"Bra dough" and push-ups....another question

[Renee McFar]

Runningal, I stole your phrase, bra dough, that is too funy!

Thanks to all who helped me figure out how to slim down this nasty little area.

Now a question on the push-ups, straight leg or on bent knees? Does it really matter? I can do about 8-10 straight leg push-ups, then I get shakey and go to my knees. Should I work on increasing the number of straight leg push-ups. Maybe do one or two more every day, then finish on my knees?

I also plan on increasing my poundage on dumbell flys. I hope Gym Style Chest and Triceps will help too.

Thanks again for your help!!

 

[Aquajock]

RE:

Straight leg, straight leg, and more straight leg. It matters a ton. I read someplace that 10 knee push-ups are worth maybe one straight-leg push-up. Try doing those 8-10, giving yourself a breather, and then try to do 2-3 more, or 4-5 more, or 1-2 more. The cumulative benefits will astound you. Then each week, try to do 1-2 more on your first extended set, and then add on those others at the tail end.

Also consider trying sets with your feet on the floor, and with your feet on graduated-height platform surfaces (your adjustable step bench works well for these). The higher the elevation of the feet, the greater the effort for the anterior delts.

Also consider trying sets with your hands at varying widths of placement. The wider your hands are placed, the greater the recruitment of the pecs relative to the triceps; conversely, the closer the hand placement,the more the triceps are recruited.

A-Jock

 

[musclemaiden]

RE:

I agree with A-Jock. They are so much more effective if you do them on your toes.

Good Luck! Now get busy.

Tracy

 

[taprice]

RE:

I have a question about the pushups in the GS workout. What do you all think would be more beneficial. AT Cathe's tempo, I can only do the 1st two sets straigth legged. So, then should I take longer rests and do them all with straight legs, which I could do or continue at Cathe's pace?

Thanks,

Tracy

 

[musclemaiden]

RE:

Hi Tracy--Not sure if there is a right or wrong answer for this but if it were me I would take longer rests and continue on my toes. (By the way, I haven't tried this workout yet so it may be easier said than done;-)
.
Tracy

 

[runninggal]

RE:

Renee, my sister in "Bra Dough," feel free to use the term. I'm glad you asked the question about straight-leg, or bent-knee pushups. Of course, I am a bent-knee whimpstress. I knew A-Jock was going to say straight-leg. Drat! I guess I'm going to have to take the straight-leg challenge. I think I can do about 5! They torture me. Hopefully, these pushups will melt our dough;-)

 

[kathryn]

RE:

Try to do as many as you can on your toes. Instead of going to both knees for the rest (which, to me, seems a lot much easier than toes), try going to one knee, with the other leg held up off the floor. (For an added challenge to this version, put the one knee on a balance cushion.)

 

[kathryn]

RE:

>I also plan on increasing my poundage on dumbell flys.

Flyes are an isolation move, so don't try to go too heavy on them. Instead, work on increasing the poundage on presses, which are compound moves.

 

[Renee McFar]

RE:

Thanks everyone. On the toes I go....whew....I did the new High Step Challange today and did all the push-ups on my toes. Felt that!

Ajock, Cathe has push-up in this workout where you ar doing them with your toes on a section of the high step.

Kathryn, thanks for the suggestion for the chest presses.

Okay runninggal....off we go to banish the dough!



Ps...don't know how my post ended up here. I ment for it to be at the end....?

 

[Aquajock]

RE:

To RunningGal -

Go ahead and start with those 5. You will be amazed at how quickly you can increase your reps IF YOU STAY CONSISTENT WITH THEM.

Just for a little perspective:

When I graduated (i.e. forced) myself from knee push-ups to straight leg push-ups (at that time feet on the floor) I had been able to do 110 knee push-ups straight through, then bail through my chest work and do another set of 70 knee push-ups. The first time I went to straight leg push-ups I was able to do 12. Quite a reality check.

Now I'm able to do about 48 straight with my toes on varying elevations, bang my chest work, and do another 20-24 push-ups. It takes work, it takes persistence and consistency, but you can do it.

My suggestion is to do at least one set of push-ups to muscle fatigue / near-failure at least 5 times per week, regardless of what your workout schedule has on the agenda for that day.

A-Jock