Can't do a pushup to save my life

iRebel

Planks are great! Pushups are just adding movement to the balance of planks!

To work up to doing a pushup, you want to build overall arm strength - so put together a combination of moves that will help stregthen them. If you have a gym do the circuits there on the machines. If not at home you can do any number of bodyweight exercises.

A good progression of *types* of pushups you can build up to :
Wall pushups - Push off against a wall
Elevated surface pushups- Find an elevated surface such as a low bench or chair, ideally something below your waist
knee pushups
'full; pushups

Once you are confidently into about 5 pushups, you can check out "Hundred Pushups.com" for a challenge. I started at 6 last summer and I'm up to 5 sets of anywhere from 25 to 36 pushups and about 40 if i go to exhaustion!

Sounds cool, I'll check that site out!

3foldchord

I have wimpy arms... it took awhile for me to work up to push u s. I can fiinally do ten- yep, a whole stinking 10! LOL. still a bit arm wimpy, but ten- no knees!

to work up to my 10 push ups, I did planks, some weights, some core body strengthening... and would do 10 push ups- starting in a plank- jjust doing as many as I could until I had to switch to knees... it started with not even one, then soon 2... and eventuay after doing all of the above, I ffinaly got to 10.

(then had abdominal surgery- finally back up to 10 and will work on adding more to my goal soon)

JennyLisT

I started with wall push ups, and I've worked my way to knee push ups. :drinker:

contingencyplan

Thanks, I'm also wondering which muscles need to get stronger- core and triceps?

The pushup is a variation of the bench press, which is a primarily chest exercise. The core, shoulders, and triceps are all components, but the primary muscle group involved is the chest. My suggestion is to start doing bench presses with whatever weight you can safely manage for no more than 8 reps and keep going up in weight.

small_ninja

Don't practice on your knees, it doesn't help.

Like others said, a 45 degree standing one (leaning on stairs or a counter) or static press ups could be good. You've pretty much just gotta keep trying to do them properly. Try do one every day if you struggle just doing one and then build from there. I learnt press ups from a young age, at karate we were made to just suck it up and try do them properly, and lo and behold, here I am banging out sets of 20 (and even a couple of one armed ones )

jensine2

Do push ups against a counter top for starters.. Then do girl push ups... Then work up to one man push up each day and eventually you will get one, then two then three etc... But you have to work at it not just expect to do it

mhotch

I started against the wall, to doing it against the bed or kitchen counter while I was cooking.

Then I dropped to the floor, doing only one regular pushup and then drop to my knees to finish the set. Every few days I added one more regular pushup to the set before dropping to my knees to finish up the set.

I can now do 2 sets with my feet elevated on a bosu ball. It takes time, and dedication, but it can be done.

innocenceportrayed

Don't feel bad, I have a hard time with them too. I can do like 5 straight legged and like maybe 15 on my knees but I'm not sure my form is correct and so I try not to do them. I like the idea of doing them against a counter or stairs though, I never thought of that!

I can plank but I can't do pushups. Weird.

kcoftx

I was doing the ones on the knees for months and it just didn't help me graduate towards a full push up. I switched to a different plan. I started with wall then incline then push ups. Within weeks I was doing it!

saraann4

I think planks will help.

belladonna786

I cant do them either! But i try, the only way right now that I can do anything that resembles a push up is on the wall standing up lol its really a push away.

dustygn

Make sure you have your technique right. I thought I couldn't do pushups either but it turns out my hands were just too close together. Make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders. There's no problem with using your knees.

GrammaBonnie

We had a challenge in July to do 100 pushups, using the website, http://www.hundredpushups.com (and the associated app).

I was able to do 6 standard pushups when I started. A few weeks ago, I was able to do 100 ... not all consecutive, which was my goal ... but I did over a hundred in 9 sets. The program works!

I didn't have the best form, and now have a pinched nerve, so I won't be doing any for a while. So, be SURE to have proper form.

You look like you are young. I hadn't done anything physical for YEARS. (I'm 58). If I could do it, you can, too!

Good luck!

LupaNera

I also have to struggle to do them just too much weight (sigh). I can do properly on my knees or on bench but just can't go down very well on the floor. Hope to improve when some weight will go away.

SuffolkSally

How tall are you?

As well as push ups being in general tougher for women than for men height can be an issue, so I've been told since joining this site, the proportions involved with greater height making them harder.

I've never been able to do a push up, ever, even at my lightest and fittest (which certainly isn't now, lol).

But I can still do 100 ab crunches with resistance weight at 35kgs in two sets, which a lot of men would struggle with.

I used to able to raise my legs and torso vertically, resting on my head and shoulders (don't know what this move is called), easily, and did this many times a day as part of my exercise routine... but I STILL couldn't do a bloody push up!

But thanks for the post, it's reminded that doing them used to be an aspiration, one that I've given up on. I might just start trying again...

ixap

Try negatives pushups.
Get in the top of pushup position and lower yourself to the ground. Do this as slowly and as controlled as you can, keeping your core tight. Try 5 sets of 3 with 1 or 2 minutes of rest between sets. After lowering yourself to the ground, you can get on your knees or roll over. To get back up and returnto the start position.

rcthale

The pushup is a variation of the bench press, which is a primarily chest exercise. My suggestion is to start doing bench presses with whatever weight you can safely manage for no more than 8 reps and keep going up in weight.

This is true. If your hands are the right distance apart, pushups are mostly chest. You could start a bench press with 5-pound dumbbells in each hand and gradually increase weights if it's too easy. Also, the floor is the safest place for dumbbell press.

If your gym's weight area is full of gorillas, then you can start at home by tipping forward against a wall and pushing yourself away. Then move on to kitchen counters or other sturdy things that let you tip even further forward.

wonderwoman_72

Don't practice on your knees, it doesn't help.

Like others said, a 45 degree standing one (leaning on stairs or a counter) or static press ups could be good. You've pretty much just gotta keep trying to do them properly. Try do one every day if you struggle just doing one and then build from there. I learnt press ups from a young age, at karate we were made to just suck it up and try do them properly, and lo and behold, here I am banging out sets of 20 (and even a couple of one armed ones )

*This*

Push ups on your knees and fully extended pushups are different. On your knees is basically just working your arms and it'll feel like starting over when you try to do a plank style pushup. Trust me, I've been there. :-) Work on core strength, lift weights and practice, practice, practice. Start on the wall, then incline and work your way to the floor. I've been working on them for months and yesterday when I FINALLY banged out 3 sets of 8 it was the BEST feeling.
You can do it!!

iRebel

How tall are you?

As well as push ups being in general tougher for women than for men height can be an issue, so I've been told since joining this site, the proportions involved with greater height making them harder.

I've never been able to do a push up, ever, even at my lightest and fittest (which certainly isn't now, lol).

But I can still do 100 ab crunches with resistance weight at 35kgs in two sets, which a lot of men would struggle with.

I used to able to raise my legs and torso vertically, resting on my head and shoulders (don't know what this move is called), easily, and did this many times a day as part of my exercise routine... but I STILL couldn't do a bloody push up!

But thanks for the post, it's reminded that doing them used to be an aspiration, one that I've given up on. I might just start trying again...

Keep trying, I know I will. I've NEVER Been able to do one.

I used to set up a scenario, tell myself out loud: "there is a meteor heading towards earth and the only thing that can stop it is you doing a pushup, the world is counting on you!" then- SMACK! I'd face plant on my way down. Good thing no one has ever had to depend on me doing a pushup!

gpstrucker

Just keep trying Push ups are mainly triceps and chest. Wall or counter is good for a start, but do SOMETHING to build up those muscles. Push ups really aren't that hard, ya just have to keep at it.