Help - I can't do pushups!

[suebella]

Originally Posted by Kyra

Just do what you can do, and keep at it. You will get better over time, NO question. Demand good form of yourself, quit when you're done, accept that, trust yourself, and move on. And enjoy the ride.

This is excellent advice for almost anything.

[Vintage VFer]

Like learning choreography and doing pull-ups, push ups have eluded me.

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by Mary K.

Malia, here is a good article about improving at pushups, hope it helps:
http://www.stumptuous.com/mistressing-the-pushup

An excellent article (since she does agree with me that starting with straight legs is better than on knees . But neither of us explained why: it's because you are strengthening the muscles in the way that they will be used for an on-the-floor straight-leg push-up. You can do on-the-knee push-ups 'til the cows come home, but the transition to on-the-toes push-ups is still going to be hard, because the lower back, glutes and legs have not been involved in the knee version, whereas they are in the on-the-toes progressing downward version).

Another thing she mentioned : using a staircase to do your progressions. I hadn't thought about that (mainly because I don't have one in my house!).

Also, some instructors (I think Lauren Brooks is one?) give a cue for on-the-toes (at whatever level) push-ups that I've found helps: push the heels back--this engages the legs. Keep the glutes firm and the abs pulled in.

[dixiechickntx]

Don't feel bad. I suck at pushups and I am strong as an ox. I also have naturally large boobs so I wonder if the weight of those hinders my progress.

[Gardengirl]

I think it might depend on where your weakness is, because knee push ups definitely helped me to progress. But then I'm odd! My upper body is small and was pretty weak, even knee push ups were hard. Until I could build enough strength to help hold my body up, toe push ups were out of the question. I built my strength and stamina with knee push ups and then did as many as I could on my toes and then would go back to knees. I've gradually progressed and it's made a HUGH different in my upper body. I think Chalene even has the beginner in CLX doing knee pushups and saying to progress to toes when you can.

[lfcjasp]

Kathryn, thanks for the advice on how to progress with push-ups and why to start with on-the-toe right off. I can do the knees version okay, but can't seem to ever manage the toe ones. I can if I don't go all the way to the floor...never thought it was okay to just go half way!!!

Love this thread...I detest push-ups and my lovely Margaret R. loves the darn things!!! Maybe trying Kathryn's method will help...

Kyra, love your words of wisdom...so true in anything. I'll need to remember this while trying to learn to sing for our church choir

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by dixiechickntx

Don't feel bad. I suck at pushups and I am strong as an ox. I also have naturally large boobs so I wonder if the weight of those hinders my progress.

I have no boobage, so I don't know what my problem is!

[LynnO]

Originally Posted by Malia

Today was my first workout on it. I didn't even break a sweat (my "trainer" put me on the beginner level) and I used weights for the biceps & triceps work even though she didn't.

You can increase the intensity during the workout. I think you press the middle button and a screen pops up. One of the choices is to increase or decrease intensity. It didn't take long to get the cardio to the correct intensity, but the strength, never even got close. The strength part is pretty uneven too. Straight leg pushups, then bicep curls without weights.

[LynnO]

As for pushups, what would be more equivalent for chest work- straight bench press or incline or decline? I'm guessing incline.

Cathe usually has such a tendency for overkill, but has hit a nice level of work for most of STS. The exception to this is pushups- unless you can bench press your weight, pushups are not even close to 60-65% of your 1 Rep Max. And she isn't just doing sets of 15, noooo, the minimum I think is 16, but it's mainly 20 and up. For the love of Pete, not everyone weighs 100 lbs and can lift 200 - grrrrr.

Other than screaming W T F at my computer screen, I'm trying to do the different variations, but towards the end, I'm giving up and switching to bench press. I'm not sure it really matters what is more like a pushup- incline or decline, I should probably just keep doing something.

It was mentioned that her first CatheTV spot has alternatives, but it doesn't really. Pushups on the knees or tabletop are variations, not alternatives.

[Kyra]

Alta, your avatar is distracting me.

My point is working chest and back is cheap and easy.

Crud, that didn't come out right.