Push-up question
- Thread starter kathryn
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Andrea
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Interesting question
I'd like to know also. Have you tried pushup handlebars? I don't have carpal, but do have a problem wrist. They are pretty uncomfortable on the palms of my hands, but I do get some pushups in this way.
Andrea
I'd like to know also. Have you tried pushup handlebars? I don't have carpal, but do have a problem wrist. They are pretty uncomfortable on the palms of my hands, but I do get some pushups in this way.
Andrea
It depends on several factors--location of the center of gravity, length of lever arm and angle the body is making with the floor--in other words, physics. A push up is an example of a second class lever--the resistance is between the axis of rotation and the upward force.
Off the top of my head, I can't remember if I've seen anything that gives even a rough estimate of percentage of body weight, most likely because of the wide ranges for the variables.
How about this? The reason that knee push ups are easier is because the center of gravity (usually the mid-pelvis)is closer to the axis of rotation (where the knees or feet meet the ground). This is also the reason that a shorter person has the mechanical advantage in doing push ups--and all other resistance exercises for that matter--the lever system.
Off the top of my head, I can't remember if I've seen anything that gives even a rough estimate of percentage of body weight, most likely because of the wide ranges for the variables.
How about this? The reason that knee push ups are easier is because the center of gravity (usually the mid-pelvis)is closer to the axis of rotation (where the knees or feet meet the ground). This is also the reason that a shorter person has the mechanical advantage in doing push ups--and all other resistance exercises for that matter--the lever system.
Hhhhhhmmmmmmmmm. I am a short person (5ft) and I cannot do all of Cathe's push-ups. I find them sooooooooo challenging and even after all this time I am just marginally improving. Of course, this could be because I don't have the strenght yet.
Push-up is one of the hardest exercises in Cathe videos.
Yen
Push-up is one of the hardest exercises in Cathe videos.
Yen
Aquajock
Cathlete
RE: Budding push-up mavens
I have a love/hate relationship with push-ups - I hate 'em because they're so hard, but I love 'em because they really do work several muscle groups.
It's important to note that push-ups are not just a pec exercise - your front shoulder muscles (anterior deltoids) and triceps muscles (at the back of your upper arm) are also being recruited. Thus it's important to pay attention to STRENGTHENING (not just "toning", a term I really, really despise) these groups. Further, your core muscles are being recruited to keep your back flat (a la planks), and your quadriceps are being recruited to keep your legs from flopping out if you're doing them in a straight-leg position.
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
I have a love/hate relationship with push-ups - I hate 'em because they're so hard, but I love 'em because they really do work several muscle groups.
It's important to note that push-ups are not just a pec exercise - your front shoulder muscles (anterior deltoids) and triceps muscles (at the back of your upper arm) are also being recruited. Thus it's important to pay attention to STRENGTHENING (not just "toning", a term I really, really despise) these groups. Further, your core muscles are being recruited to keep your back flat (a la planks), and your quadriceps are being recruited to keep your legs from flopping out if you're doing them in a straight-leg position.
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
Aquajock
Cathlete
RE: Yen:
Hi, Yen! It's a common misconception that strengthening the pectorals with push-ups, pec flyes and bench presses, as well as pec-deck and other cable machine strengthening equipment, will change breast size. It will not. It will strengthen the underlying muscles, and may change the apparent shape of the overall breast area by filling in the area just underneath the collarbone, but breast tissue is primarily fatty tissue, not muscle, and increasing the musculature will not in and of itself decrease the amount of fatty tissue.
People are genetically programmed for certain body shapes and for certain fat-storage areas. Ostensible breast-changing exercises are just that: ostensible, not real. You may be able to reduce the size of your breasts somewhat by losing overall storage fat, but your breasts are your breasts, and that's a genetic thing.
Annette Q. Aquajock
Hi, Yen! It's a common misconception that strengthening the pectorals with push-ups, pec flyes and bench presses, as well as pec-deck and other cable machine strengthening equipment, will change breast size. It will not. It will strengthen the underlying muscles, and may change the apparent shape of the overall breast area by filling in the area just underneath the collarbone, but breast tissue is primarily fatty tissue, not muscle, and increasing the musculature will not in and of itself decrease the amount of fatty tissue.
People are genetically programmed for certain body shapes and for certain fat-storage areas. Ostensible breast-changing exercises are just that: ostensible, not real. You may be able to reduce the size of your breasts somewhat by losing overall storage fat, but your breasts are your breasts, and that's a genetic thing.
Annette Q. Aquajock
sunsetbeach
Cathlete
RE: Budding push-up mavens
LOL! I am impressed! Thanks for the great advice. My goal is to do 15 correctly.
LOL! I am impressed! Thanks for the great advice. My goal is to do 15 correctly.