How can I get my arms strong enough to do a push up?

Jacleepin
Jacleepin Posts: 48 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been working out for a little over a week now, and I am trying so hard to improve in several areas, but I'm not seeing results when I attempt a pushup daily. I hold myself up for 60 seconds trying to go down as far as I can and then coming back up, but I'm not feeling the "after burn" that I would think I would have to tear muscles and build them back up. What types of exercises should I be doing and for how long so that I begin doing pushups?
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Replies

  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 671 Member
    If you have access to weights, do bench presses.

    Otherwise, do timed planks. I set my phone on stopwatch and put it underneath me when I do planks. I try to add to the time each day.

    You can also do as many "girl" push ups as possible. Start by doing as many real ones as you can, and then work to exhaustion doing girl push ups. You'll eventually increase the number of real ones you can do.

    Don't worry about feeling an afterburn. Sometimes I feel sore and sometimes I don't. I like feeling sore, but I think that isn't really an accurate gauge of how hard I'm working. Keep at it. You'll get there. I went from doing 1 to doing 35 this summer. I think it would be kick *kitten* to do 100.
  • princesswarrior1116
    princesswarrior1116 Posts: 58 Member
    I'm working on this too. I am getting stronger by doing pushups at a 45* angle. I do them in the same position as I would if I were doing them on the floor, except that I use something to elevate my upper body (like a chair or table or kitchen counter.) I've been doing this for several weeks and can now do two "boy" push ups on the floor. I currently do sets of 20 pushups at a 45* angle and do 5 sets for a total of 100 every other day or so.

    Maybe this will work for you too.
  • leojsivad
    leojsivad Posts: 124 Member
    Start by pushing against your counter top or something of the same height.

    When that gets easy, find something at a lower angle until that becomes easy.
  • Breakdown64
    Breakdown64 Posts: 22 Member
    Start on your knees, or if even that's too tough, do some off the wall or off a table ( a stable one!). All good ways to build arm and chest strength.
  • missyont
    missyont Posts: 79
    Start on your knees, or if even that's too tough, do some off the wall or off a table ( a stable one!). All good ways to build arm and chest strength.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    ...keep trying to do push ups? Idk, that's what I did.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    This is the *only* good use I've ever found for a Smith machine. You can use them to vary the incline angle until you're almost on the floor.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    Start by pushing against your counter top or something of the same height.

    When that gets easy, find something at a lower angle until that becomes easy.

    That's what worked for me.

    Just keep moving down as you progress until you can do them from the floor.
  • Dino_bacon2112
    Dino_bacon2112 Posts: 341 Member
    ...keep trying to do push ups? Idk, that's what I did.

    That's what I did too. I also made a habit of doing a "modified" push up whenever I had to get off the floor because I'm too lazy to practice otherwise.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Start by pushing against your counter top or something of the same height.

    When that gets easy, find something at a lower angle until that becomes easy.

    That's what worked for me.

    Just keep moving down as you progress until you can do them from the floor.

    Yup. Stairs are perfect. Start a few up, then move down as you get stronger.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    This is the *only* good use I've ever found for a Smith machine. You can use them to vary the incline angle until you're almost on the floor.

    That was what I did also. I started by doing push ups with my hands on the bench. Then used the bar on the smith machine, and lowered it. I also did them at an outdoor exercise park that had surfaces at different heights that I could use.

    I also did them with my feet up on a ball. I don't know if that makes them easier or more challenging, but they did work my core even more (although regular pushups work the core great on their own).
  • BranDiesel_27
    BranDiesel_27 Posts: 46
    Push ups are more of a chest exercise. Triceps(back of arm) and Delt(shoulder) are also used during the exercise, but are not the primary focus. Tho hitting these areas in isolation will improve push up cabability.

    Do pushups with knees on the ground or do incline pushups(incline pushups are where your doing a full push up with your hands elevated higher than your feet. This is achieved by placing them on a stair case, chair, wall, etc.) as you build strength, lower the elevation of your hands until your able to do a flat surface pushup.

    Spreading the feet wider during the push up makes it easier by creating a more stable base, bringing them closer together makes them easier.

    As always, make sure your form is good when training them

    Need any more help/Ideas just ask :)
  • needtogetfit932
    needtogetfit932 Posts: 49
    Remember, you don't only need strong arms to do a pushup. You need a strong chest and abs, too. I suggest doing pushups on your knees first. Also, make sure you do exercises that will make your chest stronger, such as dumbbell bench presses and dumbbell flyes.
  • chard_muncher
    chard_muncher Posts: 75 Member
    If you can't do a full push up, then do push ups from the knees or with your hands on a bench/table/whatever. It's important that you train to failure for each set. Meaning that you do as many push ups as you can until you can't perform another one, then rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat.

    If you're new to the motion, you will make a lot of progress by building muscle memory through repetition. So train a few sets a day, train to failure, and if you can't do a full push up then do one of the modified ones suggested. I guarantee you that if you train 5 sets a day mon-fri you'll be doing regular push ups in a week or two.
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
    I've been working out for a little over a week now, and I am trying so hard to improve in several areas, but I'm not seeing results when I attempt a pushup daily. I hold myself up for 60 seconds trying to go down as far as I can and then coming back up, but I'm not feeling the "after burn" that I would think I would have to tear muscles and build them back up. What types of exercises should I be doing and for how long so that I begin doing pushups?

    I'm a woman with very little upper body strength and am working on this every day with a small group on MFP. We try to fit them in at work.

    Keep at it and eventually you will be able to do them.

    -- Planks help build strength.
    -- Push ups with knees on the floor are okay and better than not doing them at all.
    -- You can also find a staircase, choose a step as low as possible where you can keep the correct form, and do some push ups there -- after a while, try to move to a lower step until you are able to do push ups on the floor. This method has helped me.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    Do this

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nhqz1DgzN8

    to increase your tricep strength, you need strong triceps to do push ups or any pushing movements.
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    As they tell us in the military the only way to get better at push ups is to do push ups. Whether its on your knees or what ever you need to do
  • albertine58
    albertine58 Posts: 267 Member
    do them on your knees but make sure you have good form - I see SO many women at the gym doing knee push-ups with their butts in the air. your body should be in a plank - abs tight, butt down but not sinking, flat back. If you are really new to working out, I'd really suggest a few sessions with a trainer. It doesn't have to be private personal training - do some small-group weight lifting or boot camp classes with a good instructor who will correct your form & answer any questions you have.

    also, don't expect to get better in a week - it's going to take months to get very noticeable strength gains, especially at a calorie deficit. just keep at it!
  • kinmad4it
    kinmad4it Posts: 185 Member
    I'd say use the stairs. Start at a height you can almost manage 8 to 12 reps on for 3 sets and then keep moving down a step once you find it too easy.
    Or you could try knee push ups whilst wearing a rucksack with increasing weight in it.
  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
    Another +1 for the stairs.

    Also, try some tricep chair dips to build up your arm and shoulder strength, and do planks too.
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    Try a daily practise of Iyengar or Ashtanga Yoga for a month and then see how many push-ups you can do. Exercising around the muscles needed to push-up will help strengthen the movement overall and give you a healthful routine for life.
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
    Lay on your back, grabssomeweights, put your hands over your boobs, straighten your arms up, repeat
  • crazie4lulu
    crazie4lulu Posts: 762 Member
    keep trying and one day soon you will surprise the hell out of yourself!!!!! i promise!!!
  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    I have been doing press ups on my knees, then just pushing my knees further and further back. I don't think the problem for me is arm strength. I just struggle to hold my body in the position, so core strength. So atm I am working on that. I would love to be able to do full press up!
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but my suggestion is to work on the negative portion. Start in a push up position, up on your toes (not knees). Lower yourself to the ground slowly, put your knees down at that point and push yourself back up with your arms. Repeat x 10 (or whatever). Might sound silly, but it works great. Give it a go...
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
    Just keep trying and it will happen, it was one of my major achievements of last year. I started off on the counter, then with knees down and it just progressed, took months tho... I was also doing weights which obviously helped to build arm strength.... good luck! If you never give up you will be able to do it :wink:
  • hmaddpear
    hmaddpear Posts: 610 Member
    In for more tips. I started with counter push-ups last year and am progressing (slowly) with knee push-ups (no stairs, alas). One day we will get there!
  • NerdyTXChick
    NerdyTXChick Posts: 155 Member
    Bump - for all the great advice!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    I had to build up push-ups very gradually after a shoulder injury. Here's my blog on the build-up that worked for me:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396
  • Stooooo
    Stooooo Posts: 1,191 Member
    I've been working out for a little over a week now, and I am trying so hard to improve in several areas, but I'm not seeing results when I attempt a pushup daily. I hold myself up for 60 seconds trying to go down as far as I can and then coming back up, but I'm not feeling the "after burn" that I would think I would have to tear muscles and build them back up. What types of exercises should I be doing and for how long so that I begin doing pushups?

    Start by doing wall pushups. The closer your feet are to the wall the easier it is. Gradually move your feet further and further away as you get stronger. Next move to a counter and do push ups on the counter, same premise. The further away you move your feet the harder it gets. You'll be doing pushups in no time.

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