"Girl" Push-ups

MoreBean13
MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does the fact that modified pushups are commonly called "girl push-ups" tick anyone else off? It also bugs me that some fitness data is based on modified pushups for women. I get why people (both men and women) do modified pushups, but I just hate that I have to describe my exercise as a "standard" or "guy push up".

I guess it goes with barbie weight lifting.

Replies

  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Why not call it knee push-ups instead?
  • _Punjab
    _Punjab Posts: 67
    It doesn't bug me that they call them girl push ups. It does bug me that in women's fitness books, articles, online, etc. they only show you the modified version of certain exercises as if it's all that women can handle.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    It does bug me that in women's fitness books, articles, online, etc. they only show you the modified version of certain exercises as if it's all that women can handle.
    This I guess is at the heart of why it bugs me! And that if you look up fitness statistics, to see how you rank for your age etc, it doesn't always tell you whether the data is for standard or modified pushups.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    I just go ahead and think of them as modified pushups, nothing more and nothing less. Everyone has to start somewhere.
  • chuckyp
    chuckyp Posts: 693 Member
    I think it's because traditionally in fitness testing (schools, public safety, military, etc) females have been allowed to do knee pushups in lieu of full pushups, while their male counterparts were only allowed to do full pushups. So I guess it makes sense that the term "girl pushups" was coined because females were the only ones who would commonly do them that way.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I think it's because traditionally in fitness testing (schools, public safety, military, etc) females have been allowed to do knee pushups in lieu of full pushups, while their male counterparts were only allowed to do full pushups. So I guess it makes sense that the term "girl pushups" was coined because females were the only ones who would commonly do them that way.

    You're totally right. I wonder- can men do standard pushups even when they're not in shape? Many women I know cannot do a standard pushup unless they're training/fit. I guess that could be the dividing line. :frown:
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    I think it's because traditionally in fitness testing (schools, public safety, military, etc) females have been allowed to do knee pushups in lieu of full pushups, while their male counterparts were only allowed to do full pushups. So I guess it makes sense that the term "girl pushups" was coined because females were the only ones who would commonly do them that way.

    You're totally right. I wonder- can men do standard pushups even when they're not in shape? Many women I know cannot do a standard pushup unless they're training/fit. I guess that could be the dividing line. :frown:

    i dont think so. when i got my initial consultation/fit test at my gym, one of the exercises was doing 10 push ups. i did the full kind because that's what i've always done. after i did my 10 he was like "wow i men who cant complete all 10 when they first come in"
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    i dont think so. when i got my initial consultation/fit test at my gym, one of the exercises was doing 10 push ups. i did the full kind because that's what i've always done. after i did my 10 he was like "wow i men who cant complete all 10 when they first come in"

    You go girl!
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    I also think it should be called knee push ups, cuz honestly, I bet they're plenty of men out there who can't even do a knee push up, much less one on their toes. I, personally, can't go down all the way when I'm on my toes (I fall LOL) but I'm workin on it. I can do a perfect knee push up & I'm darn proud of myself! Those aren't easy either!
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    -whoops, I meant to edit instead of quote-
  • CindyAHewitt
    CindyAHewitt Posts: 17
    I'm a girl and I prefer standard pushups. Knee pushups have always felt very unnatural to me.

    Just sayin'.

    ~C
  • chuckyp
    chuckyp Posts: 693 Member
    i dont think so. when i got my initial consultation/fit test at my gym, one of the exercises was doing 10 push ups. i did the full kind because that's what i've always done. after i did my 10 he was like "wow i men who cant complete all 10 when they first come in"

    I don't mean a random test at a gym, I mean actual standardized fitness testing (e.g. Cooper Institute). In recent years they have moved to full body pushups for women in public safety, but in the past it's been knee pushups for women.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    i dont think so. when i got my initial consultation/fit test at my gym, one of the exercises was doing 10 push ups. i did the full kind because that's what i've always done. after i did my 10 he was like "wow i men who cant complete all 10 when they first come in"

    I don't mean a random test at a gym, I mean actual standardized fitness testing (e.g. Cooper Institute). In recent years they have moved to full body pushups for women in public safety, but in the past it's been knee pushups for women.

    But can out-of-shape men do a full/standard pushup?
  • PurpleAmharicCoffee
    PurpleAmharicCoffee Posts: 13
    Does anybody know of a good set of 'steps' one can take to achieve a push-up, for example, core body exercises, squats etc.?
  • Marks281172
    Marks281172 Posts: 127 Member
    I know plenty of 'men' that cant even do 1 standard push up and seen lots of gym rat boys doing the most ridiculous partial push ups youve even seen... and also seen ladies banging out good reps of full push ups so yeah it could do with renaming.. knee push ups is more descriptive either way.
  • ElementalEscapee
    ElementalEscapee Posts: 552 Member
    Lol I get what you mean, however doing one regular push up is better than doing a 'girl pushup' in my opinion..more motivation not to do a wimpy 'girl' exercise ha. You can do wall pushups if you can't do regular pushups yet, except you'd just skip the modified pushup...but hey whatever floats your boat. Pushups aren't that hard to build up to, really.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Does anybody know of a good set of 'steps' one can take to achieve a push-up, for example, core body exercises, squats etc.?

    I actually just read an article on this- their answer was to start with pushups on a set of stairs, with your feet at the bottom and choose a step high enough that you can support doing a set of 8-12 reps, or however many you can start with, and over time as you get stronger you lower the steps down until eventually you're doing them on the ground. I've seen trainers start people pushing off of counter tops, too, that need extra support. Another thing I've seen trainers do is use the smith machine to basically do the same thing as the staircase- to gradually lower the bar as you get stronger.

    Any upper body strength work will help you be able to do pushups- chest presses with weights seem like the best specific exercise, but chest and triceps are the major muscle groups used so any chest and tricep work will help, and then if you train your chest and triceps you should do an equal amount of work on your biceps and back so as to have a balanced training program and avoid injury.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    It doesn't bug me that they call them girl push ups. It does bug me that in women's fitness books, articles, online, etc. they only show you the modified version of certain exercises as if it's all that women can handle.

    Me too. The same also goes with those "toning" exercises using the tiny 2-3 lb. barbie weights. Honestly I find that quite insulting for a woman, do they really thought that a 3lb weight or a modified knee push-ups is all that a woman can handle?
  • chellebubblz
    chellebubblz Posts: 84 Member
    I can't do pushups of either kind. I'm not strong enough to do a standard pushup, and I have a knee condition since junior high (Osgood-Schlatter for anyone who is familiar) so I can't do the knee pushups for that reason. Pressure on knees is a no go for me. Even squats are hard, and they don't hurt my knees, they hurt the area under my kneecaps. It's really hard to explain to anyone who is unfamiliar with the condition. My ex use to always tease me that I had 4 knees, and I am still very sensitive about it LOL
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    I can't do pushups of either kind. I'm not strong enough to do a standard pushup, and I have a knee condition since junior high (Osgood-Schlatter for anyone who is familiar) so I can't do the knee pushups for that reason. Pressure on knees is a no go for me. Even squats are hard, and they don't hurt my knees, they hurt the area under my kneecaps. It's really hard to explain to anyone who is unfamiliar with the condition. My ex use to always tease me that I had 4 knees, and I am still very sensitive about it LOL

    You can start off with table push-ups or incline push-ups. Just put your palms on a table or stairs (2-3 steps from the floor) & position your body like you would in a regular push-up & do it slowly. Then as you get stronger, you slowly lower your surface let's say from 2 ft. to 1 ft. from the floor until you'll finally be able to do it on the floor.
  • thisisjl
    thisisjl Posts: 1,074 Member
    I can almost do my first "real" push up can only get about 3/4 of the way down and back up with out falling. But I started out by doing them on the counter, a lower window sill etc. I don't do them on my knee's
  • Anomalia
    Anomalia Posts: 506 Member
    Eh, doesn't bother me. I usually refer to modified pushups as girl push ups and refer to full pushups as man pushups. I'll try to be more careful saying it though, I don't want to offend anyone.
  • PurpleAmharicCoffee
    PurpleAmharicCoffee Posts: 13
    I actually just read an article on this- their answer was to start with pushups on a set of stairs, with your feet at the bottom and choose a step high enough that you can support doing a set of 8-12 reps, or however many you can start with, and over time as you get stronger you lower the steps down until eventually you're doing them on the ground. I've seen trainers start people pushing off of counter tops, too, that need extra support. Another thing I've seen trainers do is use the smith machine to basically do the same thing as the staircase- to gradually lower the bar as you get stronger.

    Any upper body strength work will help you be able to do pushups- chest presses with weights seem like the best specific exercise, but chest and triceps are the major muscle groups used so any chest and tricep work will help, and then if you train your chest and triceps you should do an equal amount of work on your biceps and back so as to have a balanced training program and avoid injury.

    Thank you, I should try that.
  • Toomestwin
    Toomestwin Posts: 40
    I first heard the term when I went to Airborne School (paratrooper training) a very long time ago. I was still in college and one of my close friends was a girl who was a year ahead of me. She was very pretty, in great shape and mostly dressed in jeans but certainly turned a lot of heads whenever she wore a skirt.

    She could knock out more "guy" push ups than most men. She could do more pull ups than most men. She could outrun most men.

    By the time she was commissioned into the US Army as a lieutenant, she was already qualified in Airborne and Air Assault, more than most male officers entering the US Army. She couldn't get the RANGER tab because women (to this day) are prohibited from attending Ranger School. Otherwise, I think she could have earned the Tab.

    So I never used the term "girl" push-ups.
  • girlonfire15
    girlonfire15 Posts: 77 Member
    Not really, but that's probably because I hardly ever hear them called that. The military strictly refers to them as 'knee push ups', and guys end up doing them just as much as girls do when we're having a push up exhaustion session during PT.

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