Push Ups

Options
SugarBaby71
SugarBaby71 Posts: 3,630 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I hate them and they hate me too. I can't do them. I try and try and try and see little to no progress with my ability. I know this is because my upper body is weak... is there some other thing I can do to help get my strength up so I can get through them?

Replies

  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
    Options
    Are you trying to do a full military push-up? If you're not strong enough to use your feet as pivot points, try using your knees. If you can't even do knee push-ups, start with wall push-ups.
  • SugarBaby71
    SugarBaby71 Posts: 3,630 Member
    Options
    It's true... I can't even do knee push ups... (But I can rock the T-Stabilizations! {planks})
    I guess I'll be hittin' the wall... Thanks!
  • mscote12
    mscote12 Posts: 220 Member
    Options
    I hear ya! I cannot do a full pushup....I am a knee push-up kinda girl but I REALLY want to build up my upper strength so I can rock out some full ones....
    I still feel it when I do them on my knees...so maybe in good time I will be able to step it up lol
  • ferocityturbine
    ferocityturbine Posts: 110 Member
    Options
    I can do them on the wall no problem.

    I'm currently tackling push ups on my kitchen counter. When I can do 5 sets of 20, I'll progress to doing them on my window sill... then onto knee push ups on the bottom step, then knee push ups on the floor... and finally real push ups!

    Small steps! Here, this is what I'm following:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/zero-to-100-pushups-for-complete-beginners/

    I reckon we can both get there eventually!
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Options
    I started out using the dining room table to elevate my upper body, and now I'm doing sets of 10-15 full push-ups on the floor. I'm in the weak upper body club too.
  • MonkeeBob
    MonkeeBob Posts: 28
    Options
    awesome link....thanks
  • lizzardsm
    lizzardsm Posts: 271 Member
    Options
    Righto! Start with the walls! Knee push ups don't mimic a real push-up enough to be an effective training technique. Don't bother with them. Start with a wall then slowly move lower (i.e. Wall, hip height, knee height, floor). If you do it consistently, you'll be amazed at how quickly you build strength. Also, check out you are your own gym (www.marklauren.com) for body-weight training. I've gone from regular push ups to being able to do push ups with my feet elevated and holds at the low point!
  • SugarBaby71
    SugarBaby71 Posts: 3,630 Member
    Options
    I can do them on the wall no problem.

    I'm currently tackling push ups on my kitchen counter. When I can do 5 sets of 20, I'll progress to doing them on my window sill... then onto knee push ups on the bottom step, then knee push ups on the floor... and finally real push ups!

    Small steps! Here, this is what I'm following:

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/zero-to-100-pushups-for-complete-beginners/

    I reckon we can both get there eventually!

    Awesome! Thanks. (I love that word... 'recon') I am going to try this!
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    Options
    I started out using the dining room table to elevate my upper body, and now I'm doing sets of 10-15 full push-ups on the floor. I'm in the weak upper body club too.

    Me too! Building your chest and back will help - especially since you already have good core strength.
    Try exercises like rows (any variety) and bench presses.
  • tacticalhippie
    tacticalhippie Posts: 596 Member
    Options
    After a couple of weeks of doing BeSLAM (Strong Like a Mother) when it was a push up filled day, I was slowly able to do more "Real" push ups.
  • iarelarry
    iarelarry Posts: 201 Member
    Options
    Do more push-ups


    Try doing rest-pause technique... it is exactly just that... you rest and pause for like 10 seconds, regain energy and then do more push-ups. If you want to improve on something, you have to keep doing that "something" and progressively increase the volume over time.
  • fitblackchic
    fitblackchic Posts: 17 Member
    Options
    I found that push up progress was slow but steady. I did some exercise dvds that included a lot of push ups so in two months I went from knee push ups to real ones. I definitely am not a push up champion, but hey, progress is progress. Keep pushing-literally and metaphorically.

Categories