Why can't I do push-ups?

H

healtopalm

Member
In the last 3 months I have lost about 40lbs and have been doing cardio and weight training regularly. I have seen strength gains everywhere...including my chest, but I still struggle with push-ups. Needless to say I have to do them on my knees...but I can barely make it half-way down...the same as when I started. Why?

My husband says that it is because I have a large chest (built in weights.) Could this be true?

Could it be my form? My arms are slightly more than shoulder width apart coming straight down from my shoulders.

Am I just too impatient?

Any tips or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!
-darree
 
I am not Cathe nor am I an expert but I didn't want you to beat yourself up over this. I have been weight training for years and can lift quite abit for my chest but I still do pushups on my knees. I can go all the way down and complete all the sets but I just can't do a full pushups. I don't know why neither but it certainly isn't from having a big chest so I don't think that is the reason. Part of the reason maybe if the pushups are at the end of the rest of the chest workout at that point you may already fatigued and me too. Maybe Cathe will answer this and we will both know why.
PS Congratulations on your weight loss that is a great accomplishment!
Debbie
 
Don't feel bad. I can't do toe pushups either. I have tried and tried but still have to do them on my knees. I always thought it was becase I am 5'9" therefore making me a long lever but I'm sure there are tall people who can do pushups. It's frustrating. Plank positions are extremely difficult for me also. I really think my difficulties are from poor core conditioning (if I want to be honest with myself) so I have been trying to work on that to see if that improves my pushup abilities. I know I am no help for you but just wanted to let you know you are not alone!!! :)

Kelly
 
Hi, Healtopalm! At first I found push-ups very difficult as well - when I began doing them I could barely do 12 off the knees. I think it's easy to underestimate the amount of weight the chest, anterior deltoids and triceps are being "asked" to push up; it's also very easy to underestimate the amount of static work the core trunk muscles (abdominals; spinal erectors) are being asked to do to keep the trunk stable and not hiking up or sagging down. On top of that, the forearms and wrists, small body parts, are taking an enormous amount of weight.

I "graduated" from knee push-ups to "guy" push-ups about a year and a half ago, and that cut down my rep capabilities by about 90%! One thing I noticed was that my abs and thighs worked a lot harder; thus if your thigh muscles are already fatigued they might not be able to stabilize you as much during this kind of static work.

Couple of suggestions: do your push-ups before your other chest work; focus on training assisting muscle groups (wrists and forearms - the Cathe Friedrich Slow and Heavy series has a good set for that - triceps, anterior delts and abs) as well as other chest exercises; and most of all: do be patient with yourself! Be persistent and go for small, incremental improvements in performance (i.e. make it a goal to get all the way down; then make it a goal to increase reps; then make it a goal to get to the toes; etc.) and you will be amazed at the progress you make.

Keep up the good work!

Annette
 
I don't know if this is true or not, but my friend (who is a personal trainer) says that if you have really long arms, it might be difficult to do a guy push up. I have pretty long arms, so if it is true it makes sense. I can bench a heavy amount of weight, but toe push ups are hard. I have been working out consistently for 5 years, and I can only push out 10 guy push ups.
 
thank you all for all your encouragement! i will be patient, take it slow and also make small attainable goals. going all the way down will be my first one. :) i am so glad to hear that i am not alone.
-darree
 
Daree,

I have always had a hard time doing real pushups, and gave up until I got Cathe's CTX series. After about 3 months of doing her planks, I was able to do a couple of pushups, and now I can do about 12. I think it was mostly my core strength, and I am working to do even more pushups. I have long arms, and a long body, and I think the long lever idea makes sense, too. I've added some Pilates videos, and hope that they do even more work for my core. Good luck!

Sandi M
 
I was just about to ask the very same question! Thanks to all for your responses...I'm much encouraged! CinDee
 
I have never been able to do a good, on-the-knees push-up for more than a rep or two. I've never really understood the reason why I can bench press more than Cathe, and use heavier weights on flyes, but not be able to do push-ups like she does. For me, it may be a problem of carpal tunnel (and the splay-fingered position I take to avoid bending at the wrist) and the anatomy of my shoulders (I think). I've decided that, instead of doing half -@$$ed push-ups, I'm going to replace them with well-done decline presses. So far, it's worked really well.
I've also replaced tricep dips with heavy tricep presses.
 
When I do push-ups I turn my wrists slightly in. I once heard Gin Miller say that this takes emphasis off the shoulder and puts in on the chest. I think this wrist formation makes push-ups a little easier--maybe because you use more of the larger chest muscle. You could give it a try--even if you are on your knees. Jeanne
 
RE: I have fairly long arms

relative to my height (they are longer than many women who are much taller than I) and it does not seem to affect my ability to do pushups. I think some women are just naturally a little weaker in the upper body so perhaps that could be an explanation. They say that doing push ups is like bench pressing 1/3 of your body weight but I can press more than that, but I can also do 40 push ups in a row before stopping so who knows. Not me I guess but I don't think it is the long arm thing personally.

Just my .02 cents.

Kim
 
RE: Wanna learn how to do guy pushups? Sure fire way:

I am surprised that no one mentioned this way to go about achieving "guy" pushups from the toes. I have used this method and can do all pushups in any Cathe tape without too much trouble.

The secret.....progressive overload. Works like a charm.

Here it is in a few easy steps:

Beginner: do pushups from knees, using an 8 inch step for your hands. Do as many as you can, trying to add at least one more each time you attempt this.

Intermediate: do pushups from knees, using a 6 inch step this time. Do as many as you can, trying to add at least one more each time you attempt this.

When those get easier, lower the platform to 4 inches.

When those get easier, do pushups from the floor, still on your knees.

Now the fun really begins:

When you can finally do pushups with your hands and knees on the floor, go back to an 8 inch step, but this time, do pushups from your toes. You will be amazed at what you can do if you are committed. When the 8 inch level is doable, reduce the level to 6 inches, then 4 inches, then floor. After that you will be ready to do start trying pushups with your feet on the step bench like Cathe does in Pure Strength.

When I started exercising again (after a 2 year layoff) I was as weak as a kitten. I started my pushups this way and after two or three months I was able to do them from my toes. Now I do them with feet elevated. Easy? No. But it can be done.

Just remember progressive overload...ask you body to do something gradually and it will get stronger each time.

Hope this helps the push up challenged out there. Let me know if you try this and what you think.
 
RE: Wanna learn how to do guy pushups? Sure fire way:

Thanks for this suggestion! Makes perfect sense and I am going to try it. I have also been unable to work myself up to guy pushups even though I have significantly increased my strength with Cathe's tapes. I'll let you know!! Thanks again
 
RE: Wanna learn how to do guy pushups? Sure fire way:

Yes, please keep me up to date on your progress.

I am sure that this works. The timetable for each of us may be different but the end result is the same.

Good luck.
 
RE: Wanna learn how to do guy pushups? Sure fire way:

WOW! i am going to try this. thanks so much for the suggestion. it sounds like it may work for me!
-darree
 
I can't do them *at all*, but you know what? I don't care! I substitute other exercises to strengthen the pecs and the triceps.
 
Kimba, I agree with you. Better to do an exercise that is effective for you (I substitute heavy decline bench presses) than struggle through an exercise with poor form and not get much out of it, just because you're 'supposed' to do it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top