anyone else love pushups??

FluffyDogsRule

I love pushups and sometimes alternate them with bench press. I love that I get an ab workout too. I do 4 sets of 25 now. But I'm wondering...is this stupid?? A waste of time? Way less benefit than bench press?

If this is NOT a waste of time, what do you think about me stepping it up a notch and trying the kind where I elevate my feet? I feel like it takes too much time to get to 25 pushups (I'm spoiled by 5x5s!!! Hahaha!!!) Or do you think I should try different types of pushups (arms closer, etc)?

auddii

Nope. Mostly because I can't do a real one. I was working on a pushup progression to "learning' them, but once I started SL, I kind of gave up on them. Then I figured, hey, I'm stronger now and my BP has improved, I'm sure I can do one. Nope. I was just thinking about starting my progression over. Maybe at night on days that I lift so that I still get a full recovery day.

I think that progressing the difficulty could actually help you improve your bench. And I don't think it's a waste of time mostly because you enjoy it. Don't cut out the things you love, but making them progressively harder fits in with the SL program. Plus I think they're technically an optional accessory "lift" for the new SL program. Or something.

Leadfoot_Lewis

I hate just regular push ups but for reasons unknown I somewhat enjoy doing different "types" of push ups - BOSU, Decline, TRX, etc. They're a good finisher or good to superset with Bench or Dumbbell Press, although I personally don't think they're an adequate substitute for the Bench Press, but definitely not a waste of time to do.

kirabob

I kinda like them, too, and had been doing them at the end of my B days, but then I added in assisted chins and dips on A days, so I decided to give my poor arms a rest.

tameko2

I hate them but if you like them I'd do them them with your rows rather than with your bench press.

chunkmunk

OP, you are INSANE! Push-ups are the bane of my existence.

Seriously, though, if you like them, do them. I think the 3.0 version of Stronglifts suggests them as an accessory lift, along with reverse crunches, on workout A days. So that would be after completing squats, benches, and rows. If I feel particularly good, I make myself do some of them on those days. But I still hate them.

jstout365

I don't know if I would say I "Love" push-ups, but they are a great body weight exercise that has a ton of variations that keep it fresh. I had to do push-ups for my job once (military) and they were always my strongest exercise in the fitness test. I still do them occasionally when I want to work the triceps and shoulders a bit more than I feel with the bench press. My favorites are decline, narrow (tricep), dive bombers, cobras, and then just knocking out as many regular I can. Depending on the level of decline, you will work more of the shoulder as well and that will probably help with OHP. My next push-up goal is to do some of the handstand push-ups.

Gwyn1969

I like them as accessory work, particularly as they also do double duty and serve as a warmup for my martial arts training. I think they've helped my bench.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

HATE THEM! :laugh:

The only time I can moderately stand them is when doing a chatarunga in yoga....but in the JM yoga video you have to actually do them and then hover....effing he!! I HATE THEM!!!!

Great exercise though....wish I didn't hate them so much.....mostly because I know I hate them because I SUCK at them.

I say go on with your bad pushup self :bigsmile:

Fittreelol

I love push ups as well! I just started doing 1 set after my A days so I could fit them in, but not spend too much time on them. I'm only up to 14, so when it gets higher I'll probably switch to a tricksy type to keep the workout time down.

FluffyDogsRule

Thanks, girls!! Fittree, when you get there let's compare tricksy ones so we can get the fastest bang for our buck. I think I'll try decline ones or whatever they're called next week.