Push up progression

aim4muscle

aim4muscle

Active Member
I'm wondering how to progress from bent knee to straight leg push-ups. I feel I can do bent knee push-ups with good form but have a very difficult time doing even one straight leg push-up. How can I increase my strength to move from bent knee to straight leg.
Thanks for any help.
Aimee
 
I'm wondering how to progress from bent knee to straight leg push-ups. I feel I can do bent knee push-ups with good form but have a very difficult time doing even one straight leg push-up. How can I increase my strength to move from bent knee to straight leg.
Thanks for any help.
Aimee
 
Not Cathe here (obviously), but I find that doing straight-leg push-ups from the get-go, starting with the upper body higher, then lowering as you get stronger, is a better transition to regular straight-leg push-ups than are on-the-knee push-ups.

Start with your arms at a height that is challenging but doable for you, then gradually choose a lower and lower support. Levels of progression can look something like this : wall push-ups (easiest, highest level of upper body), hands on kitchen counter, hands on edge of bathtub, hands on seat of kitchen chair, hands on high step, hands on step set at 10" (then 8", then 6", then 4", then the floor).

HTH!
 
Not Cathe here (obviously), but I find that doing straight-leg push-ups from the get-go, starting with the upper body higher, then lowering as you get stronger, is a better transition to regular straight-leg push-ups than are on-the-knee push-ups.

Start with your arms at a height that is challenging but doable for you, then gradually choose a lower and lower support. Levels of progression can look something like this : wall push-ups (easiest, highest level of upper body), hands on kitchen counter, hands on edge of bathtub, hands on seat of kitchen chair, hands on high step, hands on step set at 10" (then 8", then 6", then 4", then the floor).

HTH!
 
Not Cathe or the original poster, but thank you Kathryn! I am going to try your suggestion. I am having the same issue.

~ Ann ~
Aim for nothing and you'll hit it everytime --- anonymous
 
Not Cathe or the original poster, but thank you Kathryn! I am going to try your suggestion. I am having the same issue.

~ Ann ~
Aim for nothing and you'll hit it everytime --- anonymous
 
Thank you Kathryn. I was going to try doing push ups on the stairs but I think your idea for using the step at various heights is even better. Maybe someday I will have worked my way to the floor!
Thanks again,
Aimee
 
Thank you Kathryn. I was going to try doing push ups on the stairs but I think your idea for using the step at various heights is even better. Maybe someday I will have worked my way to the floor!
Thanks again,
Aimee
 
Another idea that worked for me was doing Cathe's progression in LIC where you perform 1/2 the push up knee-style and 1/2 straight leg. So, you push up on your knees on the ground, straighten your legs when you get to the top of the movement and then lower down straight legged. At the bottom, put your knees on the ground and repeat. Do some that way THEN, reverse it. Push up with straight legs, put knees down at the top of the movement and lower with bent knees. Straighten legs at the bottom of the movement and repeat. Do this until you start to swear :)

Straight arm plank work can help too because it trains your arms, shoulders and core to handle the weightload of holding your body horizontal.

Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
 
Another idea that worked for me was doing Cathe's progression in LIC where you perform 1/2 the push up knee-style and 1/2 straight leg. So, you push up on your knees on the ground, straighten your legs when you get to the top of the movement and then lower down straight legged. At the bottom, put your knees on the ground and repeat. Do some that way THEN, reverse it. Push up with straight legs, put knees down at the top of the movement and lower with bent knees. Straighten legs at the bottom of the movement and repeat. Do this until you start to swear :)

Straight arm plank work can help too because it trains your arms, shoulders and core to handle the weightload of holding your body horizontal.

Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
 
Those are more really good suggestions. Thanks Jonahnah. I'll have to post back here when I finally get strong enough to do full push ups. Thanks for all the suggestions.
Aimee
 
Those are more really good suggestions. Thanks Jonahnah. I'll have to post back here when I finally get strong enough to do full push ups. Thanks for all the suggestions.
Aimee
 
You can also have one knee bent and one straight leg when executing your push-up. Try to keep most of your body weight balanced between the two, but you want to try to focus on working the straight leg part. The bent knee is back up.

Once you can do one, build up every other day if possible. The build up of strength needed for push ups comes in very quickly.

Namita
 
>Not Cathe here (obviously), but I find that doing
>straight-leg push-ups from the get-go, starting with the upper
>body higher, then lowering as you get stronger, is a better
>transition to regular straight-leg push-ups than are
>on-the-knee push-ups.
>
>Start with your arms at a height that is challenging but
>doable for you, then gradually choose a lower and lower
>support. Levels of progression can look something like this :
>wall push-ups (easiest, highest level of upper body), hands on
>kitchen counter, hands on edge of bathtub, hands on seat of
>kitchen chair, hands on high step, hands on step set at 10"
>(then 8", then 6", then 4", then the floor).
>
>HTH!

I think you're right and have been toying with the idea of push ups with straight legs off the step (my old FIRM step doesn't move when I try this so it's still good for something...). I've been doing knee push-ups and am starting to feel if I continue this way I may never make the transition to real push-ups.
 
I must add my "Thanks" for the suggestions. I started doing push ups off the back of my couch yesterday with plans to soon move to the arm of the couch, then a high step, etc. :)
 
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