Increasing upper body strength??

grover0ca

What can I be doing to increase my upper body strength? I train in taekwondo so my lower half is coming along great & I need to get my upper half catching up!

For instance I can not do a regular push-up, I have to do the modified version by using my knees.

I started doing the 30 day shred in August and have definitely seen some improvement in upper body strenght & my muscle tone but would like to get the point where I am strong enough to bust out the regular push ups!

I don't have a gym membership so any suggestions as to what I can do using my own body weight or the 3 & 5 pound weights I have?

smuehlbauer

Oh for Pete sake. Just do a damn push up.
Do ONE. Just one! I bet you can.
Right now, drop and give me one!
If you can't - do a 1/2 of one.
You have to start some where, and you also have to stop saying you can't!

melodyg

Hmm... maybe just some upper body strength training? Biceps curls, triceps extensions, wall pushups, that sort of thing? You can do those with light weights and then move up as you get stronger.

And... you're not alone in not being able to do a pushup, if that helps at all.

mmmpink

You should get some heavier weights and do bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc. Get ones where you fail after 8-12 reps. Light weights and high reps are for building your muscle endurance, not for strengthening.

melodyg

You should get some heavier weights and do bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc. Get ones where you fail after 8-12 reps. Light weights and high reps are for building your muscle endurance, not for strengthening.

Maybe off topic, but in case you check back or someone else knows: what is the difference between building muscle endurance and strengthening the muscle? Doesn't a stronger muscle have more endurance as well? (fairly new to strength training here, if that isn't obvious) Thanks!

lilchino4af

Best way to improve pushups is to do pushups. That's how I learned to do it and it's worked well for me.

grover0ca

I hadn't realized there was muscle endurance & muscle strength...good to know and I will look at getting some heavier weights.
I also DO try to do regular push ups but if I can't get myself back up clearly I have to do something to help the situation along :bigsmile: so that I can get to the point of being able to do 1/2 of 1!!

vickiele1

I hadn't realized there was muscle endurance & muscle strength...good to know and I will look at getting some heavier weights.
I also DO try to do regular push ups but if I can't get myself back up clearly I have to do something to help the situation along :bigsmile: so that I can get to the point of being able to do 1/2 of 1!!

Pushups look easy, but they are hard. If all you can do is the ones on your knees, then that's all you can do for now - just keep doing more of those. Also, you can do push ups standing up against a wall or a door - you just have to be sure to move your feet out far enough so you can feel it in your arms. I would think, though, if you keep doing the pushups on your knees, you will eventually build up your upper body strength - your arms and shoulders specifically - I know that I can't do the regular pushups due to problems with my knees/legs, but I can certainly feel the burn when I do the pushups on my knees. Just increase the number of those each workout - so if today you did 10, tomorrow do 11, and then 12, etc. Also, increased weights for the 30 DS exercises will help build the upper body strength as well. You could do more arm curls and you can go on-line and look for the various exercises that increase upper body strength.

Good luck with your journey.

Vickie

Azdak

Keep in mind that when you are doing a pushup, the most resistance occurs when you are working directly opposite the pull of gravity. You can do several things to change the resistance:

1. Shorten the lever -- i.e. "girl" push ups.

2. Change the angle so that you are not working directly against gravity--the higher up you place your hands, the less work you are doing. You can use a couch or a bench, a handrail, or find the angle against a wall that allows you to do a full pushup.

3. Change the stability of your "base". Spreading your legs wider apart is easier.

steve8113

You should get some heavier weights and do bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc. Get ones where you fail after 8-12 reps. Light weights and high reps are for building your muscle endurance, not for strengthening.

Maybe off topic, but in case you check back or someone else knows: what is the difference between building muscle endurance and strengthening the muscle? Doesn't a stronger muscle have more endurance as well? (fairly new to strength training here, if that isn't obvious) Thanks!

There is a difference, muscle strength is anaerobic ( doesn't use oxygen to create the energy needed) and endurance is aerobic (uses oxygen to create needed energy. the main difference in these is high reps u use aerobic and low is anaerobic. when u do low rep and heavy weights u actually use different muscle (type II) fibers so u train them to get bigger and stronger, when u use high rep low weight use use your type I fibers more as they accommodate oxygen use better. so u can choose which ones u train more, and like anything, if u train them they get better. thats just a quick and simple rundown, any in depth questions just let me know

grover0ca

thanks for the info!
I will try increasing the number I am doing now of the push ups from the knee's and I will try the tip of placing my feet father apart when trying a regular push up-that is not something I was aware could make a difference!

Great tips you guys..this is very helpful!

rfialkiewicz

You can also do push ups against a wall if it's really bad. Standing further back from the wall and up on your tip toes increases the strain. Had a friend who had to use this after a bad arm injury to rebuild strength.

codedog

The ONLY way to increase strength is to increase of amount of weight you are lifting.
You could do sets with 3 pound weights every day for years and NEVER get any stronger. You would increase endurance but you would get no increase in strength.
Get an adjustable set of hand weights with a range of 5 - 25 pounds per hand.
Lay on you back with the weights in your hands. Press the weights upward for a set of 8. Repeat for 3 sets.
Now stand and do standing one arm curls with the same weight. Also 3 sets of 8.
If you got to the third set easily then your weights are way to low, double them.
Keep doubling the weight each day until you can do the first set but can't do the third. Go up in smaller amounts as you get closers to your target lifting weight
Keep that weight and each day and try to get farther into the third set.
When you finally can do all 3 sets keep that weight for about week or two doing all three sets.
When the third set gets easier add another 2.5 pounds per hand.
Repeat this process until you reach the level of upper body strength you desire.
You will find once you get up to 20 pounds per hand that if you try a push up you can do one easily.

Using this method I started with 5 pounds per hand. I am now up to 35 pounds per hand. I used to need help to get the bikes out of the car. Now I can easily lift a bike by myself. In fact, I just discovered the other day that I can lift one of the bikes out one handed! I am now lifting things one handed that used to take 2 people.

grover0ca

The ONLY way to increase strength is to increase of amount of weight you are lifting.
You could do sets with 3 pound weights every day for years and NEVER get any stronger. You would increase endurance but you would get no increase in strength.
Get an adjustable set of hand weights with a range of 5 - 25 pounds per hand.
Lay on you back with the weights in your hands. Press the weights upward for a set of 8. Repeat for 3 sets.
Now stand and do standing one arm curls with the same weight. Also 3 sets of 8.
If you got to the third set easily then your weights are way to low, double them.
Keep doubling the weight each day until you can do the first set but can't do the third. Go up in smaller amounts as you get closers to your target lifting weight
Keep that weight and each day and try to get farther into the third set.
When you finally can do all 3 sets keep that weight for about week or two doing all three sets.
When the third set gets easier add another 2.5 pounds per hand.
Repeat this process until you reach the level of upper body strength you desire.
You will find once you get up to 20 pounds per hand that if you try a push up you can do one easily.

Using this method I started with 5 pounds per hand. I am now up to 35 pounds per hand. I used to need help to get the bikes out of the car. Now I can easily lift a bike by myself. In fact, I just discovered the other day that I can lift one of the bikes out one handed! I am now lifting things one handed that used to take 2 people.

thank you for the very specific detailed info..this is VERY helpful to me!
how long did it take you to increase from 5 to 35 pounds?