Push ups

[KarateK]

Good for your girlfriend bruceflea!! x

I am more than capable of doing normal press ups but not in excess. My post was more a reaction to people competing about doing 150-200 a day. In that respect if that was what was gonna happen each lesson I feel lucky that as a woman I have an alternative.

[bruceflea]

Good for your girlfriend bruceflea!! x

I am more than capable of doing normal press ups but not in excess. My post was more a reaction to people competing about doing 150-200 a day. In that respect if that was what was gonna happen each lesson I feel lucky that as a woman I have an alternative.

Please i meant no offence... i only mentioned the 150 as a great target to reach, for me at least. I also tend to break them up, say 50 in the morning and 50 in the afternoon or such...

I really see them as a good way to stay strong when you have no access to a gym, as they can be done anywhere.

What ever works for you though, is great.

Also my girlfriend doesnt do them to that excess but i feel proud of the fact that, once she couldnt do them and now she can. I just think women can be just as good if not better than us guys...ive got the bruises to prove it!!

[Aodhan]

Good for your girlfriend bruceflea!! x

I am more than capable of doing normal press ups but not in excess. My post was more a reaction to people competing about doing 150-200 a day. In that respect if that was what was gonna happen each lesson I feel lucky that as a woman I have an alternative.

The 150-200 a day is probably more of a self improvement/maintenance thing. I don't know of any classes where you are doing that many of a single exercise.

In response to the OP, yes, it is important to keep your head and back straight and in line. The more you contort your neck, the greater the chance of strain or injury, and the less you work the muscles you intend to.

Just an FYI for everyone, pushups work the triceps just as much if not more than they work the chest.

Aodhan

[Geng]

IF you do them to failure, and are sore then next day. Than do every other day.

If you only do a few sub maximal sets, than you can do them every day. But still take time to build up to that.

[UseoForce]

As in my previous post, I like push-ups, but they are not a replacement for bench press, dumbell press, etc...

If you only ever do one excersise (at the same weight, as with pushups) your body will become accustomed to the excersise. I know that there are many push-up variants, but I still wouldn't restrict myself to JUST push-ups.

[Spirit At Choice]

My problem with push-ups:

I can NOT go all the way down (except on my knees). So how do I get my body conditioned to go all the way down? I've been on a push-up program for a while now, but I don't sense that they are getting any deeper, even though I can do more half-way push-ups than when I started.

Does it use a different muscle to go all the way chest-to-floor? Will doing knee-push-ups going chest-to-floor help?

[Aodhan]

As in my previous post, I like push-ups, but they are not a replacement for bench press, dumbell press, etc...

If you only ever do one excersise (at the same weight, as with pushups) your body will become accustomed to the excersise. I know that there are many push-up variants, but I still wouldn't restrict myself to JUST push-ups.

Unless you exhaust the triceps and anterior (front) shoulder muscles first, presses of any kind are not the most efficient way to train the chest muscles. That distinction belongs to the fly's. Dumbbell fly, cable fly, etc.

Aodhan

[mlee]

My problem with push-ups:

I can NOT go all the way down (except on my knees). So how do I get my body conditioned to go all the way down? I've been on a push-up program for a while now, but I don't sense that they are getting any deeper, even though I can do more half-way push-ups than when I started.

Does it use a different muscle to go all the way chest-to-floor? Will doing knee-push-ups going chest-to-floor help?

Hi there. Why don't you trying doing push-ups from a different approach, starting at the bottom of the motion - so to speak. Once you stabilize yourself at the "bottom" (chest as close to the floor without touching, arms bent) of the push-up...hold this position for as long as you can. Your arms will start to shake like crazy after only a few seconds (because your body is not used to holding this position) your abs may even start to feel the burn. But if you keep repeating this for maybe a few weeks you may strenghten your muscles enough to complete a full push-up(s) all the way up and down.

Give it a try, it can't hurt.

[elbows_and_knees]

As in my previous post, I like push-ups, but they are not a replacement for bench press, dumbell press, etc...

If you only ever do one excersise (at the same weight, as with pushups) your body will become accustomed to the excersise. I know that there are many push-up variants, but I still wouldn't restrict myself to JUST push-ups.

Unless you exhaust the triceps and anterior (front) shoulder muscles first, presses of any kind are not the most efficient way to train the chest muscles. That distinction belongs to the fly's. Dumbbell fly, cable fly, etc.

Aodhan

depends on what you're trying to do. If I'm going for mass, the bench is the way to go. If you only want to isolate the chest, do flyes.

[elbows_and_knees]

My problem with push-ups:

I can NOT go all the way down (except on my knees). So how do I get my body conditioned to go all the way down? I've been on a push-up program for a while now, but I don't sense that they are getting any deeper, even though I can do more half-way push-ups than when I started.

Does it use a different muscle to go all the way chest-to-floor? Will doing knee-push-ups going chest-to-floor help?

why can't you do it? what hurts when you go low? what gives out?