Push Up Help

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jnthwaite
jnthwaite Posts: 111
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there,

I am looking to start training to get in to the Australian Defence Forces. I was always skinny (60kg) at school, but got up to 80kg. Although I was skinny, I was never fit.

I need to know how to do a proper push up (not the girly ones). I can lower about half way down, but if I go any lower I fall. Can anyone help out with my technique a bit? I have been looking up ways to do it, but I can't even do one at the moment.

I need to get to 15 push ups, 45 sit ups and a 7.5 on the beep test. Any help would be most appreciated.

Cheers, Jackie

Replies

  • jenlhugg
    jenlhugg Posts: 141 Member
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    I started the onehundredpushups.com and it helped.
  • meagalayne
    meagalayne Posts: 3,382 Member
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    bump! I could use any advice offered as well... push-ups are completely impossible for me!
  • elsa11170
    elsa11170 Posts: 82 Member
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3Avd073_d0
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Start with the girly push-ups (on knees) until you can do 20 or so, then move on to regular ones. This will help build up the muscles you need to do full push-ups. Military push-ups are with your hands just shoulder width apart and your elbows should go towards the waist, not out to the sides. Good luck. As you lose weight they will get easier as well as you will be pushing less weight so keep up with cardio as well to burn off some weight.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
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    Start with the girly push-ups (on knees) until you can do 20 or so, then move on to regular ones. This will help build up the muscles you need to do full push-ups. Military push-ups are with your hands just shoulder width apart and your elbows should go towards the waist, not out to the sides. Good luck. As you lose weight they will get easier as well as you will be pushing less weight so keep up with cardio as well to burn off some weight.

    I agree with starting on the girly push-ups. If you don't have any (or much) upper body strength full on push-ups are going to be hard to do right away. Build up your strength gradually by doing girly push-ups and then move on to regular push-ups. I would also suggest looking at the 100 push-up challenge - maybe do it with girly push-ups and then once you've mastered that, do it with regular push-ups?! Not sure what your timeframe is though. Good luck!
  • jnthwaite
    jnthwaite Posts: 111
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    I started the onehundredpushups.com and it helped.

    Thanks. I found the URL is http://hundredpushups.com/
  • ajhoffmanjr
    ajhoffmanjr Posts: 1
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    I will give you a couple of words of advice. Try crossing one ankle over the other at first. It will make your base (the part you aren't pushing up) feel heavier. Also, try your hands far apart. When I was in the Army, I would do as many as I could with my hands really far apart, and as I got tired, bring them in closer. Different muscles for different distances. Good luck.
  • emersoam
    emersoam Posts: 179
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    You NEED to start with "girlie" pushups (especially if you have such little upper body strength right now)! Slowly wean yourself off of them by incorporating standard pushups in as you get stronger. Over time, you'll get stronger and will be able to do more standard pushups. With that said, I think it's safe to assume that very few women can do more than 20 solid pushups in a row.
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
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    I never started with girly pushups. I did did as many as I could do and stopped when I couldn't anymore. I also did weight training (ChaLEAN Extreme) though and as I got stronger, the more I was able to do. I have to do girly though with tricep pushups. Those are hard. :(
  • jnthwaite
    jnthwaite Posts: 111
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    I tried the normal push ups. Couldn't do one.

    I tried the girly pish ups. I did about two, but only dropped half way to the floor, so technically did none.

    I reseorted to doing the wall pushups, because I have absolutely no upper body strength. I did about ten of those.

    My plan is to get the technique down correctly first. Then move to girly pushups. Once I've got those down, I'll do the normal ones where I cross my legs (that did help). And then go to normal. I've always been unfit, now I'm just overweight and unfit.

    The important thing is that I'm starting. So girly, wall or normal., it's more than I did before.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    Also, on Youtube.com there are tutorials on EVERYTHING. Check it out and I'm sure you can get help there. Also, the girly push-ups help with building up strength in the beginning.

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