To build strength through alternatives, bench press and planks would be my suggestion.

robininfl

This guy has a very good progression to pushups.

http://www.startbodyweight.com/p/push-up-progression.html

I couldn't do them at all until after a year of yoga classes. The lowering into pushup position in the vinyasa flow, over and over, means now I can very smoothly descend in a nice neat tricep pushup, but still have some trouble lifting upward from the floor.

sgt1372

I'd say more strength than form.

Not much "form" to it. Just hold your body in a straight plank on your toes in back and with your arms supporting your torso (and the rest of your body) up front. Arms and head should form the shape of an arrow w/your arms not too far forward or too far from your sides (unless you're more advanced).

You need adequate core and spinal erector strength to maintain the straight plank position and you need enough shoulder, arm, back and pec strength (they're all involved) to lower and lift your body to do a complete push-up (and additional repetitions thereof).

With sufficient strength you can do a pushup even w/bad form but w/o sufficient strength you cannot do them at all.

rybo

Using proper form and the correct progression level will build the strength required. Do hand elevated pushups and as you get stronger, your hands get lower until you are doing a full pushup.

OrdinaryDude300

I think keeping your arms and elbows closer to your side is less strain on the shoulders. Start with knees on floor and shallow reps and build deeper reps. My gf could not do a single push up either year and half ago. Women tend to have weak chest and arm muscles from not using them in activities where some strength is necessary. It a man things sort of speak thus the muscles never get strong but certainly they can be strengthen a ton. Its good you are doing them and is a great exercise

mgalovic01

sgt1372 wrote: »

I'd say more strength than form.

Not much "form" to it. Just hold your body in a straight plank on your toes in back and with your arms supporting your torso (and the rest of your body) up front. Arms and head should form the shape of an arrow w/your arms not too far forward or too far from your sides (unless you're more advanced).

You need adequate core and spinal erector strength to maintain the straight plank position and you need enough shoulder, arm, back and pec strength (they're all involved) to lower and lift your body to do a complete push-up (and additional repetitions thereof).

With sufficient strength you can do a pushup even w/bad form but w/o sufficient strength you cannot do them at all.

This. So, do a few every day and you'll get better. Consistency is key.