unable to do push ups

ntatbeeq
ntatbeeq Posts: 150 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I an doing beginner level exercise since last two weeks but still i am not able to do even a single push-up.My arms can't bear my weight.one i get down on my hands i can't push myself up.
So, is it a normal case???how long does it take to get success in doing pushups easily???

Replies

  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Are you trying to do it from your knees or your toes?
  • myskinnyjourney
    myskinnyjourney Posts: 50 Member
    its perfectly normal ..i still cant do the normal push ups..i do it on my knees and working my way up to it...its been almost an year for me and im still building my strenght..so i dont think you should be worried..keep at it you will be there...best of luck
  • Offical
    Offical Posts: 94
    Just keep working at it, you'll eventually get there.
  • TNR32
    TNR32 Posts: 110 Member
    Start doing pushups on your knees. It will help you develop upper body strength. You can also do pushups with your hands on your coffee table or couch or even the wall. As to how long it takes it verys from person to person depending on how much upper body strength you have. I was there couldn't do a pushup to save my life and this is how I got trained on doing pushups. Hang in there you will be able to do when your body is ready to do it using the tecniques I listed.
  • gelahope
    gelahope Posts: 63 Member
    I've never been able to do push ups either. Most of my strength is in my legs. But even when I was in high school and was a lot healthier I couldn't do them because I have some weird nerve in my right elbow that pinches when I put my weight on it. It's not a big deal, I find other ways to work out those areas - like doing push ups standing up and pushing off against a wall. =)
  • kelly101386
    kelly101386 Posts: 389 Member
    Push ups are very hard, do it on your knees to start off with, or even one knee to vary it a little. Your upper body strength will come but you have to give it plenty of time. I still can't fully do push ups and I have been working out a lot.
  • ntatbeeq
    ntatbeeq Posts: 150 Member
    Are you trying to do it from your knees or your toes?

    i tried both. On knees i can do but still feel uncomfortable and with toes..........impossible...
  • cordianet
    cordianet Posts: 534 Member
    Very common. There are loads of sites listing pushup progressions on the web. Here's one of them:
    http://www.fitness666.com/2012/06/push-up-progression.html

    Start at the beginning and slowly work your way up.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
    Thank you for your recommendation on that site.

    I have been trying to master a press up for so long - I am pretty fit but I simply cannot do more than one or two on my knees and none at all on my toes.
  • sofielein
    sofielein Posts: 539 Member
    I have the same problem! I tried 30ds from Jillian Michaels and the only thing I could do 2 of were pushups.... why is this?

    Especially weird is that I have a genetic heritance of my top arm muscles that actually is very visible (people ask if I lift weights which I totally don't). I also carry around servers and other heavy equipment in my daily job no problem. BUT! Seems like the pushups use muscles lower than that, I think called biceps - correct me - that I just don't have? I know practice works but it sucks.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Start with something higher- a sturdy countertop, or if you can, you can go to a staircase and choose a stair height where you can do 5-8 good-form reps at a time. Do 3 sets of those. When you can get up to 10-12 reps on that stair, it's time to move down to the next lower one. Eventually you'll work your way to the floor. Good luck and keep at it!
  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
    Stick with it.

    It has taken me two years of BodyPump twice a week and/or gym sessions to be able to do them. Our instructor says that you don't have to lower yourself all the way down, even a couple of inches on your toes is major progress. (Until now I have been doing them on my knees, it's only in the past few weeks that I have been able to manage about 12 'proper' press-ups).
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Start with something higher- a sturdy countertop, or if you can, you can go to a staircase and choose a stair height where you can do 5-8 good-form reps at a time. Do 3 sets of those. When you can get up to 10-12 reps on that stair, it's time to move down to the next lower one. Eventually you'll work your way to the floor. Good luck and keep at it!

    ^This. At my heaviest, I could still do 5 half/girly push ups, but I found it easier to do wall push ups. Now, I can do 3-4 sets of 10 girly push ups..lol. I know it doesn't sound like much..but one step at a time :) I'm slowly pushing to do at least 1 set of 15 reps. Soon, I might push to do all 3-4 sets from 10 reps to 15 and then 20 :)
  • mxzilla
    mxzilla Posts: 14
    If you lean at an angle against a wall, it's much easier to do a push up like that. I was able to do push ups last year, but I've gotta work back up to that now!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Start with something higher- a sturdy countertop, or if you can, you can go to a staircase and choose a stair height where you can do 5-8 good-form reps at a time. Do 3 sets of those. When you can get up to 10-12 reps on that stair, it's time to move down to the next lower one. Eventually you'll work your way to the floor. Good luck and keep at it!

    this.

    plus OP your negative push ups are also helpful too. it take strength to control yourself down too
  • MamaWeil2018
    MamaWeil2018 Posts: 62 Member
    Start with something higher- a sturdy countertop, or if you can, you can go to a staircase and choose a stair height where you can do 5-8 good-form reps at a time. Do 3 sets of those. When you can get up to 10-12 reps on that stair, it's time to move down to the next lower one. Eventually you'll work your way to the floor. Good luck and keep at it!

    That's a great idea, thanks!!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Try planks, or push-ups with your hands on a chair (the chair should be against a wall). You need core strength, not just arm strength, and you can build both gradually that way.
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
    Uncomfortable is the point. . .painful is not. Just because it's hard. . .doesn't mean you stop. The more you push yourself the stronger you'll get. I'd even tell you to try doing standing wall push ups. Stand with your feet facing a wall. . .step back a fair way bracing yourself to the wall with your hands.. . and try pushing yourself there. Do that frequently and keep working on those kneeling push ups. You'll get there. I can only do 20 standard push ups now. . .but one day I'll be unstoppable!!! (Well, hopefully!)
  • ntatbeeq
    ntatbeeq Posts: 150 Member
    thats a great idea Morebean
  • murphette2
    murphette2 Posts: 75 Member
    I am right there with ya! I just do as many as I can and try to keep my butt down!
  • rawfitness
    rawfitness Posts: 68 Member
    Push ups require core strength as well as upper body strength. Try doing planks to help build up your core strength. Push ups will then be easier.
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    Start with something higher- a sturdy countertop, or if you can, you can go to a staircase and choose a stair height where you can do 5-8 good-form reps at a time. Do 3 sets of those. When you can get up to 10-12 reps on that stair, it's time to move down to the next lower one. Eventually you'll work your way to the floor. Good luck and keep at it!

    I 4th Bean here.

    Doing them from your knees doesn't engage your core and won't really help with getting to real push ups.
    I did them at an angle for a few weeks (through NROLFW) and I can do 10-12 real push ups at a time now.
    So def do angled push ups instead of knee push ups.
    And don't be ashamed that you can't do a real push up yet.

    I told my friend who is an Army Sgt that I was up to 11 at a time, he responded with "that's better than some of my soldiers"
  • aki7chien
    aki7chien Posts: 85 Member
    I do most of my pushups with an exercise ball. The pushups are much easier on my knees plus you get an additional core workout by having to keep balance on the ball. I started out not being able to do them at all either so the trainer introduced the ball and what a difference! A few days ago I wanted to see how many I could do and it was 50 before I couldn't continue. That was a big NSV for me. :D good luck!
  • MumOfADuo
    MumOfADuo Posts: 294 Member
    One of our female trainers here who has an AMAZING upper body strength told me to start in the standard UP position and go down as far as you can go (might not be but an inch or 2 the 1st few times) hold it as long as you can then drop to the ground. Get back up and continue doing that for 10-15 reps. Each time you will go lower and hold for longer until you are actually doing real 'boy' pushups. If even that is hard, start on your knees.....they DO get easier.....I am still no where NEAR where I would like to be but getting there.....
  • MumOfADuo
    MumOfADuo Posts: 294 Member
    Start with something higher- a sturdy countertop, or if you can, you can go to a staircase and choose a stair height where you can do 5-8 good-form reps at a time. Do 3 sets of those. When you can get up to 10-12 reps on that stair, it's time to move down to the next lower one. Eventually you'll work your way to the floor. Good luck and keep at it!

    I 4th Bean here.

    Doing them from your knees doesn't engage your core and won't really help with getting to real push ups.
    I did them at an angle for a few weeks (through NROLFW) and I can do 10-12 real push ups at a time now.
    So def do angled push ups instead of knee push ups.
    And don't be ashamed that you can't do a real push up yet.

    I told my friend who is an Army Sgt that I was up to 11 at a time, he responded with "that's better than some of my soldiers"

    If you are doing them PROPERLY from your knees of COURSE it will engage your core. The key is to be on the 'top' part of your knee, above your kneecap. And you bum DOWN low, not pushed up. You are not doing them correctly from your knees if you cant feel your core engage.

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