PUSH UPS...Do they work?

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Monroe121
Monroe121 Posts: 358 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hiya,

Looking to tone these (wings) I mean arms of mine. Started a push up challenge for 30 days. Do you think this is effective? If not, care to share some arm toning exercises?! Please.

Thanks!
Roe

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    Well, pushups will build up the muscle there, but it won't target the fat layer covering it, which i think is what you're trying to do. Spot-reduction is a myth, unfortunately.

    Strength training is definitely good to include in any fitness plan, but not just pushups. Go with a full-body program, like Fitness Blender, Nerd Fitness, NROL4W, etc.

    By the way, good strength programs don't work the same muscles on consecutive days.. unlike "challenges", which have caused overtraining injuries. :+1:
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Push ups are a good exercise but only working certain groups of muscles - so a good part of an overall program but an unbalanced routine if you aren't doing any "pull" exercises.

    Not a fan of those challenges - I did a 100 push up challenge and the volume plus lack of recovery caused injury.

    If you have "wings" due to too much fat then it's a calorie deficit that will reduce it not any specific exercise.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    You can't spot reduce fat. Unless you're losing total body fat percentage then you won't see any difference. I do suspended knee to chests while doing push-ups on an upside down bosu ball. That is a a very good push-up/ab combination if you're looking for a push-up that works, the stabilizer muscles being involved make it quite a workout.
  • Monroe121
    Monroe121 Posts: 358 Member
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    Thank you so much. Away with the challenges. LOL
    sijomial wrote: »
    Push ups are a good exercise but only working certain groups of muscles - so a good part of an overall program but an unbalanced routine if you aren't doing any "pull" exercises.

    Not a fan of those challenges - I did a 100 push up challenge and the volume plus lack of recovery caused injury.

    If you have "wings" due to too much fat then it's a calorie deficit that will reduce it not any specific exercise.

  • Monroe121
    Monroe121 Posts: 358 Member
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    Thank you so much for the information. I will look at some of those programs. :-)
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Well, pushups will build up the muscle there, but it won't target the fat layer covering it, which i think is what you're trying to do. Spot-reduction is a myth, unfortunately.

    Strength training is definitely good to include in any fitness plan, but not just pushups. Go with a full-body program, like Fitness Blender, Nerd Fitness, NROL4W, etc.

    By the way, good strength programs don't work the same muscles on consecutive days.. unlike "challenges", which have caused overtraining injuries. :+1:

  • Monroe121
    Monroe121 Posts: 358 Member
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    Thank you. This exercise sounds super interesting!
    jessef593 wrote: »
    You can't spot reduce fat. Unless you're losing total body fat percentage then you won't see any difference. I do suspended knee to chests while doing push-ups on an upside down bosu ball. That is a a very good push-up/ab combination if you're looking for a push-up that works, the stabilizer muscles being involved make it quite a workout.

  • Ws2016
    Ws2016 Posts: 432 Member
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    "suspended knee to chests while doing push-ups on an upside down bosu ball."

    Oh boy, a new torture for me to try.
  • tugsandpulls760
    tugsandpulls760 Posts: 206 Member
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    Monroe121 wrote: »
    Hiya,

    Looking to tone these (wings) I mean arms of mine. Started a push up challenge for 30 days. Do you think this is effective? If not, care to share some arm toning exercises?! Please.

    Thanks!
    Roe

    ask a thousand people that did miltary boot camp yup they work
  • quietandmildspirit
    quietandmildspirit Posts: 19 Member
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    I do push-ups on my kitchen counter while I watch my cooking. Definitely makes a difference!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    No. You cannot spot reduce.
  • quietandmildspirit
    quietandmildspirit Posts: 19 Member
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    You are out of your mind if you say push ups are'nt worth it. The proof is in the pudding. Two inches of my arms that I did'nt have just cycling and eating at a deficit loosing 1/2 pound to a pound a week.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    quietandmildspirit wrote: »
    You are out of your mind if you say push ups are'nt worth it. The proof is in the pudding. Two inches of my arms that I did'nt have just cycling and eating at a deficit loosing 1/2 pound to a pound a week.

    :huh: Could it have been your calorie deficit?
  • quietandmildspirit
    quietandmildspirit Posts: 19 Member
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    You tell me. I did'nt loose the inches before I started the push-ups.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    quietandmildspirit wrote: »
    You tell me. I did'nt loose the inches before I started the push-ups.

    Yup counter top push ups are the end all for muscles. All that hard work I was doing was for nothing. :laugh: :yawn:
  • Monroe121
    Monroe121 Posts: 358 Member
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    quietandmildspirit wrote: »
    I do push-ups on my kitchen counter while I watch my cooking. Definitely makes a difference!

    Lol, Thank you!!! I'll have to try that.
  • Monroe121
    Monroe121 Posts: 358 Member
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    Cutaway_Collar wrote: »
    Pushups are more like stamina and resistance building exercises. They don't make you buff or reduce fat considerably. You will definitely feel stronger.

    Thank you for saying that.
  • Monroe121
    Monroe121 Posts: 358 Member
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    quietandmildspirit wrote: »
    You are out of your mind if you say push ups are'nt worth it. The proof is in the pudding. Two inches of my arms that I did'nt have just cycling and eating at a deficit loosing 1/2 pound to a pound a week.

    Hahahah Thank you!
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    Push-Ups are definitely worth it. If you can't do them, try incline (someone mentioned counter top push-ups) push ups. I now do both type, regular push ups about 3x a week, and incline push ups during my daily training (mostly for toning and cardio benefit). The strength gains are more from the regular push ups, although I noticed quite a bit of improvement when I was first doing incline push-ups. I can't see building huge arms with the incline versions, but you can work your way up to normal push ups and eventually to decline versions as well.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    Just fyi you can't spot reduce no, but my chubby arms were the last thing to tone up and it's not been until I filled them with muscle that they've stopped looking so chubby!
  • justincooper405
    justincooper405 Posts: 107 Member
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    I love push ups ... I love any body weight exercise. I like to do push ups in between sets when I'm lifting and working my chest.

    Adding muscle to your arms will help with thier appearance. And as said earlier the best way for toning up is full body workouts, resistance training. Your arms may tone up first, they may tone up last but eventually they will.

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