Gym Style Push Ups - what's your strategy?

M

moni_stout

Guest
I am curious how other people tackle the push-ups on Gym Style Chest. I am able to do all of the push-ups on my toes only if I hit pause and take a MUCH longer break than Cathe and the crew. Well, this morning I was short on time and decided that I would not extend my breaks between push-up sets. Needless to say, I couldn't even come close to doing them all on my toes when keeping the breaks as produced on the DVD. In your opinions, what would be more beneficial for strength and muscle definition gains?

Monica
 
Good question. I can't make it through with out longer breaks either. I make 2 sets at the pace and drop to my knees for fear of bashing my face off the floor.I can do the rest though.

Enquiring minds want to know..
I have been doing the w/o for 1 1/2 years and still nada...
Advice ladies...
Anne

http://www.picturetrail.com/acatalina
 
Hey,
I'm glad to know it's not just me...I've been on a break from the GS series for a bit and just got back to it this past week. Still can't get through all 72 on my toes. I've been doing the same...longer breaks between sets. I'll be curious to see what others recommend. I'm thinking maybe I'm gonna do some pushups every other day to get stronger.

cathy
 
I just did this workout tonight.

My strategy is to skip every other set and not do them all...at least for now. I try to push myself every so often to do more. Like tonight, I did the 16, then the 14 (usually have to rest for this one but went for it tonight), rested for the 12, did the 10, the 8, and fell apart on the 6 reps. That's where I stopped and waited for the chest press. That's the best I've ever done, but I do mine with a bent leg. I figure that once I can do almost all with bent legs, I'll start moving on to straight leg pushups. That's the great thing about Cathe's workouts! They always challenge me and I'm never quite there. Gives me something to shoot for! :7
 
My suggestion is you just keep at it! Do as many as you can on your toes and take the longer breaks if you need it. I promise the improvements will come, even if it doesn't feel like it. All of the sudden, you will go longer and feel stronger.



Debbie


*(Calvin): People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world. (Hobbes): Isn't your pants' zipper supposed to be in the front?
 
My tactic is to either focus on strength (do them all on toes, with a longer break whereever necessary,, which is between most sets!) or endurance (do them with the same breaks Cathe has, but go to knees whenever necessary). I tend to focus on strength most of the time.
 
I take longer breaks between sets too, and do them all on my toes. It'll be interesting to go back and revisit them when I'm done with P90X to see if I can do them with the same break that Cathe takes.
 
I can do all of them on my toes but I definitely need longer rests in between especially right before the slow sets at the end.

Marcy
 
I struggled and struggled with them, finally one day (there had been considerable carbo loading the day before ;-) ) I did them ALL on my toes without taking longer breaks. I gotta tell you, my only feeling after I did it was PHEW, I did it, I proved my point, now I don't EVER have to do it again. And I haven't!! I guess I just don't have the right attitude lol..
 
Hey Shelley,
It's funny you should mention "revisiting" GS push ups after P90x. I had a much easier time after...I mean they were SO much easier. Now, I make a point of changing my hand positions on them just like Tony has us do in Chest/back workout. deb
 
Deb! Thanks for sharing that. Now I'm really excited to try, but I'll wait until the end of the P90X rotation. I'm only in Phase 2. But hey, if I can do one-armed push-ups (albeit on my knees), then I say bring on the GS drop sets!
 
Consistency is the key with push ups!

I made it through on my toes at Cathe's pace the first time that I tried it. But I had also been regularly doing at least 50/day on my toes for quite some time, so they're a regular part of my workout.

If you keep doing them, you will notice how easy they become and how much stronger you get very quickly.
 
Bring em on Baybeeee!!! Good luck. Isn't Tony funny? My daughter can't stand him so we turn the voice off and listen to her itunes. The workouts speak for themselves. I bought them for my DH at X-mas and it was a hit.
deb
 
I do not pause the workout, but do half of each set on my toes and drop to my knees for the second half of each set.

So, I do 8 on my toes/8 on my knees, 7 on my toes/7 on my knees, 6 on my toes/6 on my knees, etc.
 
I do them all on my knees... doing push ups on my toes really causes alot of discomfort in my shoulder joints. And I'm not wanting for DOMS the day after, because of all the flys and presses!!
 
I haven't done GS enough to master them all, but I can't go as slow as Cathe on the rep pace and finish even half of them on my toes. Tony in P90X uses speed to his advantage to squeeze out extra reps. While on the one hand the faster speed could be considered cheating, on the other hand the results can't be argued with. So... I don't have an answer to the question but I guess an added twist - what do you do about speed?
 
I start the set of 16 on my toes while Cathe is still talking, then take a slightly longer break, but dont' actually pause the DVD, do the set of 14 on my toes, still finishing before the group, taking a slightly longer break, starting the 12 set with the group by now, but I only make it to 6 or 8, then I drop to my knees for the rest. Little by little, I'll get there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top