My nemesis: The push-up

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k8blujay2
k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, so I'm not really all that new to weight training... though I have finally started back up after a few (ok more like 10) years of never doing any kind of weight training at all.

Anyway, I cannot seem to do a push up at all, not that I have ever been good at them in the first place)... I am lucky if I can get half way down and back up a few times, which I concede is not a true push up, even at the incline where the height is a weight bench. the only way I can do a push up is against the wall. :sad:

Does anyone have any tips on what I can do or should do to be able to accomplish a true push up? This is my non-scale goal to at least be to the fitness level to do at least 10 push-ups (no knees) in a row.

Replies

  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    Bench pressing will increase upper body strength quickly
  • bubblygoldfish
    bubblygoldfish Posts: 213 Member
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    Wall pushups might not be enough... try from something else, like a chair.

    Also, try to do just the downward part of the pushup, with good form, very slowly. Take 10 seconds to get down to the ground. This will work the muscles in a full range of motion, without the stress of pushing back up. When you can do 10 ish slow downward only pushups. Give a real pushup a try. But don't be discouraged, it can take a while.
  • simsburyjet
    simsburyjet Posts: 999 Member
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    there are a ton of videos for women on how to do a push up. If you do not give up and do push ups your body
    will change for the better forever.. The great thing about push ups is that you can do them anywhere..
    I do them on the beach, at the gym at home even at work... Just do them and do not be scared.
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/02/15/proper-push-up/
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    Thanks y'all. Push ups have always been my nemesis even when I was at my fittest.

    And I'm determined to conquer it.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    If you have a smart phone, I'd suggest looking for a 0-100 push up app.

    I just installed a free one on my phone and the first workout is:

    5 min Stretch
    Set 1 : 5 Push-ups (beginner level is pushing off of a counter top)
    Rest: 90 sec
    Repeat until you've completed 3 sets
    Set 4: 3 Push-ups (beginner level is pushing off of a counter top)
    Rest: 90 sec
    5 min stretch

    Day 2: Is pretty much the same but Set 4 has 5 push- ups instead of the 3 you did in Day 1
    Day 3: Same as day 2 but now there are 5 sets instead of 4
    Day 4:

    5 min Stretch
    Set 1: 5 push up (still counter top)
    Set 2: 5 push up
    Set 3: 6 push up
    Set 4: 6 push up
    Set 5: 5 push up
    *90 sec rests between each set

    Sadly I can't see after Day 4, because the app I happened to download charges you to see the rest of the workouts :(
  • roxylola
    roxylola Posts: 540 Member
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    Can you do box pushups? Then work up to the ones where your knees are behind you then to a push up. I could never do push ups, but I stuck with it and now I can do full ones
  • Slulik
    Slulik Posts: 79 Member
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    Very glad I found this thread!!
  • sleepingtodream
    sleepingtodream Posts: 304 Member
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    I have been able to do alot more push-ups since I've started focusing on doing pull-ups (assisted)!

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