Push ups
Sweet_Pea4
Posts: 447 Member
I have been watching youtube videos trying to get the correct form to even do one push up. I just can't even do one. I feel like I just haven't got the strength. Any advise please? Feel silly for asking this.
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Replies
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Start with your arms on a table, counter or other surface that can take your weight. If these are too easy or when they become too easy, move to push ups on the floor with your knees on the floor. When these become easier to do (i.e. you can do at least 10-20 in a row) then try regular push ups.0
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Can you do them on your knees? if so just do it that way...until you can do a regular push up.
If you can't do them on your knees then start against the wall..then progress to your knees then non modified.0 -
Don't feel silly. I had to start against the wall, now I'm on knee ones. We all have to start somewhere.0
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Thank you all for your responses
yeah I can't even do them on my knees. I'll try against a table first then. Thanks 0 -
Look into the Convict Conditioning 'program' it starts you out with wall pushups with the aim to get to 1-armed pushups (amongst other things)0
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I just started the 30 Day Shred last week and there are two circuits of push ups....I started out using the wall as I have no upper body strength. After a couple of days, I progressed to 'girly' push-ups, and can now do both circuits that way. It doesn't take long to build the strength up. Next stop: knees off the floor! :-)0
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echoing what was said
counter/stairs/desk
I would stay away from modified knee pushups- it has a low success rate for transferring up to full push ups.
Working 'negatives' (altought I'm not sure if it's technically a true negative- that's just the best way for me in my single cup coffee state to describe it) is going to get you where you want a lot faster and more successfully than knee push ups.
lower yourself down extremely slowly- and don't worry about the get up aspect- if you can do this on the floor GREAT- if not work counter push ups- and then also work the negatives- so lowering yourself down as far as you can - as slowly as you can without flopping or dropping down to floor/counter whatever is "bottom". Don't worry about pushing back up- just make the down extremely slow- and lower ALL the way down- it's harder than you think LOL And it's great for developing the push up.0 -
Thank you all. Yeah I think I'll try the table first. Then will move to full push up and try lowering myself to the ground. I'll practice daily.0
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Thank you all. Yeah I think I'll try the table first. Then will move to full push up and try lowering myself to the ground. I'll practice daily.
don't forget a chair- nice mid way point between the counter and the ground- just make sure your weight is over it so you aren't shoving it away from you- or just brace it against the wall- but learning to keep your shoulders over your wrists so you aren't pushing away is moar better.
good luck 0 -
agree most women dont use correct form on knees its painful to watch someone doing it wrong knowing there getting none of the awesome effects of correct form. I also find that the wider i plant my feet and hands the more i can do. The elbows intight ones that work triceps are hard for me but there are many other tricep exercises ill do instead. Do them everyday, they will get easier. I always do 2 sets of 15 for a warmup on upper bodyday.echoing what was said
counter/stairs/desk
I would stay away from modified knee pushups- it has a low success rate for transferring up to full push ups.
Working 'negatives' (altought I'm not sure if it's technically a true negative- that's just the best way for me in my single cup coffee state to describe it) is going to get you where you want a lot faster and more successfully than knee push ups.
lower yourself down extremely slowly- and don't worry about the get up aspect- if you can do this on the floor GREAT- if not work counter push ups- and then also work the negatives- so lowering yourself down as far as you can - as slowly as you can without flopping or dropping down to floor/counter whatever is "bottom". Don't worry about pushing back up- just make the down extremely slow- and lower ALL the way down- it's harder than you think LOL And it's great for developing the push up.0 -
Thank you both I'll get working lol. 0
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Once you get to the floor, you might find it easier if you do your pushups holding small 5-8 lbs dumb bells in each hand, lifting up on those rather than a flat hand with a bent wrist. This makes pushups a lot more pleasant for me, as the strain on my wrists is removed. When I initially learned to do this, I was told it was "to get full extension of the chest muscles" but that isn't what it feels like. I don't even know if that is accurate. All I know is it is easier on my wrists. 0
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I actually really appreciated all these comments, I suck at pushups too. I can do like 8 girly ones, but I never feel like Im doing it right.0
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Ah ok I'll try that. Thanks 0
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So glad you asked this questions! I've had a hell of a time trying to do them myself! 0
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Ha ha yeah I ask anything lol.
Just done some against the wall and my arms were shaking a bit ha ha. How sad is that lol. I'll keep practising those then I'll move on to a table too to perhaps increase intensity. Then I won't try the knee ones I'll just move on to the full and try lowering myself to the floor first.0 -
Great post! I can do full leg push-ups, but I have a problem getting down far enough. I just don't have the strength to go to a parallel position with my upper arms. I might try the dumbbell approach and see if that helps.0
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Just some clarification. They are not girly push ups... They are modified push ups! :-)I actually really appreciated all these comments, I suck at pushups too. I can do like 8 girly ones, but I never feel like Im doing it right.0 -
Don't feel silly. I had to start against the wall, now I'm on knee ones. We all have to start somewhere.
^^This. We all gotta start somewhere. Perfect your form (and go easy on yourself) doing them on the wall. When that gets easy, move to inclines (hands on something sturdy like a coffee table, bench, cedar chest), then progress to kneelings. Before you know it, you'll get your first "real" pushup. No shame in going slow, but push yourself to get to that goal. You can DO it!
It's taken me a full month of daily (mixed exercises including 3x/wk lifting) to complete ONE perfect, deep full push up. But I DID it! Next goal--5 push ups!0 -
Just some clarification. They are not girly push ups... They are modified push ups! :-)I actually really appreciated all these comments, I suck at pushups too. I can do like 8 girly ones, but I never feel like Im doing it right.
That's right--NOT girly at all. Many men are in the same boat. Call them modified or "kneeling" push ups. They are not gendered
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Don't feel silly. I had to start against the wall, now I'm on knee ones. We all have to start somewhere.
^^This. We all gotta start somewhere. Perfect your form (and go easy on yourself) doing them on the wall. When that gets easy, move to inclines (hands on something sturdy like a coffee table, bench, cedar chest), then progress to kneelings. Before you know it, you'll get your first "real" pushup. No shame in going slow, but push yourself to get to that goal. You can DO it!
It's taken me a full month of daily (mixed exercises including 3x/wk lifting) to complete ONE perfect, deep full push up. But I DID it! Next goal--5 push ups!
Well done ???? awesome. Can't wait to get to that stage lol.0 -
Just wondering if anyone else was a new starter to push ups? I've progressed to the table push ups now getting somewhere. 0
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I've been doing kneeling push ups for months without feeling any better able to do the full plank type push up. I think I'll try them against some surface higher than the floor and lower than the wall to see if I can get to what I think of as "real" push ups. I keep wondering what I'm doing wrong that I'm not seeming to build up to the real thing. Glad to hear others have not had success with this progression. Thanks for this post!0
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Yeah a few people advised me to do the wall ones, then table and then straight into plank type push ups. So I'm gonna try it.0
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I think I got the correct technique, I just need to work on stamina.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plqMNS0EBM0 0 -
They are a great exercise even if you can't do them "properly". You can start out against a wall and then a bench if needed. Truth be told they are one of my favorite things to do. When I started my fitness change I couldn't do more than 10 straight now I have done as many as 600 in a day. Best of luck to you, you'll get where you want to be.0
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I started "proper" push-ups this morning for Stage 1 of The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I thought I'd be ok as I'd been fine with chair and knee push-ups, but it was an absolute killer! I managed to do 2 sets of 15 though I had to take a short rest after each 5 otherwise I would never have got to the end... Going to keep plugging away, hopefully each time will be just a little easier.0
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Thanks all is that book any good? 0
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My trainer told me the way I usually do pushups (which is how most people do them) -- when you go down your elbows go to the side... really isn't as effective as having your elbows go down straight against your body b/c it works your triceps MUCH more than the other way (not sure i explained this well). First time she asked me to do this.. i couldn't do one. Not one. So she made me go down slowly (count of 3).. andn not push up (couldn't anyway). just 3 counts down. and then get up as I can to a push up position and again.. 3 counts down... face ends up flat on mat... and then get up again anyway you can to push up position. I did maybe 15 and was dying. dying. awful. But.... it's only been about 3 weeks.. and now I can do like 4 or 5 in a row -- actually push up in that position. I know it doesn't sound like much but those pushups are HARD and make a difference. so slowly i am getting better and increasing my upper body strenght.0
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well she's right- it's a much more tricep oriented puhs up- but if you're goal is to hit your chest- who cares if you're getting great tricep activation??
need the right tool for the task- a hammer isn't bad because it can't place concrete. It's just the wrong tool.
Much like military/tricep oriented push ups are not better or worse than a wider push up that's designed to hit the pecs more.
But yes- the slow push up down is a great modification.0
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