Why can't I do push ups?

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,579 Member
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    nosajjao wrote: »
    _lyndseybrooke_ wrote: »
    Well, your elbows shouldn't be flared out for a proper push-up, so there's one issue. Keep your elbows closer to your body when you do it. Not against your body (that's a tricep push-up), but like this:

    It's hard to change when you get used to a certain form, I have a hard time tucking my elbows, and I have long arms. I end up doing wide-arm pushups for the comfort. I still keep back straight and clear 90 degrees, but I couldn't do as many with my hands and elbows closer together.
    Well that's because the range of motion is shorter. Kind of like doing a squat with a wide stance. The further away from your body your hands are, the less you have to go down.

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  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    I have long arms too...
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
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    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    I have long arms too...

    I have a wingspan equal to my height, so pretty long arms and body too. Yes people built short n squatty have some natural advantage on pushups but they are good for you and tall guys do them, models, it's possible, you can do it! You aren't competing with someone else.

    Truthfully, I learned to do these in yoga. That vinyasa sun salutation thing, over and over lowering body in the same manner as a tricep pushup and flowing forward from there. I'm working on getting better at the UP part of pushups now, using that incline method and also just doing one or two in yoga class.


  • RWClary
    RWClary Posts: 192 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Can you do wall push-ups? Basically standing at the wall, putting your hands on the wall, and doing a push-up motion?
    YEP :)
    Don't worry about starting out with a less challenging routine if that's where you are in your fitness journey.
    The key is to begin.
    A year from now you'll be knocking out push-ups like Randy Couture.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Can you do wall push-ups? Basically standing at the wall, putting your hands on the wall, and doing a push-up motion?


    Yep but it's hard work on my shoulders

    You feel pain in your shoulders when trying of a wall?
    Between my shoulders feels tight/sore when my elbows are out
    When you do your pushup keep your elbows back. Visualize them scraping the sides of your body. Flaring your elbows out puts your rotator cuff in a bad position...
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    IMO, training pushups of a wall is not the best choice. It is very hard to keep the elbows back that way. What you wind up doing is flaring your elbows out so your face does not collide with the wall. For an incline, train pushups of a kitchen counter, or any elevated area.
  • jsecret
    jsecret Posts: 606 Member
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    J72FIT wrote: »
    IMO, training pushups of a wall is not the best choice. It is very hard to keep the elbows back that way. What you wind up doing is flaring your elbows out so your face does not collide with the wall. For an incline, train pushups of a kitchen counter, or any elevated area.

    I agree with this. If you can't do them all the way down with your elbows in, then start at an incline, such as hands on a set of stairs, table edge, etc. work your way lower to the ground.
  • mbeuchert24
    mbeuchert24 Posts: 204 Member
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    Very enlightening post! Thank you. I started a 31 day core challenge yesterday and I could not do 1 regular push up. I was able to do the 5 from my knees, but I'm still sure I wasn't in correct form.
  • fromnebraska
    fromnebraska Posts: 153 Member
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    I was told to drop down into a push up. Don't try to control your descent, just drop into it and catch yourself before you hit the floor. lol
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    fromnebraska wrote: »
    I was told to drop down into a push up. Don't try to control your descent, just drop into it and catch yourself before you hit the floor. lol

    Sounds terrifying!
  • sarochka85
    sarochka85 Posts: 103 Member
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    I finally cracked it by doing variations. If you look at JNL's Bicep Builder vid on YouTube, she has four or five different types of pushup. I found I could do X pushups before I could do regular ones. Everyone is different!

    If you are hugely overweight, maybe you can't do pushups. But otherwise you probably can... you just have to keep trying and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
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    I took me almost 2 years to get to the point where I could do 20 push-ups in a row. My arms and shoulders are stubborn and have been the last to show any type of muscle definition. Two years and finally I have some semblance of a bicep :) Wall push-ups seemed namby-pamby to me (felt like no effort was put into it) so I started with kitchen counter push-ups done while I was cooking and then segued into bench seat height (like those at the park) to knee push-ups and finally a "real" push-up.

    Some people can get to the real deal fast and some like you and me, a lot slower. However, don't give up. Time is going to pass no matter what right? Might as well work on it and before you realize it, you will have done a set of push-ups without stopping!
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    fromnebraska wrote: »
    I was told to drop down into a push up. Don't try to control your descent, just drop into it and catch yourself before you hit the floor. lol

    The person who told you this: ignore him/her when it comes to training.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Can you do wall push-ups? Basically standing at the wall, putting your hands on the wall, and doing a push-up motion?

    Yep but it's hard work on my shoulders

    You should not be working your shoulders, you should be pushing with your chest. Are your palms under your chest or above shoulders?
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    aggelikik wrote: »
    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Can you do wall push-ups? Basically standing at the wall, putting your hands on the wall, and doing a push-up motion?

    Yep but it's hard work on my shoulders

    You should not be working your shoulders, you should be pushing with your chest. Are your palms under your chest or above shoulders?
    No I will do that next time, thanks
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Can you do wall push-ups? Basically standing at the wall, putting your hands on the wall, and doing a push-up motion?

    Yep but it's hard work on my shoulders

    You should not be working your shoulders, you should be pushing with your chest. Are your palms under your chest or above shoulders?
    No I will do that next time, thanks

    If you feel pain on shoulders, you need to move your weight lower. This might mean just your core is not engaged, or not strong enough yet, or that your hands should be lower. If you cannot do wall push-ups because of pain in shoulder, my guess would be the second.
  • Jelenajelenajelenajelena
    Jelenajelenajelenajelena Posts: 34 Member
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    I can't either. I normally do push-ups on an incline, like feet on the ground/arms on a chair seat or table.

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