Exercises you just can't do!

Everyone has things they can't do yet. I teach fitness classes and there are times when even in front of the class I'll have to say "I'm going to demonstrate the modification for this one, if you want to take it to the next level, then you do it by..."(and give a verbal explanation). Everyone starts somewhere and the ones you listed are really common for people to struggle with at first. Niner buffs tips were really good. Also on the plank if you set is to hold it for 30 seconds (for example) and y9ou can only hold for 3, then hold for three, drop down to your knees for 5, back up for 3 and alternate like that for the 30. Or just work on moving your knees back a little each workout.

I'm pretty heavy, so I find anything that demands I bear all my weight with my arms very difficult (I do box press ups instead of proper ones). But there are some exercises I just can't do:

-Tricep dips (using a chair)
- The Plank. I manage about 2 seconds then fall down.

I know it'll get better, but I just need to know there are other people who just skip some exercises. I always do replacement ones though! Promise!

YEAH!Anything involving strength. I can do cardio all day long. When it comes to push-ups....Forget it.

I can't do press ups. I seem to have absolutely no strength there, tried many times and failed! Same with the plank.

Assuming "press ups" are what I would call "push ups", I had trouble with these at first too. A trainer at my gym suggested I start with "negative" push ups, which is essentially starting in the "Up" part of the push up and very very slowly, lowering yourself down to the floor. It helps to build the muscles. It helped for me, so I thought I would share The same can be done for pull ups. Start by jumping up to the bar and then while hanging, slowly lower yourself all the way down.

V-sits... those are crazy hard for me. I use to be able to do them once upon a dream!! haha! A lot of ab stuff and pull ups. I miss pull ups!!

turkish getups, I'll conquer them one day

Same here.

Ditto

Most things that involve stretching, particularly hip openers. My hip joints are build funny and it as impossible for me to really open them the way other people do.

I've only worked out for a month, and every time I try to use the elliptical, it immediately makes my legs hurts. I'll conquer that elliptical one day!

I remember my first elliptical workout, I lasted exactly 8 minutes! now I do 45 and could go on, but I gotta get home for dinner! I'm doing cardio right now, being at my heaviest, I felt my heart needed some attention before I start doing weights. once I hit 289 tho, I'm all about it! (and C25K!)

One thing that really helped me build up my arm strength was lowering from plank to the floor. Kind of like a reverse pushup? But with the elbows bent...into the crocodile position. Lower as slowly as you can, many many vinyasas! LOL It really makes a difference in your upper arm and shoulder strength. And eventually those planks will be a breeze ~ ~

YEEEESS! This is a negative push up and is very effective at strengthening the arms ... doing "negative" pull ups does this too

I've only worked out for a month, and every time I try to use the elliptical, it immediately makes my legs hurts. I'll conquer that elliptical one day!

Have you tried doing the elliptical forward for say 2-3 minutes and then doing it reverse for 2-3 minutes. Going back and forth? It uses different muscles and might help keep any one set of muscles from becoming overly sore?? Just an idea I did this when I had to stop running for a while due to piriformis syndrome (had to keep from aggrivating a particular muscle in my thigh) and it seemed to help.

I can't do push ups! I can't even manage one! I get half way down and collapse. I have to do the easier option (I resent calling it the girly option >.> ) with your knees down and even then I struggle with more than ten.

Anything that hurts my knee-- running, squats, yoga child's pose (yep!).

But a cool plank story: A year ago, I could only hold one for about 2 seconds; now I can hold one for 90 seconds!

I'm pretty good on the strength stuff, but it's all kind of embarrassing because I have essential tremors so whenever I bear weight with them, my hands and arms shake. So I might be doing something and not finding it difficult at all but it looks like I"m going to drop over dead! lol.

Can't swim to save my life either. I know all the strokes and all, I just poop out so fast.

Once you lose some of the weight, many exercises become much easier - especially the body weight related ones (duh).

I couldn't do planks for long, nor pull-ups before getting my BMI under 30. I'm still rough on the pull ups (4 max, on a good day) but I can do 120 sec planks, and side planks too... though it hurts my back doing them that long.

So, keep on doing lots of cardio and watch your cals until you lose enough weight, and then you'll see more results in the body-weight exercises.