Full-body Pushups....

A

AngelaP

Cathlete
OK, for the educated crowd, how long should it take to be able to do full-body pushups? I know there are lots of variables, but generally, with practice, how long should it take to be able to do them? I am an advanced exerciser and can match Cathe or at least lift within 5-10 pounds of her weights on her workouts and I can do pushups on my knees until the cows come home. But for some reason, I CANNOT do full-body pushups. Going from the knees to the toes is a completely different exercise for me. I have read on this forum that the only way to do full-body pushups is to DO THEM and to stop doing them on the knees. I swear, I have tried, but I can only get one or two out at the MOST and those feel like I'm not really doing them correctly. So, what do y'all suggest? Is there a "push-up" rotation out there?

Thanks!!
 
Though I avoid push-ups myself because of problems with carpal tunnel syndrome in the past (which became symptomatic after I did a routine with push-ups and tricep dips in), if I were to try to do them, I'd work up to more reps by doing negative reps. Do as many regular reps as you can (if that's only two or three, fine), then do the following reps as negative reps. Start in the raised position, then lower yourself to the ground. Lower your knees to get back up, and repeat.
 
Hello,

It took me a while because when I was doing the easier tapes I would only do them on my knees, but they did build my strength up a little and when I started with Cathe I could do them (not all of them mind) straight away. I have been using her tapes for 6+ months now and I can do all of the first set on all the workouts, but the second I can do half: working up to the rest of it. On a stronger day, I can do more.

I find the best way is not to go from knees straight into full length, but to practice with on the step. You place your hands on the step bench, this will give you an incline so it is easier (or that's how I built mine up). Even now I still prefer to do them on an incline with my step.

When I am not doing a workout, but just straight push ups then I can do up 40 in a minute (hope I am not exagerating here). With a workout then it is much harder because you also do barbell chest exercises.

It does take time though, some will take longer than others.

Hope this helps.

Yen
 
I know what you mean.When I can do full push ups with no modifications, is when I feel like I have really good chest muscles.And when I don't work my chest muscles very much, boy can I see a big difference.It takes me a while to get back into them.
I am no Cathe, mind you.When I did Power Hour the other day, I did the first 16 push ups and then that was it.I didn't do anymore.But I did them all with straight legs and I was pressed for time.Powerstrike also helps me with push ups to because you got 8 on each side of strecthing.
The only bit of advice I have for you,(and I don't even know if it is correct) but a guy told me one time to do push ups with wide legs because it helps keep your back straighter.So, that was what I started doing.And that was about 2 years ago when I was doing Circuit Max.It was just the other day that I started doing them with my feet together.
I love doing push up when I can do them full body.It makes me feel very strong...
Hope this helped,
Lori
 
AngelaP

Can I just add it has taken me just over a year to be able to do full body pushups I still don't attempt very often to do the slow ones full bodied as I am still working up to that.

I didn't just do them, but I found one day doing Power Hour I found myself doing full bodied pushups. I think its good to remember that there are always somethings you will find harder to do than others, say for instance I can't do high jumps in Imax I just can't left myself that high I now in time this too is something I will conquer.

Babs
 
Hi Angela,

I don't know about a "push-up rotation" but what I've been doing is trying to add one more big girl push-up a week. I mean if I do S&H Chest/Back today & do 3 big girl push ups with Cathe, next week when I do S&H Chest/Back again, I'll attempt 4. Now S&H push-ups are REALLY hard to do, so if I'm doing Pure Strength, I might be able to do 7 or 8 big girl push-ups today, so next week I would try 8 or 9. Get the idea?

You may also want to consider doing a set of push-ups as an "added bonus" to a non-strength training day. For example, if you are doing pure cardio today, drop & give me whatever you've got in you but make it a big girl push-up.

Hope this helps you.

I'm ready to take the next step! http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/Smilies_klein_1/a_smil09.gif
 
Hi Angela!

They are a challenge but just work at it. Start on your toes & do as many as you can (no matter how few), & finish with the modified version.

I'm in the camp that thinks modified push-ups don't train you for toe pushups.

Using the aerobic bench (as someone else suggested) helped me progress w/ full pushups. Don't worry about the tempo or count on the workout, just execute yours w/ good form.

The toe push-ups require a lot more core strength. Planks are your friend or at least your training buddy.

Debra
 
I've read lots about people working up to many pushups. I'm still stuck at 7 straight leggers. Last night I only got out 2 in S&H. I usually just go into bent leg pushups when I can't do anymore straight leg.

I don't know what the magic is apparently! I also try adding one each week, but haven never gotten past 8! It is sometimes frustrating, because I think I should be much stronger. I am diligent in my workouts and push myself. I usually think "if .... can do it, so can I" (with work). I'm wondering if that's true. I doubt I'll ever do IMax without mods, all the reps of Power Hour lower body, or lots of pushups. I would love to do a pullup, but am wondering about that too :-rollen

Andrea
 
I think the chest exercises with barbells in all Cathe strength work outs are really effective in helping you with push ups. Try doing that with heavier weights as in MIS and PS and see if it makes a difference. And also try it on an incline first using your step bench.

Yen
 
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I'm going to try working on them before or after cardio - when I'm fresh and my upper body isn't fatiqued from other strength training. I'm also going to concentrate on doing a lot of plank work. Those have never gotten easier for me either. I guess I have a head-start on my New Year's resolutions!
 
Hi,

It took me about a year and a half of doing lots of knee pushups before I could do full body ones, this was before I started weight training and I couldn't even do one pushup on my knees. I had/have to do them in my tae kwon do classes and they warned us that once we got our red belts (about 2 years into the program) you couldn't use your knees anymore, at that point I had a year to go before I reached that belt and figured it would take that long for me to do it so I started adding full body ones at the beginning and dropping to my knees when I couldn't stand it anymore (usually after about 5) and slowly but surely I could do them all on my toes. You're right it is a totally different exercise, you feel it in your torso. The hardest thing for me was remembering to breathe! I've been lifting for almost a year now and still the only thing that helps you do pushups, is just doing pushups. Well planks help too because you need a strong core and strong legs.

I firmly believe that if I can do them, anyone can do them. I have a weak upper body and tendonitis in my wrists - actually the pushups helped to strengthen my wrists too! It just takes A LOT of persistence and you have to want it (or need it, in my case, I don't WANT to do pushups but my tae kwon do instructors require it).

Good luck!
Jill
 
Angela..

I did a search for this topic because I am frustrated over this very same thing now.

Awhile ago, Annette posted something about how to work up to pushups. I will have to search for that too.

Your post could have been mine. My husband recently went into the Police Academy and was boasting that the women in there could do forty full body pushups!! I remarked on how on earth they could do that and he said, "They train!!!" UGGGGHHHH!! I barked back, "Well, I train!!!!".

It really is disgusting. For the life of me I DO NOT understand how I can bench my bodyweight (135 pounds) yet am still not able to do more than 2 full body pushups. It is so different when I go from my knees to my toes. It seriously feels like you just plunked 50 more pounds on my back. It is horrible, and when I am trying to push them out (which is usually after many on my knees) it is hard to EVER imagine being able to do even 10!!!

I want to believe Annette and everyone else here that they will improve if you keep working on it, but this sucks!! I wonder, how much do you weigh??? I though maybe the fact that I am short with short arms but a high body weight might be making it tough. I mean, something must make it tougher for some of us. If I can bench my bodyweight, I should not assume that I have weak pecs, should I??? Or is it all in my core?? However, I can go down but as soon as I go to push back up, it is like "No way are you getting back up sister!!" LOL. It feels almost like there is WAY to much pressure on my shoulders. Maybe that is the weak link??


For some reason, this is very important to me. I WANT, NEED to be able to do these!!!!

I am seriously starting to believe that on your knees pushups are not doing anything for me anymore. I can also do them till the cows come home. I have tried to do full body ones on a 8" step, but that is even too hard to eek out 6 or so, fully rested!! Do you think I should raise my step to 10" or something.

I want to progress as the others say here, but the problem is, if you can't even do 3 full body, do you do 3 full body and THEN drop to your knees or do you do them from your knees and then try full body. I still want to do 30+ reps.

And I think what Yen said about Cathe bench press exercises is a crock of !%#@!!!! Cathe bench presses have helped me very little. I think going to the gym or loading your barbell with atleast 65-70 lbs, 3 sets of 10, is much more helpful in training to do pushups. At this point, I think it is endurance type workouts that are causing my demise. In MIS, I think I load my barbell at 35-40 lbs for bench. I could do a higher weight if I slowed down the reps. Pushups are after all more strength than endurance (when you can only do 5:):)


If anyone has a program to train with pushups I would be most appreciative!!!!

Thanks guys...

Janice
 
This is all I could find....

If you make push-ups a part of each and every workout, and pay attention to trying to increase your reps just by one each week or two, you can build up. When I first started doing push-ups back in the mid-'90's, I was lucky if I could do 12 push-ups off the knees without dying. Now, I'm able to do drop sets of straight leg push-ups with my legs on platforms of varying heights, starting with my first set of 40-45 and going down to 20, 15, 12, and 12 per workout bout, with another 20 thrown in after my pec flyes and bench presses are done. And I can belt off 20 push-ups fast with my toes on the floor without losing my breath. Just be incremental in your rep increases and you'll do okay. Push-ups are worth the effort.

Annette Q. Aquajock

Pretty motivational. So Annette, you are saying it will take approx. 7 years??

Not so motivational!!LOL!!


Janice
 
Janice, these are just my thoughts and somewhat simplistic. If you can do 3 push ups, do them everytime you get the chance, all through the day. Do three pushups in the morning, three at lunch, three at night, whenever you can get three in. Then start pressing for 4 when you can. I know it may seem frustrating, but it will come if you are diligent to keep doing these as often as you can, your strength WILL increase. But remember...do it everyday. I don't really think this is overtraining your arms. Yes you could take a day break, but the point is stick with it. When I started at pushups they were my thorn in the side, and now I can say that I'm starting to enjoy them (in a very loose sense of the word "enjoy").

And No I can't say CATHE chest presses made a rip of a difference in my pushups, but who knows, everything helps I'm sure. My motivation for pushups came because of testing in our karate class, you have to do pushups for each mistake beginning with 20 and adding 10 per mistake. You can stop whenever you want, but most students have to do 90-160 pushups after the test and I didn't want to die up there so I really worked to at least be able to finish without my arms completely caving!!!! Peer pressure will get cha every time, even as an adult!!!

Briee
 
Thanks for the reply Briee.. I think I will do just what you say..trying a few every day. A few a day couldn't possibly be overtraining, right??

I appreciate your suggestions. How many can you do solid now??
Janice
 
Hi,
This is my first post, so please be gentle!

I was in the U.S. Army for 12 years, so did tons of full-body pushups.

When I entered Basic Training, I could do 2. At the end of 8 weeks, I did 18. After ten years, I could do 54 in two minutes on the Physical Fitness exam. So here is my 2 cents:

1. The way we learned to do more was by doing as many as we could, to muscle failure, and then we could do a few more each session. We never did them on our knees. If we couldn't do any more repetitions, we did plank work to the best of our ability.

2. It is remarkable how much you can do when someone menacing is yelling at you. After Basic Training, I just internalized the yelling, and started listening to my "Inner Drill Sergeant."

3. Your basic physiology has a HUGE impact on your pushups. At the time I could do so many pushups, I was 5'1" and 98 pounds. I have abnormally short arms, so I was lifting less than 100 pounds only about a foot. Short lever, and all that. The tall, thin, people had the most difficulty, as did the heavier people. The short, slender and short, muscular people had the easiest time. The women with muscular upper bodies and apple-type shapes had a much easier time than the pears.

4. We were taught to move our arms around while doing pushups, to activate different muscle groups.

5. The surest way (for me) to do the maximum number of pushups on a test was to take two full days of rest prior to said test.

YMMV, of course.

Please don't think I am bragging! These days I can only do 10-15. I can't hang with cardio at all, as I smoked (past tense) for many years. I am working up to handling beginner step videos. I really like this forum and have learned a great deal.

I hope this helps anyone interested in pushups!
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Dec-08-02 AT 11:37AM (Est)[/font][p]Hello Rosie,

I hope you don't mind me saying this, but doesn't it just bug you to go from fitness peak in army to learning beginner step videos? I mean, it's such a step back isn't it? You worked so hard to get up to 54 push ups. Do you think you will be able to get there again on your own without an army sergeant bawling at you? I am sure you will get there with Cathe.

I started from nowhere so I had nothing to lose and no where to go but up! But now I am getting stronger, I dread to go back to the way I was before because it's such hard work and the journey is too long.


Yen
 
Hi Yen,

No, it doesn't bug me at all. I was very, very strong, but not cardiovascularly fit. In the days that I could do 54 pushups, I was way, way too thin, because I smoked. I weighed under 100 pounds until I was over 30 years old. As I got older and the smoking caught up with me, my running suffered horribly. Since I quit smoking, I gained over 30 pounds. I went from a size 2 to a 10 (now an 8). So now I struggle with cardio tapes, and zipping my pants, but I am tremendously proud of myself. I feel like I have been given another chance at life, one that I will not carelessly throw away this time. So, no, I don't feel like I have taken a step back. I feel like I have taken a step forward. At 38, I feel, and look (and smell), better than I did when I was young. My skin glows with health and happiness. I was once so strong that I think the strength will come back quickly, with my new Cathe DVDs.

I understand dreading going back to where you were. It is that dread that keeps me from smoking. Yes, it is an uphill battle, getting into shape and staying there, but so, so worth it! I am sure everyone at this site would agree.

Thank you for your concern; I appreciate it.
 
Rosie,
Your post was extremely helpful. Thank you for taking the time. I will not do pushups from the knees anymore, even if that means I can only do 3. Maybe after I reach exhaustion I will raise my step height and do them on an elevated step. I do think that staying on my knees is NOT training me for the real thing. Yeah, my husband says having someone yell at you really helps!!!LOL!

I am very muscular but seem to have much more muscle (it just works out that way) in my lower body. I think that is why when I straiten my legs I feel like 90 lbs. has been added to my back. I have short arms (I think) but still have 25% body fat and weigh 137 pounds. I keep telling myself it will get easier when I drop some weight in the form of fat. Maybe not, but I will try your suggestions... Thanks again....

Janice
 
Hello again Rosie,

Now I know the full picture, I give you full credit. You are definitely better off without the ciggies.

What happened to make you give up?

Yen
 
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