When did push ups become easier?

garnet116
garnet116 Posts: 144 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I HATE them! HATE! However, I take a class at the gym and the instructor just loves them!:grumble:

When did they become easier for you guys? After doing them day after day? or after your stamina has been built up in general? Is my technique wrong? I can't figure out why they are so hard for me. I guess my upper body is weak.

I like to think I am generally fit and active with a pretty good endurance, yet these damn push ups just kill me!

Replies

  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Try the 100 pushup program:

    http://www.hundredpushups.com/#sthash.Yh4nj3Yy.dpbs

    This really helped me build up my strength and endurance.
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
    Are you doing them on your knees in the class?? If they're hard for you that's good it means you're more likely to have the correct form. There a lot of people out there who think they're super easy but it's really that their form is wrong so they're making it easier on themselves but not doing as much work.

    I would suggest asking the instructor to check your form before the next class then see what they have to say afterwards. Since we can't see you doing it :)
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Push ups are great and use so many muscles...it's also your core that needs to be strong to enable you to do push ups
  • boatsie77
    boatsie77 Posts: 480 Member
    As far as form, why not just ask the instructor...as for when they get easy?...I'll have to get back with you on that one.
  • 3ddierocksteady
    3ddierocksteady Posts: 18
    100 push up program online or app will get your push up game nice in a couple of weeks!
  • stephaniethomas80
    stephaniethomas80 Posts: 190 Member
    It took me about a week or so. Just push yourself to do as many as you possibly can and add more each time you do them. Your amount on the first day should be close to double after a week or so.
  • s_wilson84
    s_wilson84 Posts: 74 Member
    It might not be your chest, shoulders, and arms that are weak but rather your core. Clinch everything tight and concentrate on keeping a tight strong core. This will help the motion become more fluid and you can lower your body as one single unit. Other than that, pushups are hard because they work. Just keep pushing!
  • Whipppets
    Whipppets Posts: 267
    The greatest thing about a push up is that you can do them anywhere.
    Do at least one real one the first day.. Then 2 and so on.. I worked with a guy who cried
    after 10, but he stuck with them.. He now can bang up to 70 at a time.. Just takes practice.
  • garnet116
    garnet116 Posts: 144 Member
    I usually do them on my knees, except for when she has us stand up, walk out with our hands into push up position, do a push up, and then walk with our hands back up to standing position.

    Good idea to ask the instructor to check out my form.

    There is a push up challenge? Oh man. That sounds like torture! haha. But I'll look into it. Thanks!
  • garnet116
    garnet116 Posts: 144 Member
    . Clinch everything tight and concentrate on keeping a tight strong core. This will help the motion become more fluid and you can lower your body as one single unit.

    Thanks! I will keep this in mind for sure. The only thing I think about when I do them is how I can't wait for them to be over.
  • bdburch
    bdburch Posts: 127
    About a month ago I could barely do 1. Now, I can easily do 18-20 (depending on the day) but I still have to break them up into 3 sets. It definitely gets easier to do them but there's always a limit that you can push yourself to.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Try the 100 pushup program:

    http://www.hundredpushups.com/#sthash.Yh4nj3Yy.dpbs

    This really helped me build up my strength and endurance.

    I am starting this. I tried building up doing modifications, but I never seemed to progress past 35 counter push-ups. I still can't do any full pushups and only about six "girlie" push-ups. This program is designed with reps and sets to help you build strength. I am starting at the lowest level with girlie push-ups. I figure every few weeks I will try full push-ups and as soon as I can do five, I will start over.

    However, I just started yesterday, so all I can report is that I am sore ;)
  • bdburch
    bdburch Posts: 127
    Just as another note, I also HATE push-ups! But I get through them by thinking about my back and ab muscles that are working. If you have proper form, even doing push-ups on your knees will work these muscles. It really helps me to not think about my arms and shoulders struggling when I actively try to think about my back stretching. This may sound weird but it's what helps me.
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,415 Member
    I built up to regular push-ups using a stair-case. I started doing push-ups with my hands on the 5th stair. When I could do 20, I'd move down a stair and work on 8 reps... When I got back up to 20 reps, I'd move down a stair. I am now at 8 reps with a standard pushup. :)

    The thing that sucks about push-ups is that whenever they "get easy" there are always ways to make them harder.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    I have a different take on the number of push-ups to work towards. I know there are 100 push-up programs out there but I know that would bore me to tears and i'm not sure it would be too healthy for my joints to do that many reps in one go.

    My approach was to do three sets of at least one real push-up every day, then 3 sets of 2, 3 x 3, etc until I could do 3 sets of 10 real push-ups. Then I started to take a closer hand spacing and work up to 3 x 10 again and I am currently doing 3 x 8 Diamond Push-ups; working towards 3 x 12.

    Once I can do 3 x 12 Diamond Push-ups i will be looking to increase the intensity again by doing any number of push-up variations to keep the intensity up enough to increase strength steadily.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    They're still a *****, but I moved on from modified to regular pushups in a couple months.
  • lisanxd
    lisanxd Posts: 93
    I HATE them! HATE! However, I take a class at the gym and the instructor just loves them!:grumble:

    When did they become easier for you guys? After doing them day after day? or after your stamina has been built up in general? Is my technique wrong? I can't figure out why they are so hard for me. I guess my upper body is weak.

    I like to think I am generally fit and active with a pretty good endurance, yet these damn push ups just kill me!

    For me, they haven't become easier... I can do more, but they're still just as hard and I can only do about 10 at the most without taking a few seconds for a break. I did 5 on my toes last week, but can't go down very far. I'm starting to think I'm always going to be horrible and struggle with them. I've improved on many other things, but pushups are still super difficult for me.
  • FuzzyDicePHL
    FuzzyDicePHL Posts: 51 Member
    When? In another few weeks, I'm hoping! ;D
  • laurasnyder411
    laurasnyder411 Posts: 172 Member
    Ive been doing the 30 day shred with Jillian Michaels on the first level for a little over a week now and FINALLY on my 8th try was able to finish all of the pushups---on my knees. Whew! I'm getting tired just thinking of it...but it did start getting easier after a week or so.
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
    It took awhile... I started doing them consistently last May, and I'd say pretty recently... like last october, I could finally get through a couple sets all full push-ups. I can do about 4-5 sets of 12 now. I would say more core work definitely helped as well.
  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
    They get easier the more you do them... though I know that's not a terribly helpful answer. I started out doing push-ups playing video games, believe it or not. While playing NHL 13 on Xbox, we would do push-ups as a penalty for shots against (other team's shots). I would do them in sets if I was not able to complete the full amount. Maybe you could make doing push-ups into a game of some kind to help you get through them. You'll build strength from there and they'll get a lot easier (at least they did for me).

    I am doing an upper body strength program now (that my trainer sent me). You do 80% of max push-ups 10 times throughout the day (next week it's 12 times throughout the day) once a week. Maybe you could do a set of 5 or 10 push-ups every time you get back to your desk at work or something like that. I would recommend starting with small sets but consistently doing them every day or every few days.

    Hope that helps
  • IntoTheSky
    IntoTheSky Posts: 390 Member
    The only way to learn to love something difficult is to master it. Time, patience, and correct form.
  • loril13
    loril13 Posts: 320 Member
    They haven't gotten easier for me. I do them with my knees down. My trainer says I have good form. They are just hard.
    Crazy thing is I can bang out a dozen sun salutations complete with chaturanga dandasana with no issue at all. Maybe is I think of push ups as a yoga pose it will feel easier.
  • jgollnick
    jgollnick Posts: 73 Member
    i think its important to have your arms in the right place. pushups can work different muscles. i found it was a lot harder for me when I kept my arms close to my body and i was working my triceps instead of my chest. After about a month of doing pushups everyday for 2 months I was off of my knees. Honestly I think they are easier now because I lost 40 lbs.
  • yamsteroo
    yamsteroo Posts: 480 Member
    Ive been doing the 30 day shred with Jillian Michaels on the first level for a little over a week now and FINALLY on my 8th try was able to finish all of the pushups---on my knees. Whew! I'm getting tired just thinking of it...but it did start getting easier after a week or so.

    Same here - i really do struggle with them but I'm hoping if they start to feel easier it might mean I'm finally developing some core muscles (I honestly think the only thing keeping me upright is the air in my head!)
  • cjh022
    cjh022 Posts: 88 Member
    I HATE them! HATE! However, I take a class at the gym and the instructor just loves them!:grumble:

    When did they become easier for you guys? After doing them day after day? or after your stamina has been built up in general? Is my technique wrong? I can't figure out why they are so hard for me. I guess my upper body is weak.

    I like to think I am generally fit and active with a pretty good endurance, yet these damn push ups just kill me!

    For me, they haven't become easier... I can do more, but they're still just as hard and I can only do about 10 at the most without taking a few seconds for a break. I did 5 on my toes last week, but can't go down very far. I'm starting to think I'm always going to be horrible and struggle with them. I've improved on many other things, but pushups are still super difficult for me.

    Sounds like we're all in the same boat! While I don't do many pushups overall, last time I tried them I could actually do a few! Just doing some basic strength training helped me get from none to some (regular ones)... now I may be able to start really working on them since I can get through ONE :happy:
  • IzzyBooNZ1
    IzzyBooNZ1 Posts: 1,289 Member
    Try the 100 pushup program:

    http://www.hundredpushups.com/#sthash.Yh4nj3Yy.dpbs

    This really helped me build up my strength and endurance.

    this looks great for me and my partner to do, thanks !
  • LowFatMama
    LowFatMama Posts: 625 Member
    i suck at them too!!!! But the more I do them, the better I get at them. Even tho I can still only do girl push ups & not very many.... You'll get there eventually :D

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