Push ups!

princesskel30

Hello!
I have lost my weight so far just on diet but now want to start exercising too. I have been using an exercise bike for 30 minutes or doing the 30 day shred each day. I really want to get fit and toned, not just lose weight! One problem I have come across in my complete inability to do push ups, I literally cannot even do one! It's quite embarrassing but I don't know where to start, I assume indeed to strengthen my arms? Any exercises that are recommended for this? Thank you!

mrsamanda86

Do push ups on your knees until you can do them on your toes. Then just work up the number you can do. I went from being able to do 3(and feeling like I was gonna die), to one day I banged out like 150(throughout the day in groups of ten, not all in one sitting lol)

keeptehpeace

As the previous poster said, start on two knees doing them, then move up to one knee one straight leg, then normal push ups. 100pushupsaday is a great programme for learning to do push ups - I could only do a few when I started, now averaging 25 three weeks on.

taeliesyn

Just how much you struggle with pushups will decide your starting point.
Some people may suggest the knee pushups where you're on your knees but I don't believe they help that much.

I would suggest starting with a kitchen bench or if you struggle there, a wall even. Do pushups (If against the wall, slowly work your feet further away, until you can do them against the bench) on the angle, once you get comfortable with the bench/wall, then find something a little lower until you finally find yourself doing actual pushups.

edwardkim85

BURPEES.

full burpees where you touch your chest to the ground, not the half burpees.

they will help you with your pushups... a lot. It will engage your core, glutes, abs, stabilizer muscles, front delt , tricep and chest.

Why do you think everybody dreads burpees?

GiveMeCoffee

Just how much you struggle with pushups will decide your starting point.
Some people may suggest the knee pushups where you're on your knees but I don't believe they help that much.

I would suggest starting with a kitchen bench or if you struggle there, a wall even. Do pushups (If against the wall, slowly work your feet further away, until you can do them against the bench) on the angle, once you get comfortable with the bench/wall, then find something a little lower until you finally find yourself doing actual pushups.

This! When I started I used the wall, then the kitchen counter, then a step, and slowly worked my way down to the ground. Now I do 50 actual push ups.

skinnyinnotime

Great advice about trying on a worktop, stairs would give you different angles too. Also, it's not just arm strength yoi need a strong core.
It was thanks to Jillian I did my first ever proper push up!

edwardkim85

Oh just make SURE that when you do pushups, to keep your elbows tucked IN as close to your body.

Flaring your elbows out will injure your shoulder and rotator cuff + front delt over extended use.

You will notice your elbows will 'naturally' start to move away from your body as you get tired(even when you do it on your knees).

Don't.



I can do 70-80 full pushups with elbows flared out. With elbows close to my body, I can probably only do 30.

It's a lot tougher and that's the way it should be.


start on an incline like a box or the wall.

albertine58

every trainer I've worked with says if you can't do regular pushups with proper form, it's best to train them on your knees. proper form is the key!! if your butt sticking up in the air, you're not doing a push-up. Get yourself in a perfect plank position on your hands - tight core, flat back, neutral neck position, hands right below shoulders and only slightly wider - then carefully touch your knees to the floor without letting your butt or core move. then make sure to bend your knees and keep your feet/calves up as close to your butt as possible - I cross my ankles to make sure my legs don't drift down. NOW that you have perfect form, do your knee pushups! good luck! I start my workout with full push-ups, then drop to my knees if I feel my form slipping.

89nunu

Just how much you struggle with pushups will decide your starting point.
Some people may suggest the knee pushups where you're on your knees but I don't believe they help that much.

I would suggest starting with a kitchen bench or if you struggle there, a wall even. Do pushups (If against the wall, slowly work your feet further away, until you can do them against the bench) on the angle, once you get comfortable with the bench/wall, then find something a little lower until you finally find yourself doing actual pushups.

This! When I started I used the wall, then the kitchen counter, then a step, and slowly worked my way down to the ground. Now I do 50 actual push ups.

I'm with these guys! the method on your knees was useless for me to progress... if you got stairs in your house and enough space in front of them, choose a step high enough that let's you do at least 3 Sets of 5 work your way up doing more everyday until you can do 3 Sets of 12 then go down a step doing the same thing again until you are on the floor

dmpizza

You can do very effective push-ups that are easy on your joints. If you have a stair rail or the back of a couch or large chair. Stand behind the couch and put your hands on the back. Put your feet back so you are at about a 45 degree angle. Then just do the push up motions. It's somewhat easier than regular push-ups, but it then becomes easier to do more sets. If you keep your hands far apart, you work your back. If you put your hands closer, you work your pecs more.

1971jamie

Watch Paul's videos - he's totally transformed himself using nothing but bodyweight excercises and a good diet - IE no gym equipment, no supplements etc.

Here's one for beginners push-ups, with how to progress through various stages until you can manage proper ones, and even 1-arm ones!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWniBvs_cZw

ScientificExplorerGirl

BURPEES.

full burpees where you touch your chest to the ground, not the half burpees.

they will help you with your pushups... a lot. It will engage your core, glutes, abs, stabilizer muscles, front delt , tricep and chest.

Why do you think everybody dreads burpees?

Burpees are great if you can do them I can do pushups but can't do burpees with good form This exercise is more advanced than a pushup and if not done properly could end up hurting your lower back.

OP: I would the posting about starting with a wall/bench and then progressing as you build up strength.

sassymc86

tricep dips on your bottom step or a sturdy chair are great for feeling the burn.
sit on the step or chair put your hands behind you to support your self, slowly lower your bum of the step/chair. return and repeat, the straighter your legs are in front of you the harder it is!

pierremignon

Pushups are no bueno for me, but I love burpees!

snowbear1005

Knee push-ups don't work that well for me, either. But, wall and counter push-ups are too easy.

What I tried was putting my feet on the couch and doing push-ups from there. This is actually an advanced option, but I find it easier than traditional push-ups. Maybe it's because the weight is taken off of the lower body and I don't have to stabilize my entire body during the push-up. Hmm....???

Also every time I do a plank, I attempt a full push-up. I can only lower myself about halfway and back up and then, I'm done!

princesskel30

Thank you so much for all the replies!
I have tried the on my knees and still cannot even do one! Will definetly try against the stairs or wall, sounds like a great idea, thank you!

Efflictim

Just how much you struggle with pushups will decide your starting point.
Some people may suggest the knee pushups where you're on your knees but I don't believe they help that much.

I would suggest starting with a kitchen bench or if you struggle there, a wall even. Do pushups (If against the wall, slowly work your feet further away, until you can do them against the bench) on the angle, once you get comfortable with the bench/wall, then find something a little lower until you finally find yourself doing actual pushups.

I agree with this. Knee pushups arent that effective.

Otterluv

Just how much you struggle with pushups will decide your starting point.
Some people may suggest the knee pushups where you're on your knees but I don't believe they help that much.

I would suggest starting with a kitchen bench or if you struggle there, a wall even. Do pushups (If against the wall, slowly work your feet further away, until you can do them against the bench) on the angle, once you get comfortable with the bench/wall, then find something a little lower until you finally find yourself doing actual pushups.

^^ This. Go from wall pushups, to counter, to chair, to stairs, then finally the ground. You'll get there, just be patient.

HappyStack

A pushup with proper form will rely primarily on your triceps and the chest (sternal pec major). So work on your triceps and the chest.

Doing them against the wall or on a large decline is a nice idea but it won't fully engage the same musculature until you get closer to horizontal.

Do some dips, start with the knees bent and work into doing them with your legs fully extended. Try out some close-grip bench presses.

Once you're able to do 10-15 dips and a full 3x5 set of fairly heavy (30kg+) CGBPs, you should be able to knock out a single pushup with good form. The fact you're also losing weight will help enormously, too.

Once you can do one, you can do two in the next session, and so on.

NRSPAM

Even better than starting on your knees, start doing regular pushups on a counter top or something. Then once you get to where those are easier, find something lower to do them on, like a weight bench, or coffee table. Then move on to the floor. When I first started doing them on the floor, I couldn't go down very far, but I kept on. Now I can do them no problem. ))