A little advice for a newbie re: bodyweight exercise

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nicsflyingcircus
nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,491 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was thinking of trying the beginner routine from nerdfitness, however it calls for 10 pushups as part of the circuit. I am a 311lb woman. The last time I was able to do 10 pushups was when I played rugby/softball catcher in HS, from which I graduated 17yrs ago.

Any suggestions for an exercise I could incorporate instead? I own 8lb dumbells and could purchase heavier ones if needed.

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  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,491 Member
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    Bump
  • zamphir66
    zamphir66 Posts: 582 Member
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    Push up (out?) against a wall. As you gain strength, change the incline, such as pushing against a heavy dresser that lets you hit a 45 degree angle or such. Gradually move to the ground as you're able.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    look into convict conditioning or you are your own gym if you're adamant about bodyweight only exercises.

    I'd also recommend new rules of lifting for women and the stronglifts program if you have access to a gym. Nerdfitness is great, too. So what if you can't do a pushup yet? Do what you can. It's more than not trying, right?
  • aliakynes
    aliakynes Posts: 352 Member
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    Try any of these: http://www.startbodyweight.com/p/push-up-progression.html
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,491 Member
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    look into convict conditioning or you are your own gym if you're adamant about bodyweight only exercises.

    I'd also recommend new rules of lifting for women and the stronglifts program if you have access to a gym. Nerdfitness is great, too. So what if you can't do a pushup yet? Do what you can. It's more than not trying, right?

    I am planning to do what I can, hence the question about what I could do instead of a pushup. The gym is not an option right now but I do want to preserve LBM, starting by consuming around 125 of protein daily and contnuing by adding bodyweight exercises.

    Thanks for the suggestions!
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,013 Member
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    On your knees ("girl" pushups)? Or on a park bench (feet on ground, hands on edge of bench)?
  • weightedfootsteps
    weightedfootsteps Posts: 4,349 Member
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    Definitely against a wall at first if you haven't done any push-ups in a long time...then go for something lower until you get closer to the ground. You can do it! That's how I started...I can do a few push-ups now...not great...but good form. :)

    Just keep trying...you'll get there eventually..we all do! :flowerforyou:
  • theCaityCat
    theCaityCat Posts: 84 Member
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    I do wall push-ups, and eventually I'll work my way down to floor push-ups. I'm at the point where I can do some push-ups from my knees, too. I was blessed with long arms and legs with a relatively short torso, and my brother is the same way (and he's around 6'4", in the USAF). It's harder for us to do push-ups than it is for someone with a stockier build and shorter arms.

    Eventually, you'll be able to do floor push-ups. Just start slow.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,491 Member
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    On your knees ("girl" pushups)? Or on a park bench (feet on ground, hands on edge of bench)?

    Girl pushups may never be an option. I had a bad wreck in the past, the titanium rod in my shin went in through a 4" vertical incision on my knee that had to be re-opened a year later to remove a spicula(bone fragment) that was slicing through my patellar tendon below my kneecap, causing patellar tendonitis. Ever since (going on 7yrs since the wreck), I haven't been able to kneel on the knee. I am hopeful that once I reach a reasonable body weight, it may alleviate the issue, but since it *HURTS* severely even when one of my kids does something that applies pressure to the scar, I have doubts. It's not joint pain, to be clear, it's a tissue thing.

    Definitely going to try wall pushups to start though.

    Edited for coherency. :blushing:
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,013 Member
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    OMG. Ouch, that sounds super painful. Uh, yeah, probably a good call to stay off it. Glad the wall solution sounds it will work for you :smile:
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    I'm doing the Convict Conditioning program, which has the progression: wall, table, modified, part-way-down, all the way down.

    The reasoning behind the modified push-up is to reduce the lever. So, perhaps if you had some sort of low stool you could rest your hips or thighs so you don't have to put direct pressure on your knee?

    ETA: I just tried it with a 6" stool across my thighs and it works well enough.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Hi and welcome! I wrote a blog post about building up to doing full push-ups after I suffered a shoulder injury, some of these in-between variants might help. The having your feet further apart thing works well seeing as you can't kneel:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396

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