Can't even do one push-up.

jacktin

You are doing good with cardio, but you should strength/resistance for toning (since it is important to you). The trick is to start slow, and do ONLY what you can do. As a person with Lupus (autoimmune disease), I know first hand how hard this can be and I truly cannot do certain exercises or heavy weight lifting, but I do what my body can handle. Example: No way can I do a real push up because of my weight and joint issues--so I do wall push ups :)The old saying "Rome wasn't built in a day" comes to mind, but it did need some bricks to get started . Better to add some now and building up will get easier.

Many work certain muscle groups on certain days. This has been recommended to me as well by my fitness coach and doctor.I do at least 3 rounds of cardio a week ( 30 min sessions,mostly step aerobics ) and I do strength or light weight exercise on the off-cardio days (though I do ab exercises 6 days a week). One of the days I focus upper body and another day I focus lower body. I may have issues with plateau right now, but I am still losing inches and am gaining definition in my face, arms,legs and abs.

Start with no weight at first or maybe some soup cans then graduate to getting some resistance bands and maybe some heavier weights as you progress. Keep up the good work

notthatthis

You are doing good with cardio, but you should strength/resistance for toning (since it is important to you). The trick is to start slow, and do ONLY what you can do. As a person with Lupus (autoimmune disease), I know first hand how hard this can be and I truly cannot do certain exercises or heavy weight lifting, but I do what my body can handle. Example: No way can I do a real push up because of my weight and joint issues--so I do wall push ups :)The old saying "Rome wasn't built in a day" comes to mind, but it did need some bricks to get started . Better to add some now and building up will get easier.

Many work certain muscle groups on certain days. This has been recommended to me as well by my fitness coach and doctor.I do at least 3 rounds of cardio a week ( 30 min sessions,mostly step aerobics ) and I do strength or light weight exercise on the off-cardio days (though I do ab exercises 6 days a week). One of the days I focus upper body and another day I focus lower body. I may have issues with plateau right now, but I am still losing inches and am gaining definition in my face, arms,legs and abs.

Start with no weight at first or maybe some soup cans then graduate to getting some resistance bands and maybe some heavier weights as you progress. Keep up the good work

But you do ab exercises 6 days a week, obviously you do not care about joint, lumbar, disc issues.

black_cats

I have the weakest arms/upper body. My boyfriend says I have t-rex arms!

Velum_cado

Just give it a try and work within your ability. If you have to modify moves to be able to do them, go ahead and do that. You can do pushups on your knees or against a wall to start out with.

sixout

Download "100 Pushups" app on your phone. Android and Iphone both have versions. It'll help you work up to doing 100 total, and you go at a slow pace.

Doing some now is the best bet. Cardio will never get you to where you want, muscle wise. Especially upper body.

donna_glasgow

I would incorporate some now. Can't do a push up on the floor, so do them against the wall, then move to counter top, then to chair and before you know it you will be a push up on the floor. Keep challenging yourself . Don't give up. If you want to move to the floor before you can do a full pushup, just do what you can and then hold at the top of the pushup (a plank) you will be amazed how soon you will be doing pushups. Remember on the floor you can do them from your knees too. As you master then then you can change hand positions on the floor. Have fun!

^^ this ...

I started the hundred push up challenge and I couldnt even do 1 military push up ... in fact I could only manage 3 push ups on my knees and it made my head spin ............... so I started on the back of my couch ....... after 1 month of pushing every second day I was able to do 20 military style push ups in a row. never give up

notthatthis

Download "100 Pushups" app on your phone. Android and Iphone both have versions. It'll help you work up to doing 100 total, and you go at a slow pace.

Doing some now is the best bet. Cardio will never get you to where you want, muscle wise. Especially upper body.

100 push ups is cardio.

BerryH

Here's a blog I wrote about how to build up through different styles of push-up until you can do full ones. I had a shoulder injury when I started and had to go really slowly. Hope it helps! :flowerforyou:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396

Faye_Anderson

Here's a blog I wrote about how to build up through different styles of push-up until you can do full ones. I had a shoulder injury when I started and had to go really slowly. Hope it helps! :flowerforyou:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396

Honestly this! I couldn't do one push up even after losing 85lbs, Berry sent me this link a couple of weeks ago and now I can do 5 (it's a start )

watergallagher

Do ur best and forget the rest.

jacktin

You are doing good with cardio, but you should strength/resistance for toning (since it is important to you). The trick is to start slow, and do ONLY what you can do. As a person with Lupus (autoimmune disease), I know first hand how hard this can be and I truly cannot do certain exercises or heavy weight lifting, but I do what my body can handle. Example: No way can I do a real push up because of my weight and joint issues--so I do wall push ups :)The old saying "Rome wasn't built in a day" comes to mind, but it did need some bricks to get started . Better to add some now and building up will get easier.

Many work certain muscle groups on certain days. This has been recommended to me as well by my fitness coach and doctor.I do at least 3 rounds of cardio a week ( 30 min sessions,mostly step aerobics ) and I do strength or light weight exercise on the off-cardio days (though I do ab exercises 6 days a week). One of the days I focus upper body and another day I focus lower body. I may have issues with plateau right now, but I am still losing inches and am gaining definition in my face, arms,legs and abs.

Start with no weight at first or maybe some soup cans then graduate to getting some resistance bands and maybe some heavier weights as you progress. Keep up the good work

But you do ab exercises 6 days a week, obviously you do not care about joint, lumbar, disc issues.

If I do my ab exercises on weight bench with no weight or stability ball, how am I hurting my joints? I do not go down to the floor and my back is not affected thankfully by my Lupus. I do not have lumbar or disc issues.My knees, hips, ankles, fingers, toes,pericardium,lungs,kidneys and skin on my face is affected by my Lupus.

notthatthis

You are doing good with cardio, but you should strength/resistance for toning (since it is important to you). The trick is to start slow, and do ONLY what you can do. As a person with Lupus (autoimmune disease), I know first hand how hard this can be and I truly cannot do certain exercises or heavy weight lifting, but I do what my body can handle. Example: No way can I do a real push up because of my weight and joint issues--so I do wall push ups :)The old saying "Rome wasn't built in a day" comes to mind, but it did need some bricks to get started . Better to add some now and building up will get easier.

Many work certain muscle groups on certain days. This has been recommended to me as well by my fitness coach and doctor.I do at least 3 rounds of cardio a week ( 30 min sessions,mostly step aerobics ) and I do strength or light weight exercise on the off-cardio days (though I do ab exercises 6 days a week). One of the days I focus upper body and another day I focus lower body. I may have issues with plateau right now, but I am still losing inches and am gaining definition in my face, arms,legs and abs.

Start with no weight at first or maybe some soup cans then graduate to getting some resistance bands and maybe some heavier weights as you progress. Keep up the good work

But you do ab exercises 6 days a week, obviously you do not care about joint, lumbar, disc issues.

If I do my ab exercises on weight bench with no weight or stability ball, how am I hurting my joints? I do not go down to the floor and my back is not affected thankfully by my Lupus. I do not have lumbar or disc issues.My knees, hips, ankles, fingers, toes,pericardium,lungs,kidneys and skin on my face is affected by my Lupus.

I know nothing of your lupus. Last tiem I looked humanity had evolved to stand up, be bipedal. Tell me how any exercise which takes place on your back whilst moving your spine in a direction that it does not really enjoy which then has a knock on effect to other body parts in a detrimental way is worth doing 6 days per week, just so that we can try to get a 6 pack. Unless you are talking about core exercises which would then be a different matter.

KathrynCatlady

Thanks for saying this (and to the others who suggested a gradually more challenging push-up routine). Right now I am doing 30DS and I can't do push ups properly. I try, but I haven't been able to. I'll practice with some of the less-drastic positions outside of the 30DS now! :-)

demorelli

Start with walking, standing crunches, pushups against the kitchen counter, etc. The most important thing is that you're getting yourself moving. It'll get easier as your body gets used to it and you'll be able to add in more difficult things or stretch it out for longer. You've already taken the first step by deciding to change! You should be really proud of yourself for that.

pavingnewpaths

You guys have been a HUGE help.

This really motivated me and I started strength training yesterday. I did modified ones and hopefully I can stick to this for three days a week.

Also that link above seems extremely helpful. I'll give it a read through.

Thanks so much!

sixout

Download "100 Pushups" app on your phone. Android and Iphone both have versions. It'll help you work up to doing 100 total, and you go at a slow pace.

Doing some now is the best bet. Cardio will never get you to where you want, muscle wise. Especially upper body.

100 push ups is cardio.

While that may be the case, it helps build you up. Repetition is key.

And when I said Cardio will never get you where you want, I meant running / the types of things people do for cardio along those lines, won't build strength.

sofaking6

Here's a blog I wrote about how to build up through different styles of push-up until you can do full ones. I had a shoulder injury when I started and had to go really slowly. Hope it helps! :flowerforyou:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396

I also have a (chronic) shoulder injury. I couldn't manage really any modification without feeling pain, so I started with other chest and shoulder exercises. I think a lot of us girls start out with underdeveloped chest muscles, so doing some chest presses and flies helped me to even realize what it felt like to have those muscles engaged.

BellaFe

I can finally do 2

victoriannsays

In September I couldn't even do 1 regular push up.

Now I can do 15.

It's taken me a few months to build the strength, but here I am.

Good luck to you, and don't get discouraged.

Yogi_Carl

100 push ups is cardio.

100 push-ups is not cardio - it's muscle endurance. If it is cardio - you doin' 'em wrong!