Help with pushups?

Squidgrok

I want to not just do the bare minimum but excel at it , sadly I can do about 3. I find these the hardest things to do. Sit ups? No problem. But oh these pushups are really testing me. I have been using dumbbells and kettlebells as strength training and I have now incorporated knee pushups. My goal is to do 30 army standard pushups. Anyone have any tips? Or is this just something that will come in time? Feeling quite disheartened over here!

samcorvus

If you have smart phone zen labs has a pushup conditioning program. It's free if you do not mind the annoying adds. It works on the same principle as C25K in that it slowly builds you to greater and greater strength. I've not started using it yet but it might be what you're looking for.

Hbazzell

When I left or bootcamp I had never done a real push up in my life, I do NOT suggest waiting to ship out to start worrying about them like my recruiter said. Work on them now. What helped me pass in bootcamp was doing chair/bench dips and planks at first, on every head break I would do 5 dips and in my rack at night I would do planks for as long as I could. My supporting muscles were so weak when I started that even though I could chest press some decent weight I couldnt hold a plank for more than 15 seconds. Once I got better at those, puch ups came easier. I went from 5 to15 in two days.

Hbazzell

Also, onceu can plank fa full minute I would start doing puchups with wide set feet and slowly work your feet inward. The balance uses mroe muscle so it is harder to have your feel closer.

Squidgrok

Thank you so much great tips! Yeah I definitely want to practice now. I can see how the plank would help a lot as I know sometimes if I were to push myself I'd do them in poor form and not keeping the core tight. I'll try using chair dips too. 5-15 in two days is quite impressive!

Hbazzell

In basic you t ever be able to rest, I broke a rib in those two days so I got to rest and let my muscles heal so that helped. But still by that point I did 15 with a cracked broken rib. I owe it almost all to planks I think.

pooleebarbara

Definately recommend starting with planks and doing assisted push ups at first. Once you're able to do 50 assisted pushups (or less if you want) move over to real push ups. Just increase slowly. Set goals.

Squidgrok

I stared doing 2 minute planks now. I asked someone to watch me attempt a army pushup and yeah I'm sagging a little bit (so really need to keep the core tight. Thing is I think I am unless I'm told. Might need to do these infront of a mirror!
Going to keep trying knee pushups and planks for a week. I'll keep you updated!

rduhlir

Honestly, don't do the knee-ups. You won't be able to do them once you get in so just completely ignore them. Start the push ups on an incline. So if you can use an aerobic step, start with that, or a bench, anything that can get you an angle. Put your hands on the step and your feet on the ground. Go until you can do about 20 then move down. Rinse and repeat until you have transitioned completely to the ground.

And, with the planks, do up-down planks. I know there is a different name for them, but that is what I have always called them. You do normal planks on your fore-arms, then move up to your hands and then back down to your fore arms. You shift every 10 seconds.

Finally, you will be getting up and down so often with your pack that by the end of boot camp you will be able to push out a lot in the minute or 2 minute time you get.