I can't do push ups

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13

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  • shred_me_up
    shred_me_up Posts: 267 Member
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    just keep doing girlie ones then progress :D this was me not long ago. now i can do 20 good ones :D
  • markpmc
    markpmc Posts: 240 Member
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    ... It makes all the burpees I do especially difficult. Plus it makes me feel really weak and out of shape. Tips, anyone?

    Keep trying. Everyone has to start somewhere. You'll be amazed where you are in six months if you don't give up!!
  • ALittleBitLess1
    ALittleBitLess1 Posts: 119 Member
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    http://www.hundredpushups.com
    Maybe a different approach may be helpful. It's worth working on them because they are a great overall upper body exercise.
    Good Luck.

    I highly recommend this program. I haven't completed it yet, but the amount I can do is steadily increasing.

    Thanks for this, jus did the day one, always been a sticking point of mine, hope this programme gets me over it!! going to share with a couple of friends too
  • anotherYRwiser
    anotherYRwiser Posts: 20
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    I agree with the suggestion of beginning against a wall and building up. I actually tore my rotator cup in my shoulder trying to do push ups.

    I don't know how much you lift for weights - but is it as much as your body wieght? My Dr. yelled at me for jumping into full push ups right away - he said a person needs to realize that you are lifting your entire body weight when doing a push up. Your shoulders and arms are generally not used to that amount of wieght!
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
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    Loved this post and the responses. Makes me feel great and to not give up. My goal this year is to be able to do at least one real push up and one real pull up. Will just keep pressing on!
  • xilka
    xilka Posts: 308 Member
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    I couldn't either, and now I can do 12 full push-ups.

    Start with standing push-ups, use your kitchen counter.
    Then on your knees.
    Then full push-ups.
  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    http://www.hundredpushups.com
    Maybe a different approach may be helpful. It's worth working on them because they are a great overall upper body exercise.
    Good Luck.

    I highly recommend this program. I haven't completed it yet, but the amount I can do is steadily increasing.

    Thanks for this, jus did the day one, always been a sticking point of mine, hope this programme gets me over it!! going to share with a couple of friends too

    You're welcome. Regardless of whether you are able perform the recommended reps per set, still do all the sets. A set of 5 is better than giving up and doing 0. I could only do about 30 during my initial test. I am now over 60.
  • weffie11
    weffie11 Posts: 91
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    I started using the stairs. I'd increase one at a time and, when I could do ten, I'd move down a step (still doing the 10 from the step above). By the time you get to the floor, you can do several in a row as you've already gradually increased your body's ability to do them! Worked for me!!
  • Hadabetter
    Hadabetter Posts: 942 Member
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    I started using the stairs. I'd increase one at a time and, when I could do ten, I'd move down a step (still doing the 10 from the step above). By the time you get to the floor, you can do several in a row as you've already gradually increased your body's ability to do them! Worked for me!!
    This! That's what the link demonstrates.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL1593kROa8
  • nlehmann
    nlehmann Posts: 164 Member
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    Sounds like you are in good shape, I wouldn't recommend girly push up's either. It may be a mind over matter preventing you from bending your arms. Make your goal just to do one not it. Check your form, they are much harder with your hips loose and your head down. Find a perfect plank and send your belly button down at the same time as your nose. Your whole body should be in engaged.

    Also, play with the widths of your feet and arms. The closer your arms are together the more challenging it is. Good Luck!
  • chymerra
    chymerra Posts: 212
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    pushups are mostly chest strength so continue doing modified pushups and then work your way up to standard ones.

    pushups come in many varieties - standard, wide, chatarunga (ie. military), phlange (where your hands are closer to your ribs). start with standard and wide in modified form, then work your way up to standard (plank position)

    when i first started, i could only do 3 standard ones. the only way to improve is to keep doing it and keep challenging yourself to do just one more. after a few weeks of consistent pushups, i can now do pushups like nobody's business! just be sure to keep your body ramrod straight; tighten your core, focus on the floor in front of you (don't curl your chin to your chest) and engage the quads.

    also work your chest other ways ie. chest press (incline/decline etc).
  • Mummyadams
    Mummyadams Posts: 1,125 Member
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    Does anyone have any advice on doing a full push up? I can barely get my arms half way down. I even struggle doing the girl style push up's.

    Struggle with the girl push ups (on your knees). Just do them. This won't be easy but do them anyway. Once you get to the point that you can do 8-10 in a row for a couple sets then start with real push ups. Of course you might not be able to do one so switch to doing negatives. Do one set of negatives where you cheat to the up position and then slowly lower yourself down to the floor. Finish out with a couple sets that you can do on your knees.

    Keep adding in more and more of these negatives. The more you can do the easier it's going to be to do actual push ups. This is going to work better and faster than anything else. Why? Because doing negatives is exercising the exact same muscle in the exact same position that a real push up done in. A negative is an actual push up. You're just doing the down half of the exercise. You're also engaging your core, back, legs and all the other muscles you need to strengthen to do push ups.

    Do these 2-3 times a week. If you're serious and keep this up you should be able to do actual push ups in a reasonable amount of time.
    This!
  • mmk2988
    mmk2988 Posts: 43
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    I struggle a lot in doing push ups. I can't do it half way either for more than 5 times.
    That doesn't mean I am weak, I can lift around 200-250 pounds in dead lift and can push a car upto 100 meters non stop, can move a almirah with load in it easily. but I can't able to do this.
    Any techniques or will it take time. Any need to use dumbells to gain strength?
  • groversa
    groversa Posts: 450 Member
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    When I started insanity three weeks ago, I could only do like 5 girl pushups at a time, but doing them more and more, gave me the strength to do more and more, now I add in a "boy pushups" for every so many girl pushups I do, when i feel stronger, i'll bump up the ratio with the regular pushups. The best way to be able to do more, is to do them. :)
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    we do three different options in ballet barre class. There's a pushup for everyone.
  • gnrshelton
    gnrshelton Posts: 358 Member
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    I have a friend that is a fitness trainer. I once told her I could not do push ups and she gave me this tip. Start off doing your push ups off the wall standing up. It sounds weird but its a good start.
  • mmk2988
    mmk2988 Posts: 43
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    tried on wall, can do max of 15 at a time. At what leaning degree from ground it is effective?
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
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    You can also wrap resistenace bands around your back and hook them ends on your thumbs instead of using a weight vest. I can't do military push-ups either. I can hold myself up in push-up/plank position for a long period of time, just cannot complete a push up. Can do the girl ones though. I just added teh resistenace bands and it makes the girl ones hard!!! I could't even do those last year..

    Baby steps = big progress!
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    tried on wall, can do max of 15 at a time. At what leaning degree from ground it is effective?

    we used to do the wall ones in Karate class. You just want your back to be straight.
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
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    Try doing dumbbell chest presses and pull ups they will excercise some of the same muscles

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