push up update

wishfullthinking79
wishfullthinking79 Posts: 322 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am super stoked. Today I did 9 push ups. I tried really hard to get to that 10th one. It just was not happening. I wanted to ask if I should be trying to sets of these? I think it would be more difficult for me to do more. But only because after I plank I cant seem to do them. I typically try to do them everyday.
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Replies

  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,734 Member
    Congrats! That's quite an accomplishment. I need to start doing this, too. I try to do planks every day, also, but I think I'll start alternating plank days and push-up days.

    Not sure about your question as to doing sets, but personally I would have a harder time doing push-ups after planks which is why I think I'll start doing alternate days.
  • Carla1962Shaw2015
    Carla1962Shaw2015 Posts: 31 Member
    Great job! Have you tried doing push ups before planks? Keep up the great work!
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    when i do pushups, i'll do 3 max sets and sometimes when i can't get that last one, i'll drop to my knees and do as many more as i can. I sometimes do a pushup or plank with my hands on the scale to get an idea of how much weight i'm having to move and then it makes me feel better about my efforts.
    make sure you rest sufficiently between your sets. If you can't do pushups after planking, rest a little longer and then try.
  • wishfullthinking79
    wishfullthinking79 Posts: 322 Member
    @Carla1962Shaw2015 I have to do them before planking. Otherwise I cant do them. The first minute that I am planking on my elbows I alternate lifting my arms up. The second minute I just plank for a total of 2 minutes at a time. Sometimes I will just hold the planking position for 2 minutes without lifting my arms. Then I move on to the side planks.
  • jammer1963
    jammer1963 Posts: 106 Member
    Planks are tough! How long do you plank? I would think Planks would be enough and then push-ups on alternate days but that's just me. BTW, when I was challenged to do my first plank, I did it for 3 min, 30 sec. I thought they had to be a piece of cake... NOT, let me tell ya, I was so sore the next couple days. They are an unbelievable workout. Keep up the good work :)
  • wishfullthinking79
    wishfullthinking79 Posts: 322 Member
    @jammer1963 I am planking anywhere from 2 to 2.5 minutes now forward facing. When I started i could only do it for 30 seconds.
  • tryasimighty
    tryasimighty Posts: 131 Member
    I started my strength training with push ups, I couldn't do one when I started and I would say do it everyday to see quick progress, it is such a great feeling. Now I do two or three sets of 10 as part of my warm up and am trying the 30 day push up challenge (up to 50 in 30 days!) I could do 15-20 depending on the day, time of day and what I have done beforehand. Plank is fantastic to build strength for push up and vice versa, sometimes I do the plank in the morning or evening separate to other exercise as it takes a lot of energy. Well done and good luck with that 10th one it is only a matter of days away!
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    Congrats!
    Sounds like good progress.
    Yes, you can work up to sets on pushups.
  • wonko221
    wonko221 Posts: 292 Member
    congratulations!

    I'm on the c25k program right now, which basically uses "sets" of jogging, with walking breaks, to build up to running a full 5k without walking. I've had good success with it so far, and wanted to look at other incremental programs.

    With a quick google search, i've found a program for building up to 100 push-ups, by doing three sets every other day (the rest day between IS important!), Before you begin, you do as many as you can, and then use that to pick the schedule for you to begin.

    That tenth is just around the corner; with as many more behind it as you push yourself to find!
  • dimple_gal
    dimple_gal Posts: 139 Member
    Congratulations, push ups are tough! I have been planking combined with push ups. Every 10 seconds do a push up. Breaks up the monotony of planking.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    wishfullthinking79 wrote: »
    @jammer1963 I am planking anywhere from 2 to 2.5 minutes now forward facing. When I started i could only do it for 30 seconds.

    So I have a stupid question- why are you spending so much of your life doing a nominally useful exercise?
  • wishfullthinking79
    wishfullthinking79 Posts: 322 Member
    @JoRocka Maybe I do not understand your question. I do not think 2 to 2.5 minutes is really a lot of time. I like doing the planks and feel that it is a good step towards building a stronger core. Why?? you dont think so?? I realize there are probably exercises that are better for this. But this is where I am at right now
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    wishfullthinking79 wrote: »
    @JoRocka Maybe I do not understand your question. I do not think 2 to 2.5 minutes is really a lot of time. I like doing the planks and feel that it is a good step towards building a stronger core. Why?? you dont think so?? I realize there are probably exercises that are better for this. But this is where I am at right now

    After a minute you are no longer getting physically stronger- it just means you're developing the ability to do it longer.

    But you aren't stronger. So - either find a more difficult variation or accept that you are training muscle endurance and not strength.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,734 Member
    I just read an article this weekend (can't remember from where but I'll see if I can find it later) that said that after 10 seconds of holding a plank you are no longer benefiting from them and the article instead suggested doing several 10 sec. planks and working on doing more push-ups. I'll still do my 90 sec. planks because I like to and it's not hurting anything, but I will be working more on my push-ups now.
  • wishfullthinking79
    wishfullthinking79 Posts: 322 Member
    Thanks for the info. I have just recently increased the time along with alternating arm raises while I do it then I hold it and then I repeat if I am able to continue to alternate lifting my arms. What would be a more difficult variation? I am totally down to trying new ways to do anything.
  • ChristinaOrr65
    ChristinaOrr65 Posts: 112 Member
    BZAH10 wrote: »
    I just read an article this weekend (can't remember from where but I'll see if I can find it later) that said that after 10 seconds of holding a plank you are no longer benefiting from them and the article instead suggested doing several 10 sec. planks and working on doing more push-ups. I'll still do my 90 sec. planks because I like to and it's not hurting anything, but I will be working more on my push-ups now.

    This is interesting! And a great reason for me to only do 10 sec planks now hehe. Now I just need to work on my push-ups!
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,734 Member
    wishfullthinking79 wrote: »
    Thanks for the info. I have just recently increased the time along with alternating arm raises while I do it then I hold it and then I repeat if I am able to continue to alternate lifting my arms. What would be a more difficult variation? I am totally down to trying new ways to do anything.

    Alternating arm raises is a good challenge. Personally, I find starting in plank position on my hands and then down to elbows and back again repeatedly and alternating starting arms is tough! I'm terrible at describing things so I hope you know what I mean.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Alternating is good- doing up downs is good- holding on foot up in the air- putting feet on an elevated surface- putting your feet on an unstable surface
    Doing SOMETHING to change the dynamic of the movement will be better for you than just endlessly holding them LOL
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    You can also try long-lever planks, where you place your elbows more under your ear than under the shoulder. But I would look to broaden your routine in general. Planks work only one direction of core movement. Here are some other ideas:

    https://bretcontreras.com/core-stability-training-for-the-advanced-lifter/
  • wishfullthinking79
    wishfullthinking79 Posts: 322 Member
    Thank you everyone. I totally would love to switch things up because I want to strengthen my core. @JoRocka for up downs. Is that just raising you pelvic/butt up and then retunring to the nuetral position? I havent tried the foot raising yet. I still stuggle quite a bit with raising my arms. The other morning I tried to do pushups with my feet on one of thse exercise balls. I could only do a few because I had no control. I was wobbling all over the place. I am absolutely open to all suggestions. I know it is time to switch things up. I do a lot of ab/core exercises but I definitely think it is time to change things. If I could just get rid of that small layer of fat that just doesnt want to disappear. I know I will probably never have the abs I would like to have because I gained way too much weight with my son and then lost the weight so fast. SO it looks a little druppy. I have lost like 3 or 4 inches in my waist, 2 or 3 inches in what I call my pant line (wehre my jeans sit) and one inch in my hips. All my jeans are too big. SO I know what I am doing is making a difference but I think yall are right. I need something more intense.

    Last night I was telling my son about the suggestion of going from elbows to hands.. he looked at me like I was crazy. We didnt try it but we will. On days he doesnt have football practice I have him doing some exercises like push ups, sit ups, planking, and some curls with my 3 or 5 pound weights. We were jogging but then I hurt my foot or we would go out so he could ride his ripstik. I do manage to go to the gym but otherwise I am in a boot. I am hoping to get news tomorrow.

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