Push ups question

IndigoVA
IndigoVA Posts: 164 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm finally able to do push ups on my toes, however I can only go down about half way. On my knees I can go all the way to the floor. So I was wondering which is better for strength building? Toes seems harder, but on my knees I'm getting a full range on motion. Any thoughts?

Replies

  • beckyinma
    beckyinma Posts: 1,433 Member
    I would alternate. I can do about 3 on my toes, but 30 on my knees. Try planks on your toes, it really is a good core exercise.
  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
    My opinion- if doing it on your toes seems harder, than it probably is working your body more, even though you don't have the full range of motion yet. Keep working at it like that, and eventually I am sure you will be able to go all the way down and all the way back up. Also, don't forget to keep those abs tight to support your back- this is especially important when you are doing pushups on your toes! :)
  • Anoble17
    Anoble17 Posts: 37 Member
    Stay on your toes. Keep working on getting lower and lower. Make sure you keep your butt down. You'll get there sooner or later.
    Good luck.
  • cjjones007
    cjjones007 Posts: 602
    I would alternate. I can do about 3 on my toes, but 30 on my knees. Try planks on your toes, it really is a good core exercise.

    I agree with alternation as well - go till failure on your toes, then do knees (actually start with some on the knees too)
    You'll still build strength and it will be a GREAT gage of how far you come as you watch your range of motion increase on your toes :)
  • lloydmel
    lloydmel Posts: 259 Member
    Keep doing the push-ups on your knees until you can do a long run of them (say 15 or 20).
    Once you can do those, then you should be able to come all the way down at least once. Once you get to that point, you can build up your strength by doing the full push-ups until you can't do them fully yet, and then go to your knees.
    DO NOT stop doing them until you have fatigued your muscled completely (on your knees)....
    You just have to build your muscles up and your muscle memory up.
    You can also work on planks (full arm extended and on your elbows) those will help build upper body.

    Also, doing other types of upper body workouts will help with push-ups. It takes a lot of strength to do push-ups correctly. I would work a lot on your triceps (that will definitely improve your push-ups on the negative end (the low end). Reverse planks and dips are a great way to build up the lower end as well...
  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
    I found better range of motion on toe/full pushups by having my feet shoulder-width apart instead of together. Toes together requires a bit more balance, so shoulder-width is a good in-between the knee pushups and toes-together ones.
  • IndigoVA
    IndigoVA Posts: 164 Member
    Thanks for the tips and advice!
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