Push-Up Help!

It's something you have to build up to. 6 months ago I couldn't even do one "man's" push-up and my arms shook so bad doing even the "womans" knees & feet planted on the ground version I could barely get through 5!

Now, I can do more "men's" push-ups than my Hubby (he was on his knees last time we did push-ups!) and I don't shake anymore. Granted, if I'm doing a lot of push-ups in a routine or an especially difficult circuit training routine, I may stick with "woman's" push-ups since I have shoulder damage, but I can still feel the burn (especially if I lift my feet off the ground so I'm balancing & using more core). You can also try starting out by elevating your legs on a step or low table (knees to feet supported) and upper body leaning down at an angle. This may help you start to build it up.

Keep in mind, when you workout at a gym with different machines, free weights, etc., you're targeting different muscle groups and sometimes only 1 muscle at a time; push-ups, pull-ups and the like are COMPLETELY different from those isolated muscles groups because you're working several or full body muscles together which also takes good core, agility & balance. Again, this is something to build up to, slowly. Circuit training is great for getting that all-over body strength (I highly recommend Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones as she incorporates so many different circuits that hit EVERYTHING in your body in 40 minutes: I don't particularly like her, but I do like her workouts!)

Ugh. Push ups. I did ten last night after the treadmill and thought I was gonna die.

Weight machines would definitely help. You could also start out doing them against the wall (standing up with your feet back a bit). Then move to the modified (on your knees or against a table/desk/chair) and work up to regular hard core pushups.

My trainer and I have been doing a Push-Up Project. At first she had me do 3 sets of 12 push-ups on my knees. I sucked at this, she told me try going down a half an inch and doing the reps of that. I did then for 2 weeks and found I was going down almost 2 inches. Kept going 3 sets of 12, 5 days a week in a month I was going down around 6 inches (acceptable). Now she has me lean on a bar while standing and going as low as I can 3 sets of 12, 5 days a week. She says when I do better we will do what we did while on my knees in proper form. It felt like I was beating my head against the wall the first 3 weeks but I am doing much better.

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_DevelopingPushup.mov

Nice demo on improving your pushup form!

you get better at them by just doing them. :-) when i first started I had a hard time doing the girl ones on my knees. Now I can do about 20 REAL pushups....combination of classes and my trainer just making me do them and chest/back exercises :-)

It is something you have to build up to. Pushups is not just upper body strength but you also have to work on your core. The ones on your knees are easier than using your toes because using your toes mean you have to engage your core more. That means keeping your back straight and not putting your butt in the air or having a dip in your back.

There is an alternate way of doing them on your knees to help strengthen up your arms. Get on all fours and using just your arms, go down in a pushup. You will just be using your arms but in a sort of rocking motion. Try and go all the way down to the floor using only your arms to push your weight up. You will feel it in your shoulders and arms.

Once you feel stronger, move to the next type. Stay on your knees but straighten the body out. Tighten your stomach (but breath) this will engage your core. Make sure you don't have a dip in your back and your butt isn't in the air. Go down into the pushup where your chest is almost touching the floor and don't look at the ground, look in front of you. Breathing correctly helps you tremendously so don't hold your breath. I breath out on the way down and breath in on the way up. Control it. It's okay if you can't do more than a couple but when you feel you've did your last, push out one more. Start off with about 5 in the morning and before you go to bed. Before you know it you will be a pro at this style and ready to move onto the next, doing them on your toes.

Again, you need to engage (tighten your abs) your core. Get into a plank position (butt down, no dip in back) and go down into the pushup. If you feel pressure in your lower back, you have a dip, lift your butt a little more until the pressure goes away. If you don't feel some tightness in your abs a little then your butt is too high. Lower your butt until you can feel a little pressure in your abs.

All in all practice makes perfect. Work on your core (doing full body exercises such as planks, burpees, etc). A strong core makes pushups a bit easier.

Hope this helps.

Angela

Start off doing push-ups by pushing off against a wall, counter top,etc. three days a week. You should build up the strength to do the "knee" push-ups soon and regular push-ups after that.