Push Up Advice, Plz?

lizlkbg
lizlkbg Posts: 566
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,
I am currently doing JM's Ripped in 30. She offers a regular push up or a modified knee ("girl") push up.

My question: Currently I am not strong enough to lower myself all the way down with regular push ups. I can do the whole set going about halfway down. If I do the modified knee version, I can go all the way down.

Which move do you think builds more strength? Halfway down "real" pushups or all the way down knee push ups?

Thanks for your help!
«1

Replies

  • PaulFromEssex
    PaulFromEssex Posts: 245
    Hi Liz,
    By half way down, do you mean your elbows are at 45 degrees rather than 90 degrees?
    If this is the case, I would think you would be better off doing 'knee' push ups until your strength has increased enough to do 'toe' push ups. The 'knee' ones will give you fuller motion in the muscles you work whilst doing push ups, more than the half push ups .... if that makes sense! ;o)
  • jessmart83
    jessmart83 Posts: 283 Member
    I would like to know this too. I can go a modified push up no problem, but regular pushups I cannot get all the way down either.
  • lizlkbg
    lizlkbg Posts: 566
    Paul, I mean I can't lower myself all the way to the floor. Does that make sense?
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Do modified until you're strong enough to do standard.
    full range of motion is better
  • leahstaeb
    leahstaeb Posts: 12 Member
    I think that doing the full motion of being able to go to the floor with a knee pushup is better for now. I am doing the hundred pushup challenge, and this first round, I'm doing the girl pushups because I can keep proper form that way. When I'm stronger after doing this for 6 weeks, I will start over with toe pushups and hopefully be able to keep my form that way.
  • PaulFromEssex
    PaulFromEssex Posts: 245
    Yep,definitely go with 'knee' push ups (don't like calling them girls push ups as there are many men I know who would struggle with a 'regular' push up).

    Put a cushion or towel under you knees to protect your knee bones (and to avoid possible carpet burns!!:wink: ). Everything else is the same, hands beneath your shoulders, back nice and straight.

    Before no time at all you will find these really easy and then is the time to progress to regular 'toe' press ups.

    Hope that helps :happy:
  • hkmurphy83
    hkmurphy83 Posts: 262 Member
    You and I are TWINS!! I, too, struggle with this, and like the previous posters have said, I have chosen to do the knee push-ups until I am strong enough to go all the way down and up on my toes.
  • blue696
    blue696 Posts: 94 Member
    you can do some knee push ups but every once and a while try a full push up.
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
    I was going to say Victoria's Secret. Clearly I missed the point of this post...
  • turkeyhunter60
    turkeyhunter60 Posts: 319 Member
    Tota;;y agree. Start on your knees, and build up.
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    Given the choices I'd say knee as well. As you go deeper into the motion different muscles are activated beyond the range of motion of your arms.(goes into the chest) Also I find that incline pushups are allowing me to progress as I try to be gentle on my knees( I started on the wall, then a higher sink, then lower sink, etc moving closer and closer to the floor, while using proper form)
  • dbustamante76
    dbustamante76 Posts: 46
    this is a pretty good tool i used when i first start doing push ups.

    http://www.hundredpushups.com/#sthash.HlfdqP3N.ShiMv0TG.dpbs
  • bradwwood
    bradwwood Posts: 371 Member
    wow, the door is really wide open on this one... must refrain from witty sexist remark....

    oy

    so, yeah, start out on knees. Once you can do a reasonable amount of those without killing yourself, keep trying to do one full, then finish on knees. Then try to do two, then finish on knees. etc.

    Get the picture?
  • HealthWoke0ish
    HealthWoke0ish Posts: 2,078 Member
    I agree with Paul. Starting with knee push ups will help you begin to properly build the muscles needed for the "toe" push-up. Try to skip to the toe push-up now and you risk reinforcing for yourself improper push-up technique and not fully building the muscles you need to do a true push-up. Start with the knees push-ups and then if you need something intermediate before moving to the toe push-ups, put your knees on some books or a stool and do knee push-ups from that elevated knee position. It'll feel like you've got a little more weight on your upper body, still allow you to strengthen your core muscles and keep that plank position, but will retain for you the aid of using your knees.

    Good luck. :)
  • phatguerilla
    phatguerilla Posts: 188 Member
    I've seen it said before that 'girl' push ups are not a good way to transition into full push ups, you should think of them as a different exercise rather than a modification. Try doing push ups with hands on a chair/table with your body at an angle, you can start on a higher piece of furniture or the window sill and work down as you get better.
  • doggiesnot
    doggiesnot Posts: 334 Member
    Do modified until you're strong enough to do standard.
    full range of motion is better

    ^ Exactly what I was going to say!

    Full range of motion is important to build muscle memory and work all the muscles involved. Do the modified push-ups, focus on form, and it won't be long before you're advancing to the full version.
  • jillmarie125
    jillmarie125 Posts: 418 Member
    I've seen it said before that 'girl' push ups are not a good way to transition into full push ups, you should think of them as a different exercise rather than a modification. Try doing push ups with hands on a chair/table with your body at an angle, you can start on a higher piece of furniture or the window sill and work down as you get better.

    This is how I do push ups. I can do them on my knees, but I don't feel the "burn" anymore. I am not strong enough to do many push ups on my toes. So I do them on a desk or on a bar at the gym. It really has helped with my form and I have increased the amount I can do on my toes in a short time.
  • BJPCraig
    BJPCraig Posts: 417 Member
    As others have said, knee push ups are the way to go. You have to do the full range of motion to build the full muscle. Doing the "half push ups" you described, you're basically building the muscle to do a whole lot of half push ups, rather than a few full ones.
  • ajhugz
    ajhugz Posts: 452 Member
    What does a proper knee push up look like? I've seen people with their knees under their hips and I've seen people go into plank and drop their knees and do push ups?
  • mikeyrs
    mikeyrs Posts: 176 Member
    Focus on doing Planks with proper form and knee push ups until you've developed the core strength necessary for full push ups. Otherwise, you are risking injury that will only set you back. Start with forearm planks three times a week with a 10-second hold, and work up to a 30-second hold. Follow up in a week (or two if necessary) with full straight arm planks beginning with a 5-second or 10-second hold and work up to a 30-second hold. Do up to 10 knee push ups in two sets of five twice a week for the first week (on a different day from the Planks). Do 20 knee push ups in two sets twice the second week, again not on the same day as the planks. By the third week, try one-arm planks and on another day try full push ups with a fair rest period in between. Reduce your reps as the level of difficulty increases so you don't injure yourself. Do not work to work out to failure. Once you feel your strength is significantly challenged, back off and rest. Good luck and take your time working toward full push ups.
  • Sycoholic
    Sycoholic Posts: 282 Member
    Now, you want to work on muscle memory. You need to go all the way down and do them properly. It's perfectly fine to do them on your knees as it alleviates some of the weight on your upper body. When you can start doing regular push ups, then do them. As you tire, drop to your knees and continue doing them. In the Army they don't want to see you quit, so you're allowed a 2-3 second break and you can drop to your knees. Now that's mostly a basic training thing as soldiers develop and get stronger, but I've seen guys do it even after. Make sure you're working your abs as well since you'll incorporate this muscle when doing regular push ups. Planks and crunches are great. Try some leg raises if you can too. And above all, if you want to do more push ups, then do just that. Try and do one hundred a day for starters. When I have a pt test coming up I focus on the events, push ups, sit ups, 2 mile run. I cut my run back to 3 miles then 2 miles, I do sit ups fast avoiding declines and weights, and I do push ups all day long. Every hour I'll drop and do them til I tire. Commercial? Good time for push ups. I went from breaking my wrist to passing my push ups with my highest score ever with only one month to train (test was 3 months after breaking my wrist).
  • SJackson50
    SJackson50 Posts: 282 Member
    What does a proper knee push up look like? I've seen people with their knees under their hips and I've seen people go into plank and drop their knees and do push ups?

    During a proper modified push-up, your body should still be in a straight line, abs tight--not with the knees under the hips. This will keep the weight distributed so that it becomes easier to rise to your feet when you become stronger. good luck!
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    I started out not being able to do above one push-up at a time. I tried knee push-ups but I didn't build any strength.

    I built my push-ups by starting at the up part of the push-up (plank) and lowering slowly down to the floor, up on my hands and knees to plank and lowering again. Three sets of ten negatives like this and eventually I got to where I could do three sets of ten real positive reps in good form.

    Now I am doing three sets of ten close-hand spaced push-ups and looking to progress to the next stage of intensity to keep advancing strength gains.

    Keep going like this using the same progressive intensity you do in weight lifting and you will see similar strength gains.
  • Griffin220x
    Griffin220x Posts: 399
    If you want to improve on something like pushups or even pullups (which I'm not good at and working on) for that manner focus on the eccentric portion of the exercise. The part where you lower yourself. Don't do silly knee pushups until you're strong enough. Get down to the nitty gritty and do regular pushup from with arms extended and toes on the floor. From here lower yourself to the floor for a 3-4 second count then as soon as you get to the floor get on your hands and knees and start over. Do not even try to push yourself up until you can get the eccentric part of the exercise down. And once you do this a few times a week you'll have it down in no time. And your push up will increase immensely. GLHF
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    Hi Liz,
    By half way down, do you mean your elbows are at 45 degrees rather than 90 degrees?
    If this is the case, I would think you would be better off doing 'knee' push ups until your strength has increased enough to do 'toe' push ups. The 'knee' ones will give you fuller motion in the muscles you work whilst doing push ups, more than the half push ups .... if that makes sense! ;o)

    I agree. I am in the same predicament right now.. I can do a couple of reg push ups but then I get stuck and can't push down all the way.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    they both do.

    do as many as you can on your toes, and then switch to the modified version.

    also, make sure you're doing them right. you'd be surprised how many people do them wrong.

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/02/15/proper-push-up/
  • lizlkbg
    lizlkbg Posts: 566
    I was going to say Victoria's Secret. Clearly I missed the point of this post...

    Bwahahahaha!! I TOTALLY need that kind, too!
  • candylandicous
    candylandicous Posts: 35
    I've been trying to do push ups too! but it seems impossible for me to get the formation correctly, I cant seem to make my upper back go down, instead my butt goes down :< Well, Leave alone push ups I cant get it right with half push-ups either :(
  • eslcity
    eslcity Posts: 323 Member
    .
  • eslcity
    eslcity Posts: 323 Member
    you don't have to go all the way to the floor... it is a 45degree or your arms should become level to the floor... that is a standard pushup

    one thing you can do is also work on incline push-ups

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