Push Ups

[allwildgirl]

Okay, I need some opinions from the educated crowd here. This has been discussed before, but I can't for the life of me find the thread it was in.

Is it better to do push ups on your toes, even though you can't go as deep, or stick to doing them on your knees, and get that depth? My SO tells me that, when he was in the Army, the Sgt (or whoever he was) would put his fist on the ground under their chests, and the push ups that didn't hit his fist didn't count.

What do y'all think?

 

[Joni]

That push ups are sadistic? Oh, not the answer you were looking for.

If I had the strength to do more than 1.5 pushups on my toes - even two-fists deep - I would do them that way. You engage your core so much more when you stay on your toes, and the more you do them the "right" way the easier they'll get.

I suck at push-ups. My BF bet me $1000 that we'll be able to do 50 push ups next time we see each other (a couple months). What he doesn't realize is that I didn't accept the bet - and when he whines I'm going to tell him he has an unfair advantage because girls have 2 "excess weights" up top. }(

 

[allwildgirl]

I dunno what you're talking about, Joni. I have NO excess weight up top

 

[Bobbi]

I'd stay on my knees until I can go as deeply on my toes, which in time you should. And make sure you check a lot.
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"

Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver

 

[Fit_mommy]

Push ups are freakin' evil and I can't do not a one on my toes!!! Atleast not if ya gotta go down more than a quarter of an inch to make it count! I do them with my legs extended out on my knees...the intermediate version I guess...still a killer! }( Maybe one day I will be able to do a few on my toes...a girl's gotta have a dream right?

 

[saia11]

I've found greater success in building up my push-up endurance by shifting my arms to a slightly wider stance at first, then progressing to hands more directly under the shoulders.
Also, I always thought that correct form on pushups (unless you're using handbars) was to lower to 90 degrees (or not much below this) and then back up. I think if you go too low you are engaging more back and shoulder muscle than chest. Plus, if I went that much lower I would find it harder to keep up with an at tempo count and would feel as though mommentum were taking over.
Push-ups are evil, but, like low-ends, they are worth it. Afterwards, that is. Not while you're doing them, then they freaking suck!
Mattea

 

[CurlyQ]

I'm now able to do 16 straight push ups on my toes. I made a conscious decision two months ago to do as many push ups on my toes as I could squeak out (only 1 or 2 at first) then modify to my knees. They weren't pretty at first and I definitely only went down about half as far as I can now. The biggest help for me was finding the right hand position - I was putting my hands too close together at first. You will definitely benefit from just attempting the move even if you can't go "Cathe" low

 

[Logos]

Hi Shelley,

Start by doing as many as you can on your toes, take break and try again. When I previewed Cathe GS chest, the drop set push ups, it scared me, but when I tried it, it was hard but I could do them. Push ups like any other exercise you need to build endurance, don't give up, just keep trying. P90X chest is all push ups and chin ups, I can't even tell how many, but with persistent it is doable.

 

[allwildgirl]

I don't honestly find them evil. But I think we've already established that I'm strangely masochistic}(

I think I'll continue the way I am now, which is doing as many as I can on my toes, and then going to my knees. I may not be going as deep on my toes, but they are definitely more difficult.

Thanks!