Building strength for push ups and sit ups

rheddmobile

I started out on the 100 push-ups challenge doing wall push-ups, then started over about week 3 and moved to countertop, then knee, then shallow wobbly toe push-ups, then real push-ups. I can do twenty real ones now, and I'm working my way up. The challenge website is helpful because it gives me a routine. There's also a 200 sit-ups challenge (which can be modified to crunches).

If you're like me, you will be able to plank before your arms and shoulders are strong enough to do real push-ups well. I do three one minute planks in addition to the push-ups to strengthen my core.

I agree that knee push-ups are not the greatest substitute when learning to do real ones. My wrists are my weak point with real push-ups, and they don't get the same kind of pressure at the knee angle.