RE: 30 Day Shred (push ups)

aliceg94
aliceg94 Posts: 61 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I've just completed day four of the 30 Day Shred. However I'm still only able to do three or our push ups throughout the whole thing. I don't have any problems with the other workouts within the DVD that target the arms. It's just these damned push ups. :grumble:
My question is - will they get easier as I continue with level 1? If not are there are any simple exercises I can do to improve, or should I be practising push ups more? :smile:
(Sorry about all these questions; I'm a complete novice.)

Replies

  • iSpuggz
    iSpuggz Posts: 39
    Which push ups are you doing? From the knees or toes?

    If you're doing them from the toes, I'd go down to the knees until you can build upper body strength. You can also try to add in some additional workouts for the shoulders, chest and triceps to improve your strength.

    You can also try the 100 push ups program.

    http://hundredpushups.com/

    They DO get easier.
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
    I literally cannot do push ups. I don't get the form and my arms are too weak to do them anyway. Sorry, not much help :/
  • lauralind5
    lauralind5 Posts: 133 Member
    Do the knee ones until you can do all of those, then start incorporating the toe ones (I lost a TON of inches doing the 30DS, and I cant do but about 3 "real" pushups yet) It will still work and you will still gain upper body strength, but you have to do them in order to get there, so do the knee ones.
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
    Ive been doing several JM workouts since february last year and I didnt start doing the pushups on my toes until january this year. So start at the knees and work yourself up from there. When you feel you can do all reps on the knees in the both sets and the strength for a couple of more reps, then move up to the toes. Or do the first set on the toes, and the second on the knees.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    Push ups probably one of the hardest exercises lol. don't feel bad for only doing 3 or 4. that's actually great for a novice! it took me forever to get off my knees and do a real push up.

    The more you do them, the better you'll get. there really is no replacement other than doing them on your knees. Plus they are an amazing core exercise so you don't want to skip them either!
  • mrstom09
    mrstom09 Posts: 5
    I'm so rubbish, I can't even do the knee push ups....lol

    Must try harder!!!
  • ShreddedTweet
    ShreddedTweet Posts: 1,326 Member
    Stick with it!!! I'm on Day 19, just try and do what you can and by the second week you'll find you can do more. You'll surprise yourself :)
  • je6305
    je6305 Posts: 29
    Hi Alice , I'm also just starting Jillian Michael's 30-day shred level 1 - today will be my fourth day on it too :-) ...I honestly cannot do the toes push-ups but then again I haven't worked out in several years so I have to rebuild my strength and endurance but I did notice that between day 1 and day 3- the knee pushups got a little bit easier for me (b/c even that was tough on me).

    But anyhow - congratulations on your success so far :-)
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    I just do the knee push-ups (girly push-ups) and I do those fine...I don't sweat the fact that I can't do real ones. Maybe someday...
  • Lyerin
    Lyerin Posts: 818 Member
    Today will be Day 4 of Level 1 for me too. The pushups are the hardest part for me (and I'm so glad they are at the beginning so I get them done right away!). I just try to keep the form that Jillian talks about (straight line from head to knees, butt down) and go down as low as I can and push up. I figure every little bit gains me some strength so that eventually, I will be able to do them properly.
  • hauer01
    hauer01 Posts: 516 Member
    OMG, I did the 30 DS back in February and I remember that when I started I couldn't even do 2 push ups. 3 or 4 is great!!!! I just kept working at it, I did (and still do) the ones from my knees, but now I can do about 20 and then I die! The biggest complements that I have gotten from people is how I have started to define my arms and uppper body. I have to thank those damn push ups for that.

    Keep at it, it IS hard, but well worth it. And BTW, good for you for taking on the 30DS. I know that it is not an easy workout!
  • karijoeide
    karijoeide Posts: 103
    Start/continue on your knees till you can do the entire set, then slowly incorporate toes into it. I added 5 real pushups and did the rest on my knees and slowly increased by one or two each time I did it. It does get easier. I also did more plank exercises and this seemed to help as well. Good luck & hang in there, it will get easier with time!
  • drmryder
    drmryder Posts: 181 Member
    You could try and do some weight lifting for your arms and shoulders. Bicep curls, tricep kick backs and lifts that target your shoulders. Your core and your chest get the brunt of push ups, but you are also using your arms and shoulders and added strength in those areas will help a ton. I've never done 30DS, but I have been doing P90X and there is massive amount of push ups in that workout. I started on my knees and graduated to my toes. Now I'm trying to get myself lower (closer to the floor). Weight lifting helped me alot.

    So keep going and do what you can. You will get to your toes eventually! Do some toes and when you can't do them, drop to your knees and keep going! It's what I did and I can now do one arm push ups, but they sure are not pretty!!
  • chayleah
    chayleah Posts: 51 Member
    Try doing them on an incline (table, stairs, etc) and then work your way to lower inclines as you get stronger. I did push-up on my knees for years and still couldn't do one on my toes. After doing incline pushups I can now do them on my toes.
  • jodiklem
    jodiklem Posts: 1
    I can't answer you question, but I'm hoping you can help me...
    I'm not very good with MFPal. I have stopped but am trying to start again.
    How do you log JM's The Shred into your exercise?! I can't figure it out!
  • ShreddedTweet
    ShreddedTweet Posts: 1,326 Member
    I can't answer you question, but I'm hoping you can help me...
    I'm not very good with MFPal. I have stopped but am trying to start again.
    How do you log JM's The Shred into your exercise?! I can't figure it out!

    Most people log it as 'Circuit training: General'
  • htmlgirl
    htmlgirl Posts: 314 Member
    I did wall pushups for these because I couldn't do them either. By the time I was done with 30DS I was able to do a couple real pushups (on my toes).

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