Nooooo upper body strength

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  • aspenwind
    aspenwind Posts: 26 Member
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    I 've had surgery on my wrist and have a metal plate in it. It causes discomfort for my wrist to have them flat on the ground. If anyone else has this trouble, I'd like to note that a Perfect Pushup ( something like this, but they sell them much cheaper, it's just an example: http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/bodyrev-perfect-push-up-bar.html ) or something that swivels with handles is a lot easier on your wrist to use. Alternately, to work up to pushups, you can use the handicap bar in a bathroom stall. Just don't hit your head on the wall. ;)

    **Edit: Or you can use dumbbells to grip and lower yourself. Anything that grips helps better than having the wrist at a 90-degree angle.

    You can also make a fist and do them on your knuckles. You'll probably want padding of some sort though.
  • jaxbeck
    jaxbeck Posts: 537 Member
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    I actually started my pushups against a wall, and against a counterop until I built up some strength, I still can't do a lot but it's much better than before so soon I hope to be able to do them like it's no big deal!

    I saw that in the above links, had never considered tht. I'll be doing 'em tonight!

    Doh, I should've looked at the links lol

    I can now do about 10 girl pushups on the ground, then I have to get up and do some against the wall, but then I can usually get back down on the floor and do a few more, so huge improvement.

    Doing way better than me! I can't do one!!
  • mariacolumbus
    mariacolumbus Posts: 227 Member
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    I know exactly what you are talking about...I used to also have zero upper body strength!!! I have been doing P90X for about 6 months (on my 3rd round) and now i can do 40 plank push ups, and 9 unassisted pull ups!!! I'm so excited. AND my arms are really getting some definition to them. As the other posters have said, start where you can and increase it each time. Trust me if I can do it anyone can!!!!
    good luck!
  • jaxbeck
    jaxbeck Posts: 537 Member
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    Move up to 12 lbs.

    And so on.

    I was looking to not purchase any more equipment but it looks like I may need to....
    If you can do more then 8 reps with a weight, time to go heavier. I was barely able to do 60 degree pushups before but now I do decline push ups

    That's a good point, I can go forever with my 10 pounders
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    I 've had surgery on my wrist and have a metal plate in it. It causes discomfort for my wrist to have them flat on the ground. If anyone else has this trouble, I'd like to note that a Perfect Pushup ( something like this, but they sell them much cheaper, it's just an example: http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/bodyrev-perfect-push-up-bar.html ) or something that swivels with handles is a lot easier on your wrist to use. Alternately, to work up to pushups, you can use the handicap bar in a bathroom stall. Just don't hit your head on the wall. ;)

    **Edit: Or you can use dumbbells to grip and lower yourself. Anything that grips helps better than having the wrist at a 90-degree angle.

    We love our Perfect Pushups. I use them also:

    20090822221138.jpg
  • jaxbeck
    jaxbeck Posts: 537 Member
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    I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but I have zero upper body strength. Even with lifting with 10 pound weights for the last month or so I can't even do one full girl push up or even a single pull up. Suggestions on getting stronger??

    I am in the same boat! I tried last night to do 1 regular push-up and OMG, I couldnt do even 1!! But, these suggestions seem really good so, I guess I will start with the wall!! :)

    Hopefully they will help!
  • lpekny
    lpekny Posts: 63 Member
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    I could not do them either but after a few rounds of Jillian Michales 30 day shred, I can do about 8 or so. I do the shred with 5 lb weights, but I am thinking of moving up to the next higher ones after I finish this round of the Shred.
  • jaxbeck
    jaxbeck Posts: 537 Member
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    Find some selectorized dumbbells. Probably a lot cheaper than buying a bunch of individual dumbbell sets of varying weights.

    I will look that up, thank you!
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
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    when i started crossfit i had the same problem. i could hardly do a girly push up (on the knees instead of plank). just keep doing them every night and you arms will get better. i think ring rows really helped me too.
    EDIT-I can now do normal non girly pushups AND hindu pushups

    I had to look up what a Hindu pushup was. In my martial arts school, we called them "under-the-wire" pushups, haha. Hindu falls of the tongue much more easily.
  • jaxbeck
    jaxbeck Posts: 537 Member
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    I know exactly what you are talking about...I used to also have zero upper body strength!!! I have been doing P90X for about 6 months (on my 3rd round) and now i can do 40 plank push ups, and 9 unassisted pull ups!!! I'm so excited. AND my arms are really getting some definition to them. As the other posters have said, start where you can and increase it each time. Trust me if I can do it anyone can!!!!
    good luck!



    That's impressive!
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 932 Member
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    when i started crossfit i had the same problem. i could hardly do a girly push up (on the knees instead of plank). just keep doing them every night and you arms will get better. i think ring rows really helped me too.
    EDIT-I can now do normal non girly pushups AND hindu pushups

    I had to look up what a Hindu pushup was. In my martial arts school, we called them "under-the-wire" pushups, haha. Hindu falls of the tongue much more easily.

    lol the guys at my gym call them stripper push ups..i have no idea why
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 756 Member
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    bump!
  • fergie137
    fergie137 Posts: 33
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    bump
  • steph1278
    steph1278 Posts: 483 Member
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    I am in the same boat. I will have to check out those links later tonight. Thanks.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but I have zero upper body strength. Even with lifting with 10 pound weights for the last month or so I can't even do one full girl push up or even a single pull up. Suggestions on getting stronger??

    Does your gym have those "pre-made" bars where the weights are fixed? They usually range from like 15lbs to 120lbs. Or even a short olympic bar, those are 25lbs.
  • jaxbeck
    jaxbeck Posts: 537 Member
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    I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but I have zero upper body strength. Even with lifting with 10 pound weights for the last month or so I can't even do one full girl push up or even a single pull up. Suggestions on getting stronger??

    Does your gym have those "pre-made" bars where the weights are fixed? They usually range from like 15lbs to 120lbs. Or even a short olympic bar, those are 25lbs.


    I don't have a gym yet, I have a home gym of sorts...treadmill, resistance bands, weights plus I will try to go to our outdoor fitness park that has bars for pull ups
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but I have zero upper body strength. Even with lifting with 10 pound weights for the last month or so I can't even do one full girl push up or even a single pull up. Suggestions on getting stronger??

    Does your gym have those "pre-made" bars where the weights are fixed? They usually range from like 15lbs to 120lbs. Or even a short olympic bar, those are 25lbs.

    I don't have a gym yet, I have a home gym of sorts...treadmill, resistance bands, weights plus I will try to go to our outdoor fitness park that has bars for pull ups

    Well that's a start. It sounds like you have a bench so do dumbell bench presses. Go as heavy as you can go for sets of 3 to 5. (i.e., start with 5lb dumbells do 5 reps, if too light then do 10lbs, 15lbs, 20lbs, until you hit a weight in which the next progression would be too heavy for 3 to 5 reps.) I would mix that up with dumbell floor presses. One day do flat bench press one day do floor press.

    Do dumbell shoulder presses, lying and / or overhead tricep extensions (NOT kickbacks), shoulder shrugs, and keep doing them chin-ups. Also do some dumbell rowing. Do this until your strength is good enough to do an olympic bar plus some weight.
  • jaxbeck
    jaxbeck Posts: 537 Member
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    I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but I have zero upper body strength. Even with lifting with 10 pound weights for the last month or so I can't even do one full girl push up or even a single pull up. Suggestions on getting stronger??

    Does your gym have those "pre-made" bars where the weights are fixed? They usually range from like 15lbs to 120lbs. Or even a short olympic bar, those are 25lbs.

    I don't have a gym yet, I have a home gym of sorts...treadmill, resistance bands, weights plus I will try to go to our outdoor fitness park that has bars for pull ups

    Well that's a start. It sounds like you have a bench so do dumbell bench presses. Go as heavy as you can go for sets of 3 to 5. (i.e., start with 5lb dumbells do 5 reps, if too light then do 10lbs, 15lbs, 20lbs, until you hit a weight in which the next progression would be too heavy for 3 to 5 reps.) I would mix that up with dumbell floor presses. One day do flat bench press one day do floor press.

    Do dumbell shoulder presses, lying and / or overhead tricep extensions (NOT kickbacks), shoulder shrugs, and keep doing them chin-ups. Also do some dumbell rowing. Do this until your strength is good enough to do an olympic bar plus some weight.

    Those are some great tips, thank you!

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