Can't do a pushup to save my life

SuffolkSally

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.

HA! Men and women are generally built a little differently... just how many situps can you do, without adding weights?

lyttlewon

Is a static push up a plank?

kimberliiw

I'm doing Chalean Extreme also and started out not being able to do any. I've been doing knee, wall and counter pushups and am able to do 6 consecutive regular pushups now. I am determined to conquer this.

californiagirl2012

Keep it up and over time you can develop strength to do them. A good weight training program will help with this too. I found that a good weight training program will help you with functional exercises and body weight exercise. For example I do an over all body workout that changes up all the time. It includes pushups, planks, swiss ball pikes and rollouts, as well as all the weight exercises. I hadn't don't pullups for years yet when I was visiting a Golds Gym some friends jumped up and did pullups so I thought I'd try it. I whipped out 15 no problem and that was after 1.5 hours of heavy weight lifting. I had not done pullups in years and last I tried I was lucky if I could do one. So, hopefully you are doing a weight training program as well as trying to do pushups.

Once upon a time I could not do pushups either. But if you don't give up, you will build up strength and your only limit is in your own mind.

Cgirlish

I struggle with push up too ... going to have to come back and read this later

mpmama2re

from someone who couldn't do one pushup six months ago to doing 15 now-- if you want to do them, do not give up.
I started with weights. I lifted weights and built some strength from there. knee pushups never did anything for me.
like everything else, the key to being able to do them is to keep trying and practicing every day. you will get there!

RobynMWilson

One thing I learned with toe pushups is it helps to flex the core, quads and butt and try to keep everything as straight as possible while doing the pushup. Also, bench presses for the chest, chest flys and tricep work (extensions, dips) will help strengthen the muscles to help you do them. I don't think it's just practice that got me doing them but all the other work in P90X which strengthened me...

andilion

When I started working out a few months ago, I couldn't do even a single knee push up let alone a regular pushup. Wall push ups never worked for me because I couldn't lower myself without hitting my head against the wall. I started with incline pushups, first against a counter that was about the height of my hips. It was really hard for me but I kept at it. Eventually I was able to do incline pushups against a box that was the height of my knees. In the mean time I also did bench presses and planks.

Now I can do a lot of knee push ups, and I can finally do a single regular pushup. So the combination of incline pushups, bench press, and planks worked pretty well for me.

trijoe

Okay, I don't have any constructive advice for getting your pushup done. However I would like to say this:

What I really like about your thread - seriously, I REALLY like it - is how determined you are to do one. It can be so easy to just say, "I can't do this, the heck with it, I'll probably never be able to, oh well." Instead, you're going out of your way to do the work - hard work, too - to do one. You're really impressive! And motivating. And inspiring.

I wish you great success. I think with your determination, and all the great people helping you, you simply cannot fail. You're going to rock those pushups.

LeeleeBear88

I have been working with a personal trainer since January. When I started I could not do 1 real push up on my toes.
Started with wall pushups, advanced to knee push up, have been doing weight training. Two weeks ago I did 30
real push up on my toes. You can do it!

iRebel

Okay, I don't have any constructive advice for getting your pushup done. However I would like to say this:

What I really like about your thread - seriously, I REALLY like it - is how determined you are to do one. It can be so easy to just say, "I can't do this, the heck with it, I'll probably never be able to, oh well." Instead, you're going out of your way to do the work - hard work, too - to do one. You're really impressive! And motivating. And inspiring.

I wish you great success. I think with your determination, and all the great people helping you, you simply cannot fail. You're going to rock those pushups.

Wow, thank you! I am absolutely going to be able to do a pushup soon! All the info I got here is really helpful!

meshashesha2012

i havent read all the suggestions but i dont think the bench press idea will help because of a lot of strength for pushups come from your core not your chest muscles. when you do a push up you want to make sure to keep your core tight

to work up to pushups, start straight legged doing them against a wall. do 10. once those get easy go lower. you can do them with your hands on a bench or a counter. then go down to a step riser. eventually you'll be on the ground or even doing decline pushups

nz_deevaa

I once posted a topic very similar to this, but now I'm the push-up champion in our house.

I got better at them by strengthening my core doing heavy squats and dead-lifts.

... and by doing push-ups.

I think today in my PT session we did over a hundred push-ups in a circuit, and I did every one of them on my toes. Only one other person in the group did them all from their toes.