Planks vs. push ups

acogg

I can only do planks, I can hold them for a minute or longer. I can do side planks for at least 15 seconds or longer. I didn't stop because my strength gave out, I stopped because I wanted to move on.

I cannot do a push up. I get half way up and I give out. I am doing arm curls, shoulder strenthening with resistance tubes. I am missing something. I am not over weight, I should be able to lift my own weight

DopeItUp

If you can't do push-ups, try doing them from your knees. Keep increasing reps until you can do them from your toes. You'll be doing full push-ups in no time.

Sarauk2sf

If you can't do push-ups, try doing them from your knees. Keep increasing reps until you can do them from your toes. You'll be doing full push-ups in no time.

This. If from your knees is too hard then start at an angle against a wall and progressively get more horizontal by changing the angle.

ETA: push ups are hard and particularly hard for women. They include a lot of chest, bicep, tricep and back as well as core. There is nothing wrong with not being able to do them at first.

AZKristi

You can also try incline pushups. Rather than placing your hands on the floor, place your hands on a wall, counter or bench. When you can do a pushup in one position, move your hands lower until eventually you are doing pushups from the floor.

kimothy38

It took me months to be able to do full push ups. I'm not sure that weight really makes a difference - unlike doing a pull up. It's more about strength than weight I reckon. Keep trying and you'll be really proud when it finally happens.

Martucha123

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/02/15/proper-push-up/

this will explain to you what incline push up is

I couldn't do one proper push ups 6 months ago. now I can do 3 sets of 10 and wasn't even trying to improve them every week, just doing some incline ones from time to time. In my case, bench press helped with push ups a lot

SoopraBint

yay!! glad I'm not alone and thanks for explaining why its hard for women!!

IronSmasher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mi7pZncY4Q

Push up regression to progressions start at 1:20.

Don't waste your time on your knees.

dancerom

It's a bit late and maybe you're already a push up queen!

But what I did (and still do in my classes) is doing the plank and from there just bend the elbows a tiny little bit. And stretch them again. And bend them... a little bit more... don't think about lowering to the floor, don't think about push ups. But it will train the right muscles and after a while you can do push ups ;-)

good luck and enjoy!

mikeschratz

If you can't do push-ups, try doing them from your knees. Keep increasing reps until you can do them from your toes. You'll be doing full push-ups in no time.

This. If from your knees is too hard then start at an angle against a wall and progressively get more horizontal by changing the angle.

ETA: push ups are hard and particularly hard for women. They include a lot of chest, bicep, tricep and back as well as core. There is nothing wrong with not being able to do them at first.

^^^ This, when I had shoulder surgery this is what they had me do to get back my strength for Karate. I started on the kitchen counter and worked my way down using things around the house. I started out with 1 set of 10, then 2 sets of ten. and worked my way up till I could do 3 sets of 12 on the kitchen counter. Then I used the coffee table and went until I could do 3 sets of 12... now it has been 8 months since my surgery and I do 3 sets of 30 on the floor!
Good luck, it is progress not perfection!

Yogi_Carl

The problem with starting push-ups on your knees is your core is not engaged and not being able to do a push-up is often more to do with core stability than arm strength.

To start push-ups easy, start leaning with a straight body into a wall and push-up from there, getting lower. The progress to pushing up from a FIRMLY PLACED chair - put the chair against a wall to prevent slipping. Then a lower box and then on to the floor.

Then you will soon be progressing from conventional push-ups to an endless series of harder progressions to keep intensity and strengthening up - if you want to. good luck, its a great game!