Strength training but unable to do standard push up?

rooksfitness
rooksfitness Posts: 1
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
For the past two months or so I've been starting to tone up at home. A lot of my upper-body strength training regimen has been doing modified push-ups (or girl push-ups for the chauvinistically inclined ;)). I also do a lot of dumb bell exercises for other muscle groups. Anyway, long and the short of it is I can do a lot of modified push-ups now (about 35 without taking a break, 50 or 60 before I'm worn out) , and get pretty low down while doing them. I see and feel real muscle in my arms. The weird thing is I tried to do a standard push up today (with proper form) and I could barely lower myself an inch! I literally got just as low as I did when I started strength training (I know because I remember trying to do standard push ups before I just decided to build up to it with modified ones).

What's going on? Why does doing the standard push up feel so unnatural and difficult for me? I didn't really expect to get as low as I do when I do the modified ones (which I have meticulously checked to make sure I've maintained proper form in), but I didn't expect such over-strain. Would flexibility have something to do with it? I'm 18 but I'm incredibly inflexible, especially in my lower back. Thanks so much for the help!
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Replies

  • suzikay12
    suzikay12 Posts: 150 Member
    In my experience, you just have to suck it up and start doing them military style. I could do girl push ups until the end of time but it didn't help me any with regular push ups. I finally got fed up. I am up to being able to do 10 in a row now, it took me 2 months. Even now, the first one is still harder than the last one. Weird but true. For me anyway.
  • KelliW_runner
    KelliW_runner Posts: 150 Member
    I've been working on this too. Start every set with as many standard pushups as you can (or even trying to get 1 with the best form you can) and then switch to knees for the rest of set. Another alternative is to do standard but angle your body (i.e. hands on the counter, then hands on a bench/chair, then hands on a step) to practice the "plank" form but gradually increasing the body weight your arms support.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,474 Member
    I have NEVER been able to do a proper push up with proper form, even when I was slim and very fit! It's one of my ambitions to manage it one day!

    I don't like the girl pushups which involve pushing from your knees. I'm finding it's better to do something like a proper pushup (with your body like a "plank") but with your hands higher. I do them against a wall, or the back of park bench. The idea is that I'll eventually move down until my hands are level with my feet. I've also tried them with my hands on the steps of the staircase (so that I can move down step by step) but it feels awkward.

    Good luck!
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    Try just those negative push ups....just lower yourself. Get to the ground and then climb back up and continue. Try to lower yourself as slow as possible.
  • Dtregle
    Dtregle Posts: 12
    STRENGTHEN YOUR TRICEPTS. THIS WILL HELP WITH PUSH UPS.
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
    Start every set with as many standard pushups as you can (or even trying to get 1 with the best form you can) and then switch to knees for the rest of set.

    This is what I am doing too. It gets a bit better each time. I cannot get down very low but I am trying! I can do 6 half press ups so far and I'm trying to work on both depth and number - but once I get to 10 I will only work on depth until I get the form perfect.

    I used to do girl push ups but it seems to work a different part of the arm, and the advice - what you train for is what you get - made me try something new!
  • kitkat4141
    kitkat4141 Posts: 379 Member
    The strength will come from your core. If you've neglected your core muscles then military push-ups will be very difficult.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    I did push-ups for about six months against a wall because I was so weak in my upper body. Eventually though, you get strong enough to do a standard push-up. And boy, is it empowering when you do! Now I can crank out 15-20 of them, lol.
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
    The strength will come from your core. If you've neglected your core muscles then military push-ups will be very difficult.

    Thats really interesting - I automatically thought it was my arms that needed most work. What exercises do you recommend to strengthen the core and therefore help with pushups?
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    The strength will come from your core. If you've neglected your core muscles then military push-ups will be very difficult.

    Thats really interesting - I automatically thought it was my arms that needed most work. What exercises do you recommend to strengthen the core and therefore help with pushups?

    You may try doing pushups with a very close hand position, basically a connected triangle. Touch your thumbs together tip-to-tip and touch your index fingers tip-to-tip (side of the tip) and do modified push-ups. Vary the reps by going to failure, pausing at the bottom about 3 second in-between reps, on the last rep hold it at the bottom for as long as you can.
  • Charlottejogs
    Charlottejogs Posts: 351 Member
    Sorry but I am glad to hear others have this problem to! Man I get frustrated that I can't do push ups!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i second the thing about needing a strong core.. to strengthen core, do planks.

    in the meantime, you can start off with angled pushups against something like a wall, chair, low table etc and gradually decrease the distance.

    when i started, i used those aerobic step risers and would just take off a riser. eventually i was jut on the step and then on the floor.
  • MMarvelous
    MMarvelous Posts: 1,067 Member
    Checkout this link on a program to get you to do 100 push-ups http://hundredpushups.com/ There are similar links for other exercises too! Good luck!
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,474 Member
    I've read about the core being the thing, but back when I had a VERY strong core, I still could not do a single pushup. So I don't think it's the same for everybody. Perhaps back then it was my lack of upper body strength that held me back (no matter how strong your core, you're still going to have to be able to raise and lower your body with your arms/shoulders). I'm told that pushups are naturally harder for women.
  • Jordant107
    Jordant107 Posts: 218 Member
    It's all practise.............!!
    I used to struggle to do 5 regular push-ups, but I stuck at it!! I can now do 80 regular push-ups and barely break a sweat, and I can do 50 with elevated feet without too much effort.
    Just keep at it, and you'll make progress- good luck!!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    The girly ones don't engage your core in the same way - that's why it's not transferring over.

    If your goal is doing 'proper' pushups, you're better off doing 1 'proper' one with good form, maybe repeating that a few times each day till you can do 2 in a row, etc etc till you build up.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Here's how I built up to full push-ups, hope it helps :flowerforyou:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396
  • Pinky67
    Pinky67 Posts: 108 Member
    I've been working on this too. Start every set with as many standard pushups as you can (or even trying to get 1 with the best form you can) and then switch to knees for the rest of set. Another alternative is to do standard but angle your body (i.e. hands on the counter, then hands on a bench/chair, then hands on a step) to practice the "plank" form but gradually increasing the body weight your arms support.
    [/quote

    ^^^This
  • Jo2926
    Jo2926 Posts: 489 Member
    Here's how I built up to full push-ups, hope it helps :flowerforyou:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396

    I just tried to knee push ups - never done them before and you can feel a real different between that and normal girly push ups. I'm impressed and going to use these for a while to build up....
  • SueSlick
    SueSlick Posts: 268 Member
    Here's how I built up to full push-ups, hope it helps :flowerforyou:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396

    nice one Berry! your blogs are always super helpful. I struggle with the standard push-up as well and find the ones with my legs farther apart much easier.
  • SueSlick
    SueSlick Posts: 268 Member
    Checkout this link on a program to get you to do 100 push-ups http://hundredpushups.com/ There are similar links for other exercises too! Good luck!

    Thanks for this link!
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    Big thing we do when training new recruits who aren't too good with pushups, is to have them start in a standard push up position but instead of hands on the floor they put their hands on something a little below chest level. Still keep the back straight and core braced work up to around 25 like this while doing the movements slow and with proper form. Every time you hit 25 move the thing your hands are on down by a foot. You are increasing the amount of body weight involved by about 5% at a time.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    Why is it that decline pushups are easier than the standard ones? I can perform like 15-20 standard ones per set but the decline ones I could go on for a lot longer for some reason. Maybe the positioning of the feet??
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    Decline can be easier for some people because it shifts the work more towards your shoulders and triceps instead of chest.
  • gxm17
    gxm17 Posts: 374
    I hate push-ups and usually just hold plank if they're in the workout I'm doing. The odd thing is that I love doing push-ups on a stability ball and that's supposed to be harder. For exercising the chest I much prefer chest presses and flies.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    i second the thing about needing a strong core.. to strengthen core, do planks.

    in the meantime, you can start off with angled pushups against something like a wall, chair, low table etc and gradually decrease the distance.

    when i started, i used those aerobic step risers and would just take off a riser. eventually i was jut on the step and then on the floor.
    Definitely this. Girl pushups don't prepare you for regular pushups, because it's a totally different exercise. You're not engaging the same muscles and your arms are at a different angle relative to your torso. Doing pushups against the wall/couch/bench/step etc maintains the exercise but just takes some of the load off while you build strength.
  • nuttyduffy
    nuttyduffy Posts: 255 Member
    Here's how I built up to full push-ups, hope it helps :flowerforyou:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/how-to-do-10-full-push-ups-what-worked-for-me-126396

    Ooooh thanks for this - I'm doing Insanity and have moved up from girly pushups to knees & can do a couple of wide leg ones so nice to know I'm not too far off ;0)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Knee pushups won't get you there unfortunately. It's just a different exercise. Like people have mentioned, a pushup combines the strength you need from your chest, shoulders and triceps with the core exertion demand of doing planks. Pushups are actually harder than bench presses in that regard.

    That said, you'll be able to do them. But you'll have to keep trying to do the real ones. My wife couldn't do one and she kept at it, trying and failing, till now she can bang out full sets T pushups (she's a showoff!).

    One thing that will help get you there quickly that I haven't seen mentioned here is negatives. Get yourself in the top position using your knees, elbows, forklift, whatever and lower yourself down slowly. Aim for a 4 or 5 count. Get yourself back to the top, then lower again. Do a set of negatives 3x a week and you will find yourself knocking out pushups like it's nothing. FAST
  • kitkat4141
    kitkat4141 Posts: 379 Member
    The strength will come from your core. If you've neglected your core muscles then military push-ups will be very difficult.

    Thats really interesting - I automatically thought it was my arms that needed most work. What exercises do you recommend to strengthen the core and therefore help with pushups?

    A great way to strengthen the core is to do planks and try to increase the time you can hold it. Also do "elbow" planks where your forearms are resting on the floor just under your shoulders. I agree with Vailara that you also need to have some strength in your arms, back, and your shoulders. It's all about starting with what you can do and working your way up to one push-up, then two, etc.

    Two years ago I could only do one push-up and it was really "saggy". I started strength training working all the muscle groups, and did abs exercises several times a week. This enabled me to finally do military push-ups.

    My trainer incorporates push-ups into her training routines and when I start to "wane" she tells me to pull up with my stomach and use my toes. I don't know why, but that helps me immensely and I am able to finish just as strong on the last as I did on the first.
  • kensky
    kensky Posts: 472 Member
    Doing wall pushups and working my way down was the only way I finally became pushup proficient. The knee pushups weren't helping.
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