Trouble with Pushups and chin ups

VeggieKidMandy
VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey All! So for the past year or so Ive been dedicating my self to fitness. I do 60 minutes cardio and try to fit in some sort of strength activity for 30 minutes a day , never the same muscle group in a row...

For some reason I can bench 130, leg press 210 but for the life of me cant do a freakin push up?! Or a chin up on the bars for thats matter....

What are some good ways to train your muscles to do push ups and chin ups?

I feel like I can only get down to a certain point before my arms give out of me, and this includes girl pushups...
Im not sure what im doing wrong.

Replies

  • taidasrictar
    taidasrictar Posts: 100 Member
    i can't do them at them moment either learning from scoobys method

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRznU6pzez0
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    You're not using a machine for that bench press by any chance are you?

    Push-ups - start off with arms on the kitchen counter, feet on floor, and work your way down to shorter and shorter things until you are on the ground.

    Chin-ups- find something to stand on so you can start in the "up" position and just lower yourself down slowly. These are called negatives and they will get you to make progress much faster than assisted chin-ups.
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    You're not using a machine for that bench press by any chance are you?

    Push-ups - start off with arms on the kitchen counter, feet on floor, and work your way down to shorter and shorter things until you are on the ground.

    Chin-ups- find something to stand on so you can start in the "up" position and just lower yourself down slowly. These are called negatives and they will get you to make progress much faster than assisted chin-ups.
    no not using a machine, but being spotted by a friend.
    and thankyou, I will have to try that, because its ridiculous that i can get through all this cardio and strength and then look foolish when Jillian Micheals says give me 10 push ups -_-"
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    You're not using a machine for that bench press by any chance are you?

    Push-ups - start off with arms on the kitchen counter, feet on floor, and work your way down to shorter and shorter things until you are on the ground.

    Chin-ups- find something to stand on so you can start in the "up" position and just lower yourself down slowly. These are called negatives and they will get you to make progress much faster than assisted chin-ups.
    no not using a machine, but being spotted by a friend.
    and thankyou, I will have to try that, because its ridiculous that i can get through all this cardio and strength and then look foolish when Jillian Micheals says give me 10 push ups -_-"

    Not ridiculous at all. Keep going!


    Oddly, if you switch out that leg press for squats it will help both your push-ups and your chin-ups (and I hope you go for pull-ups too!).

    Not a fan of the leg press as I've been injured doing that one. False sense of safety, IMO.
  • shellfly
    shellfly Posts: 186
    It is strange how strength at one thing doesn't always translate to another. I have the opposite problem - I can do push-ups and some chin-ups, but I'm only benching 60! Maybe you can give me some advice on that one.

    For chin-ups, I second Scooby's program - it's what I'm following and took me from 0 chin-ups to a max right now of 5 (I'm still in phase 4).

    As for push-ups, I started attempting them as part of Nike+Kinect's strength training game (on our Xbox 360). Started small and just took a while (I would do 3 sessions a week, and each session probably included 2-3 sets of push-ups, originally on knees then graduating to full). These days, I typically do 2 sets of 15 push-ups on strength days, and I can tell you that they are still *not* easy.
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    It is strange how strength at one thing doesn't always translate to another. I have the opposite problem - I can do push-ups and some chin-ups, but I'm only benching 60! Maybe you can give me some advice on that one.

    For chin-ups, I second Scooby's program - it's what I'm following and took me from 0 chin-ups to a max right now of 5 (I'm still in phase 4).

    As for push-ups, I started attempting them as part of Nike+Kinect's strength training game (on our Xbox 360). Started small and just took a while (I would do 3 sessions a week, and each session probably included 2-3 sets of push-ups, originally on knees then graduating to full). These days, I typically do 2 sets of 15 push-ups on strength days, and I can tell you that they are still *not* easy.

    thankyou for the xbox tip Im going to have to look that up. as for benching, I think its just natural for me because I played HS football on the boys team as a right tackle for all four years , and the one thing my coach was always pressing was benching weights. I hated it, but its helped me in the long run.

    I would start with a spotter at a gym at first and gradually increase the weight one week at a time.
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    It is strange how strength at one thing doesn't always translate to another. I have the opposite problem - I can do push-ups and some chin-ups, but I'm only benching 60! Maybe you can give me some advice on that one.

    For chin-ups, I second Scooby's program - it's what I'm following and took me from 0 chin-ups to a max right now of 5 (I'm still in phase 4).

    As for push-ups, I started attempting them as part of Nike+Kinect's strength training game (on our Xbox 360). Started small and just took a while (I would do 3 sessions a week, and each session probably included 2-3 sets of push-ups, originally on knees then graduating to full). These days, I typically do 2 sets of 15 push-ups on strength days, and I can tell you that they are still *not* easy.

    The concept there is called "specificity". It's totally natural and normal!
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
    Do you have stairs at home? Start off doing push-ups on those and gradually use lower steps.

    Use a resistance band on your chin up bar and slip your knee/foot into it for assistance.

    With both of these, it is quality over quantity. It's better to do one with proper form and least possible assistance than to do 100 with too much help.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,467 Member
    Your bench is great!

    It took me ages to be able to do a pushup. I have to say that losing weight helped a lot (less to push up!). I was close to morbidly obese when I started. However I was still able to do pushups while obese.

    I practiced by doing incline push-ups rather than knee push-ups. I did this at various heights, aiming to get lower and lower (eg. wall, table, sofa arm, coffee table) and using different hand positions, and every now and then just trying for a full push-up. I'm still not great at full push-ups, but as I can do them now I don't bother with the incline ones.

    Pull-ups are another story and I just posted about my experience in another thread here. Basically, I think it's extremely difficult for some people, depending on build, etc., but some people do manage so it's worth working towards!
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    Do you have stairs at home? Start off doing push-ups on those and gradually use lower steps.

    Use a resistance band on your chin up bar and slip your knee/foot into it for assistance.

    With both of these, it is quality over quantity. It's better to do one with proper form and least possible assistance than to do 100 with too much help.

    Yes! I have stairs! That seems like something I can work on! thankyou!
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    Your bench is great!

    It took me ages to be able to do a pushup. I have to say that losing weight helped a lot (less to push up!). I was close to morbidly obese when I started. However I was still able to do pushups while obese.

    I practiced by doing incline push-ups rather than knee push-ups. I did this at various heights, aiming to get lower and lower (eg. wall, table, sofa arm, coffee table) and using different hand positions, and every now and then just trying for a full push-up. I'm still not great at full push-ups, but as I can do them now I don't bother with the incline ones.

    Pull-ups are another story and I just posted about my experience in another thread here. Basically, I think it's extremely difficult for some people, depending on build, etc., but some people do manage so it's worth working towards!

    I dunno maybe its because I am still 200 lbs? So It harder for me to push my body weight up?
    I am going to have to try these incline pushups and see if it helps any. this is truly bothering me! lol I have been trying to keep up with the regular push ups and I look like a fish out of water, so I tried the girl ones, no luck there either -_-" this deff. needs to be something I can work on! thankyou for the suggestions guys I will be trying all of them!
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    You're not using a machine for that bench press by any chance are you?

    Push-ups - start off with arms on the kitchen counter, feet on floor, and work your way down to shorter and shorter things until you are on the ground.

    Chin-ups- find something to stand on so you can start in the "up" position and just lower yourself down slowly. These are called negatives and they will get you to make progress much faster than assisted chin-ups.
    no not using a machine, but being spotted by a friend.
    and thankyou, I will have to try that, because its ridiculous that i can get through all this cardio and strength and then look foolish when Jillian Micheals says give me 10 push ups -_-"

    Not ridiculous at all. Keep going!


    Oddly, if you switch out that leg press for squats it will help both your push-ups and your chin-ups (and I hope you go for pull-ups too!).

    Not a fan of the leg press as I've been injured doing that one. False sense of safety, IMO.

    I will have to squat with the weights, Its been in the back of my mind...I havent done them since football lol so i think im procrastinating a little bit! Those always kill me!
  • Granville_Cocteau
    Granville_Cocteau Posts: 209 Member
    Re: chinups, they're mainly working your back. Most gyms also have assisted chinup machines, so you might give those a shot. If not, I'd recommend trying some lat pulldowns at a low weight--see what you can do comfortably at 8-12 reps, three sets. Make sure your form is correct. Then add weight, and work your way up slowly.

    Re: pushups, if you can do a bench press you should be good to go, so perhaps the weakness is in another area. Pushups can be tough on the core and tricpes, so I'd recommend some planks and situps. You might also want to try the weigh-assisted dips.

    Good luck!
  • VeggieKidMandy
    VeggieKidMandy Posts: 575 Member
    Re: chinups, they're mainly working your back. Most gyms also have assisted chinup machines, so you might give those a shot. If not, I'd recommend trying some lat pulldowns at a low weight--see what you can do comfortably at 8-12 reps, three sets. Make sure your form is correct. Then add weight, and work your way up slowly.

    Re: pushups, if you can do a bench press you should be good to go, so perhaps the weakness is in another area. Pushups can be tough on the core and tricpes, so I'd recommend some planks and situps. You might also want to try the weigh-assisted dips.

    Good luck!

    I will have to check into those machines at my gym. And the planks and situps sound like a good idea. Ill have to incorporate more those into my routine! thankyou!
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    Re: chinups, they're mainly working your back. Most gyms also have assisted chinup machines, so you might give those a shot. If not, I'd recommend trying some lat pulldowns at a low weight--see what you can do comfortably at 8-12 reps, three sets. Make sure your form is correct. Then add weight, and work your way up slowly.

    Re: pushups, if you can do a bench press you should be good to go, so perhaps the weakness is in another area. Pushups can be tough on the core and tricpes, so I'd recommend some planks and situps. You might also want to try the weigh-assisted dips.

    Good luck!

    It's arbitrary terminology, but chin-ups are more an arm thing than a back thing, and pull-ups are more about upper back (but still require assistance from biceps)


    Sit-ups just plain suck. You'll get more core strength out of your efforts if you do squats and dead lifts. Planks are fine. If you want to do exercises where you fold yourself up, it's much better to use the weight of your legs for resistance rather than the weight of your head (for posture). Leg lifts are great, pikes, and if you can get to a suspension trainer, almost every move requires core stability. I do "ab moves" once, maybe twice a week, and my abs started to show when I was still 17-18% body fat. So really they are the least important if you set up the rest of your workout properly.

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