Push up challenge June 3

[shakeubooty]

Hope no one minds I'm starting the thread today. Wanted to get my pushups out of the way before I start my busy day. I did 29 today - up from 27 on Wednesday and 12 away from my goal of 41 by end of June.

Question for all of you: I find that I become breathless before my chest muscles actually reach failure which is why I have to stop. I'm sure I need to concentrate on my breathing more. Any tips? My male cat decided to lick my elbow and try to position himself under my chest during the "up" portion of the pushup so that made me laugh which didn't help either.

Sue

 

[Tallchick]

29, that is alot. I am still at one. I guess I will make it someday but pushing up sure is hard, how can you get so many done? Do you go all the way to the floor? I know my knees can but the chest is much much harder.
Still sick, will give this a try tomorrow.
have a good day, you all!
Kate

 

[kathryn]

My last try was 37 1/2 (up 3 1/2 from previous), BUT I may have cheated. I usually do them with feet together, and wanted to see if feet farther apart (hip width) would make a difference, and it did.

Honeybunch: what are the 'rules' for feet placement in this challenge?

Kate: don't go all the way to the floor, as that is hard on the shoulder. Just go as far as it takes to get your arms bent at a 90-degree angle or a bit more.

 

[shakeubooty]

Kate -

Stick with it and you'll be doing lots of pushups in no time. When I first started working out with Cathe 6 years ago, I could only do knee pushups. Like Kathryn said, you don't want to go down all the way to the floor but you don't want to cheat it either.

Sue

 

[honeybunch1]

A picture for a guide:

http://www.ronjones.org/Coach&Train/ExercisePhotos/PushUps/Military-1-.300.jpg

Description that goes with the picture: "Place feet shoulder width apart and hands under shoulders and same width as shoulders."

As far as breathing - I usually exhale on the "up" part of the exercise (like when you're doing a chest press), although I've also done it on the "down" part.

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Mark Twain ;-)

 

[kathryn]

Oh, goodie, I can do them with feet shoulder-width apart! That gets me closer to my goal!