How effective are push-ups for ladies? How many can you do?

4months2beingthin
4months2beingthin Posts: 49
in Fitness and Exercise
I just started doing push-ups & I can do only 5 or less (depending on the pain I get on my arms), that too with break. I find going up very tough.
How long will it take to show any result on my upper body? & a 'minimum' of how many should one try to do to get the results?

Thank you.
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Replies

  • bassett8807
    bassett8807 Posts: 96 Member
    You'll start showing strength gains within the first week after you get over the initial soreness. I started with knee push ups until my wrists got stronger and could do full push ups without hurting them. Just stick with it!
  • zombilishious
    zombilishious Posts: 1,250 Member
    Push ups are awesome! I do 3 sets of 15 a few days a week at the gym, more than that and my shoulder tendonitis gets mad. I built up to doing them by starting on an incline (hands on weight bench, feet on floor), then moved to a stair stepper and continued to reduce the risers until I was able to do 10 on the floor. It doesn't take long to see results, but if you can only do a few on the floor, start out in a modified incline position to get more reps in!
  • BeingAwesome247
    BeingAwesome247 Posts: 1,171 Member
    Military push-ups aka man push-ups are wildly effective if done in correct form because you're also contacting your core
    I can only do 15 in a 30 second interval but if you're lookin to inverse your number, look up the 100 push ups program.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I only recently started being able to do full man style push ups, it was a major moment for me. I can do 10 non stop, no problem, but PT recommended I build up my strength by doing 5 x sets of 6 but making sure my chest is almost touching the mat. I understand that push ups work the chest, triceps and shoulders, so a good exercise for women.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    Military push-ups aka man push-ups are wildly effective if done in correct form because you're also contacting your core
    I can only do 15 in a 30 second interval but if you're lookin to inverse your number, look up the 100 push ups program.

    wow, that program looks great! I can do at the most 20 and thats on a good day.
  • Farburnfred
    Farburnfred Posts: 333 Member
    I can do no full push ups. I do some against the wall - at 45 degrees, you still use your core unlike in all fours ones. My wrists are really weak though and now I have a shoulder injury which has put me back to square one
  • chberglu
    chberglu Posts: 5
    After i disocoverd a push up app for my android, I have made much progress on the push up department. I don't follow the trainigprogram of the app any more. But when I gott it I could do about 10 normal push-ups, 1 military push-up and 0 dimond push-ups. Now I can do 30 normal push-up, 15 military push-ups and about 6 dimond pushup.

    And I feel it's a very effective, and of course, It's super fun beeing a lady and doing more push-ups then many other guys :D
  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
    I never really bothered finding out until muay thai classes recently started; and I tend to give within the 30-35 range.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I can do 25 military style in one set, but it took a long time for me to get there. When I started out I could only do 7 from my knees.
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    I too started with knee push-ups, but I'm proud to say I've progressed to doing about 25 regular ones before my form starts to go. It's tough, but push-ups are one of the very best exercises you can do! They really work every muscle in your body.
  • AmberJo1984
    AmberJo1984 Posts: 1,067 Member
    I still haven't been able to move past knee pushups... but, of course, I haven't done anything in the last couple of weeks because of a knee injury. I've gotta start back at it again.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    I can do 10 in a row before I lose form. .. Or collapse.
    I can hold a Plank for 60-70 seconds.
    A month ago, I could barely do either.
    My arms look a little nicer and my core is tighter.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    your doing better than me. I can't do a single one. :laugh:
    I can do knee push ups. Tried to do a plank but it was a no go.
  • slimfitnessmoms
    slimfitnessmoms Posts: 206 Member
    Yes! Before I started working out which was in MARCH of 2012. I could not do one regular push up
    Now I can do 20 in a row!! Just keep trying everyday. You will get there!!
  • mpmama2re
    mpmama2re Posts: 212 Member
    I can do them in sets.. about 15 at a time. took me about a year of working out to be able to do them. one of my goals was to do a pushup not on my knees and I am so happy that I can do them now. :)
  • VictoriaWorksOut
    VictoriaWorksOut Posts: 195 Member
    Military push-ups aka man push-ups are wildly effective if done in correct form because you're also contacting your core
    I can only do 15 in a 30 second interval but if you're lookin to inverse your number, look up the 100 push ups program.

    Thanks for info on http://hundredpushups.com ! I want to do 100 pushup training! Got to improve my strength, my arms and wrists always give out first.

    Anyone else would be interested to start it?
  • JenniBaby85
    JenniBaby85 Posts: 855 Member
    I have pretty strong arms from weight lifting, and lifting and carrying kids all day, but I can't for the LIFE of me do pushups. I always have to modify them.
  • SageGoddess320
    SageGoddess320 Posts: 2,589 Member
    I am a total weakling. Even the knee push-ups are extremely difficult for me. When they come up in my workouts, I just modify them even further by doing them against the wall.
  • Victoria2448
    Victoria2448 Posts: 559 Member
    I've always been able to do push-ups..but can "lose" numbers if I haven't done them awhile or if my shoulder acts up.

    I notice I can do way more of I am in a contest against someone too.:smile:

    Wide push-ups, dive bombers, and one armed push-ups are my favorite. I always feel bad *kitten* when I do one armed!:laugh:
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
    just keep at it. im up to 253 at a time. play with the width of your hands. narrow, elbiws pinching your ribs (military) start to eat my right elbow up on bad days. wide is easiest, stagger.one arm to the ribs and one in a regular.position. pushup by stepping one arm out. there are different ways to strengthen it.

    keep going, my goal was ONE clap pushup, i can do 39. ONE one armed pushup turned into 32 a side.
  • mhorn2142
    mhorn2142 Posts: 319 Member
    lol, obviously none of you ladies have boobs. I get down 2 inches before my boobs hit the ground. You think 90# of weightloss equals smaller boobs... not for me only down 1 size in the cup department. So an H gets in the way.
  • Sabrina__26
    Sabrina__26 Posts: 78
    I can do none :( Even the easier push-ups using my knees are too difficult for me. I just end up hitting my face on the floor every time lol
  • leomentlines
    leomentlines Posts: 440 Member
    Push-ups are amazing.. I still have way more BF to lose before I'll see more definition, but I can already see a difference in my shoulders since regularly doing (or at least ATTEMPTING) them. I can only do about 7-8 full push ups at a time, but its a major improvement from only being able to do 7-8 knee pushups before being exhausted.

    AFAIK, its an awesome upper body + core workout all in one
  • BenderFitness
    BenderFitness Posts: 349
    I love push ups and I do all kinds! You will get stronger, and they are great for your core, as well as your upper body. Stick with it and focus on form.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I love doing push ups also because I can do them anywhere, they are great for the upper body and the entire core (as others have said). I agree with everyone, stick with it and you will show rapid improvement.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    My personal best is 113 in 4 minutes--or 50 straight.
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
    I can do several sets of 40 boy pushups, but I usually alternate between pushups and another activity ( squats, punching, lunges, crunches, whatever) to get the most in with the least fatigue. They are pretty effective for strength. If you use good form, they will get your abs and back too. Do as many as you can with good form. Then rest and do that a few more times. You will improve quickly. You can do modified versions to make them easier, harder, or challenge different muscles.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    ^^^agreed. Great multi-muscle group exercise if you're using proper form.
  • mellemelle84
    mellemelle84 Posts: 5 Member
    very effective! it has taken me a few months, but i've finally gotten to wear i can do them military style versus on my knees. i do them for a set number of minutes, so i'm not sure how many i do. probably only 3 sets of 10-15. and i'm groaning the whole time giving all i've got. upper body strength is new for me. lol
  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
    Last time I did some for kicks I stopped at 46

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