Almost Cried at the Gym

Powerclean2deadlift

cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »

Push ups are hard for women. I have been trying for 5 years to do them. I can do all of 5 now.

I think they are like any other exercise they need tons of practice to improve.
I still can’t do one pull up. I’ll get there.

Life can suck sometimes.

Push ups are hard for anyone.

lx1x

Terytha wrote: »

notapilgrim wrote: »

88olds wrote: »

You can do this. Work your way up. Use the wall, kitchen counter, a chair or the bench at the gym to start on an incline. Do dumbbell presses. When you get to 1 real push up, keep doing the modifications in addition to the real thing to build up your numbers.

Weight training is a great teacher of incrementalism. Hang in. You’ll see.

A staircase works great, too. Start with your hands on the highest stair you can reach (in pushup position). When you can do 5 or so pushups fairly easily, move down a stair.

You haven't failed unless you've decided to stop trying.

I don't have stairs. I failed at the bench level one too.

I'm not giving up but I hate feeling this pathetic.

First step. Stop feeling that way.. it's not good mentally. If you done it before you can do them again. Be patient.

sfinsc

Many hugs to you, OP. FWIW, I'm fit now and can do both kinds of push-ups and sometimes, when I'm tired, I still have to revert to the modified kind. Fitness isn't linear, and you'll go backwards and forwards even when you've attained your fitness goal. It's okay to be sad or disappointed. And then we have to dust ourselves off and keep pushing. Even when you're on your knees, struggling to do a push-up, you're still doing so much better than if you were lounging on the couch. Onward and upward! We got this.

Bex953172

I cannot do ANYTHING that require upper arm strength, push ups, pulls ups, even a plank and my arms are like "Nooooo"

But you tried, and with practice you'll only get stronger and be able to do more of them!

It's like, I do YouTube videos and I do dance cardio.
And the first time I did it, I didn't even make it to the end and I was jumping around like a sack of potatoes. But after a couple of weeks, I noticed I was lasting longer on the video and I had better form and looked less potatoey LOL!

So don't worry about it! You tried, and you can only get better!

Terytha

Well, with all this in mind and some flashbacks to my martial arts days, I did some experiments at the gym and I think it's a body mechanics slash form thing.

Like, I can't do a full pushup, that's 100% my noodle arms. But I could do the bench one as long as I started with straight arms, rather than with my chest on the bench.

So it's like... angles. I used to have to do a lot of new martial arts moves in reverse too.

I think I'm bad at engaging the appropriate muscles.

tawtyping

I know exactly how you feel! I tried a 7 minute exercise app the other day - I struggled with star jumps, couldn’t do a single push up and completely flattened trying to do the plank! I tried too but will keep trying! Something must have worked a little as my abs aches a bit the next day. Keep going, tiny steps and you will get there. Good luck 🤞

Viking_Dad

Terytha wrote: »

notapilgrim wrote: »

88olds wrote: »

You can do this. Work your way up. Use the wall, kitchen counter, a chair or the bench at the gym to start on an incline. Do dumbbell presses. When you get to 1 real push up, keep doing the modifications in addition to the real thing to build up your numbers.

Weight training is a great teacher of incrementalism. Hang in. You’ll see.

A staircase works great, too. Start with your hands on the highest stair you can reach (in pushup position). When you can do 5 or so pushups fairly easily, move down a stair.

You haven't failed unless you've decided to stop trying.

I don't have stairs. I failed at the bench level one too.

I'm not giving up but I hate feeling this pathetic.

Kitchen counter, then? Anything that gets you up past 45°, really.

Pathetic?!? What, you think everyone else is born able to do pushups? 😉

Viking_Dad

Terytha wrote: »

But I could do the bench one as long as I started with straight arms, rather than with my chest on the bench.

Those are called negatives, and doing them will help you to do standard pushups.

rheddmobile

Terytha wrote: »

notapilgrim wrote: »

88olds wrote: »

You can do this. Work your way up. Use the wall, kitchen counter, a chair or the bench at the gym to start on an incline. Do dumbbell presses. When you get to 1 real push up, keep doing the modifications in addition to the real thing to build up your numbers.

Weight training is a great teacher of incrementalism. Hang in. You’ll see.

A staircase works great, too. Start with your hands on the highest stair you can reach (in pushup position). When you can do 5 or so pushups fairly easily, move down a stair.

You haven't failed unless you've decided to stop trying.

I don't have stairs. I failed at the bench level one too.

I'm not giving up but I hate feeling this pathetic.

I couldn’t do bench ones at first but I could do them at kitchen counter height - maybe something to try. I found counters were good for a couple of reasons, one being that I am often in the kitchen and cranking out a few pushups is a good way to get stronger without having to plan my life around it.

You’ll get there!

bluffgirl67

I understand being frustrated but don't think of it as a failure. Think of it as an attempt to become stronger. You have started and as you continue trying one day you will succeed.

AnnPT77

Terytha wrote: »

Well, with all this in mind and some flashbacks to my martial arts days, I did some experiments at the gym and I think it's a body mechanics slash form thing.

Like, I can't do a full pushup, that's 100% my noodle arms. But I could do the bench one as long as I started with straight arms, rather than with my chest on the bench.

So it's like... angles. I used to have to do a lot of new martial arts moves in reverse too.

I think I'm bad at engaging the appropriate muscles.

Excellent insight, and way to engage the goal!

I'm reminded of an affirmation suggested by one of my rowing coaches: "Every day, in every way, I s**k just a tiny bit less."

Keep going, invest, get it. :flowerforyou:

withinthemargin

Terytha wrote: »

I think I'm bad at engaging the appropriate muscles.

You're not "bad" you just aren't used to it. In college I was lifting a lot, and my roommate was in ROTC. He spent a lot of the summer doing pushups. We could bench about the same, but he could do 50 pushups at a time, I could barely do 5. Being competitive, I started doing pushups a lot more and after a while I could do about 25 at a time. My bench press weight didn't change noticeably.

If you can't do full pushups, do angled ones (or modified, but I'd still try to start with angled if possible). If it bothers you that much, just don't do pushups. Once you feel stronger in your chest area, you'll be more comfortable with yourself to try pushups again (though likely no matter how strong your chest/triceps get, you will still have to start slowly on the pushups).

ElizabethKalmbach

Terytha wrote: »

Well, with all this in mind and some flashbacks to my martial arts days, I did some experiments at the gym and I think it's a body mechanics slash form thing.

Like, I can't do a full pushup, that's 100% my noodle arms. But I could do the bench one as long as I started with straight arms, rather than with my chest on the bench.

So it's like... angles. I used to have to do a lot of new martial arts moves in reverse too.

I think I'm bad at engaging the appropriate muscles.

Oh! Muscle isolation is totally problematic sometimes! I'm glad you figured it out! I still can't raise my right eyebrow unless I do my left one first, because of that very same issue. Congratulations on sorting out a thing that will work for you!

robbell678

push ups are hard yes,..but keep trying! I can't dance but i keep trying! and its so hilarious!! (Think of Elaine trying to dance in the Fun House at a carnival and that's me!!)

kg6ysf

When I was in the Army I would do around 100 for my physical fitness test. Tuesday I couldn't do 5. It will take time to build back up but it hurt. I understand. DON'T stop trying though, that's the only way you fail.

Sanriohippie

You went.
You kept going.
That makes you a bad *kitten*❤️

kjarvo

'And now I don't have a choice. I'm physically too weak and too heavy to push myself up'

The vast majority of people are, men included. Pushups are something that need dedicated training. Most people off the street can't do one.

Don't worry about it!