Pure Strength

[nancy324]

I've been doing PS now for.....who knows how many weeks it's been at this point! Why are push-ups so hard? Will I EVER get off my knees for the push-ups? And why do my shoulders stay weak? Will I ever get past using 3 lb. dumbbells for the shoulder exercises? Any encouragement out there? Thanks educated folk!
-Nancy

 

[starbuck]

Nancy

Let me tell you a funny story for 7 years I have been working out on/off and during that time I could only do pushups on my knees (and not all the reps).

But when I was doing CIA Kickbox tape last year(not Janis can't think of the instructors name) she did pushups one handed I didn't think I could (after watching the tape) when I actually did the workout I found myself doing push ups on my toes with one had I couldn't do all the reps.

Anyway after getting CTX and seeing Cathe and the crew doing pushups I went straight back to my knees did this for months. I got PS series a couple of months ago and with a rotation I found myself one day forgetting to go on my knees and did them on my toes (I can't do the slow reps on my toes and only do 8 reps the rest on my knees).

The moral here is just give it a try at the start (when your feeling strongest) try doing 2 full pushups (if its to much go onto you knees) if you can each workout add a rep, (my motto is always build slow and it will last).

I think it was Cathe's planks that really helped build up my upper body strength but give it time your body will get stronger.

Babs

 

[wudnit]

Push Ups

I hear ya on the push ups!! I didn't think I'd ever be able to do a full push up! I had a bad back for years, but I found that all the ab exercises I had been doing was helping to strengthen my back.

Anyway, one day instead of getting down on my knees doing Power Hour push ups, I decided to do as many as I could on my toes and then get down on my knees when I needed to. I was surprised that I managed to get through 8 on my toes before lowering to my knees. Then, several times later and I managed to do all 16 on my toes (of the first set), I'm working on the jump out, jump in ones and they slay me!!!! BUT, what I did was kept adding two more at a time. Sometimes I think we just have to push ourselves.

It was the same way with the Planks. The first time I attempted a plank, I SWEAR I couldn't hold it for more than 3 seconds!!!! Now I can stick with Cathe on the planks from Power Hour, but am literally screaming at the end!!! HOPEFULLY, they WILL get easier!!

Hang in there and don't give up!! Challenge yourself now and then, even if it means only doing one or two full pushups and the rest modified. You WILL eventually work up to doing them all!! That's the fun of the tapes, the challenge of completing them UNmodified!!

Good luck!!

Mary

 

[Shaz]

You could always start on your toes, then drop to you knees when you need to. Even if you only do one full push up to start with, your strength will increase, and you'll soon be doing all of them.
Good luck!
Sharon.

 

[jillianh]

YES! That is how I was finally able to do pushups. We have to do them in my martial arts class, and about a year and a half ago the isntructors said once you get your red belt (which I have now) you can no longer use your knees for pushups. I figured I had a year and a half to work on it so I better start now since it seemed so impossible. So I started on my toes for one or two and then went down to my knees, adding more each time and EVENTUALLY I was able to not use my knees at all. When I started taking those classes two and a half years ago I couldn't even do one pushup on my knees. ALSO Cathe's pushups are very hard because she makes you go so slow. You'll get there, it just takes pain and persistence!