Strength training but unable to do standard push up?

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Replies

  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    Bump! I need this tread! I want to do a military style push up too!
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    Because you're not used to doing them like that. just like anything else you're not used to doing it feels awkward. just suck it up and do it. It sucks, but do it.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    Bump!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Modified push-ups don't necessarily work the same muscles as "real" ones.

    Start where you are. Lower yourself that half-inch or so and push it back up. Try to go a bit lower. Hold it at the bottom for a while. Keep working at it. Also, make sure your abs are tight. Jillian Michaels holds the plank for a while in her abs sets, and by itself that can be a workout. Try to improve a little more each day. Be willing to fall sometimes, but fight to keep up. As you train those muscles you'll find yourself closer and closer, and eventually kicking everybody's butts in pushups. :wink:
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    The strength will come from your core. If you've neglected your core muscles then military push-ups will be very difficult.

    ^This exactly
  • seamonkey789
    seamonkey789 Posts: 233
    I jumped straight into dance classes at 14 and part of my jazz classes, in addition to sit ups, isolations, and other dance stuff, part of our warm up was 40 push ups. No modifications allowed.

    I couldn't go down far at first, I just went as far as I could go and stuck with.

    Oddly, when I got older and got a job in a kennel bathing dogs, I could do some super human pushups
  • tamraj
    tamraj Posts: 50 Member
    Bumping for later. Thanks all- same problem here.
  • gungho66
    gungho66 Posts: 284 Member
    you need to do more core exercises and just keep doing them "boy style ' ONE DAY AT A TIME . its just simple progression, one to one and a half is progress, just keep trying and it will come.
  • jcm529
    jcm529 Posts: 36
    I did push-ups for about six months against a wall because I was so weak in my upper body. Eventually though, you get strong enough to do a standard push-up. And boy, is it empowering when you do! Now I can crank out 15-20 of them, lol.

    This!

    It is better to modify pushups against a wall or counter, and eventually lower and lower objects (kitchen counter, bathroom counter, coffee table, etc) bc it is less stress on your knees and it incorporates your full body like a regular pushup does. Eventually you will be able to start doing standard pushups.
  • Pauline3290
    Pauline3290 Posts: 80
    BUMP
  • rheelizabeth
    rheelizabeth Posts: 160 Member
    Are you doing it like this? With your bum sort of tucked in rather than a 90 degree angle of your bum and thighs?

    women_pushups.jpg
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
    Another alternative is to do standard but angle your body (i.e. hands on the counter, then hands on a bench/chair, then hands on a step) to practice the "plank" form but gradually increasing the body weight your arms support.
    This is what was recommended to me. Keep those legs straight and change the angle of you body 45 degrees 30 degrees, so on. You want your weight on your arms NOT your legs. Keep getting lower to the ground. Once you're on the ground, increase how many you can do. I started on the floor so now I moving my feet up into a decline position.
  • WandaWoman41
    WandaWoman41 Posts: 153 Member
    I'm no expert but it looks like everyone is on point: the core is a good focal point.Start with planks. I started with girlie push ups until the instructor said "everyone in my class does full body push ups." It could be mind over matter or you are putting in so much strength training that you have no energy left for full body push ups. Good luck.
  • litnerd4life
    litnerd4life Posts: 19 Member
    This was me also. I would just do them anyways, even if I only went one inch down. I did probably about 10 every day, and eventually you see you can start going further down. Also, I have found that if you spread your legs out farther instead of having your feet right next to each other, it is a little easier. And I agree with the core comments! If you are engaging your core, then your booty will be ever so slightly up when you do them. Many people tend to drop their hips when doing push ups, which makes them super hard. Engage that core fully, and it will be loads easier.....From my experience at least ;)
  • ImWorkingOnItStill
    ImWorkingOnItStill Posts: 1
    Try To Do Them On A Bar It Seems Really Helpfull To Me I Could Bearly Do 2 On The Floor
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