Push-ups Club

[jamietwo]

I'm 'fessing up - I fell off the push-ups (and pull-ups) wagon. The good news is I've started doing yard work which is a really good workout. Now that I've confessed, I'm determined to get back to doing push-ups and pull-ups!

[JohnLarson]

Last night and this morning I bumped my push-up set to 30. I think I had some sort of mental block. Heck, it is hard to even count over 20 just doing 20 deep breaths.

They are not perfect, but are pretty good. I try to get my wife's input on my form. I think most of the time she is not even watching...

I want to get up to a set of 50 and then work on form. I have two months before doing the Army PT test. I am going to start pushing harder on my sit-ups also. I might even look into doing pull-ups. I have never done a pull-up. I was unable to do the rope climb or monkey bar as a chubby kid.

[JohnLarson]

I'm 'fessing up - I fell off the push-ups (and pull-ups) wagon. The good news is I've started doing yard work which is a really good workout. Now that I've confessed, I'm determined to get back to doing push-ups and pull-ups!

I used to hate yard work, lately I have enjoyed it. I am sure this WOE has had an impact on that.

[JohnLarson]

Today at work I have decided to do push-ups at the top of every hour or as close to that time as possible. I have been doing push-ups in the morning, but not as often in the evening. My sets have been 30 push-ups.

[JohnLarson]

At work, I have been working behind the counter Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Last Thursday I did push-ups at the top of the hour.

Here it is Tuesday and I am going to do it again. Two sets of 30 already in the books! They are pretty good ones at that so far today. I skipped my morning ones at the house because I was planning on doing sets on the hour here.

How is everyone doing on their push-ups?

[Thrasymachus]

I don't like push-ups. Ultimately you will get to the point where you can do too many. So I instead prefer weight training using heavy classic lifts like the squat, deadlift, press, bench press and power clean according to the program described in Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

Doing strength training with weights you can just add more weight to get stronger.

[JohnLarson]

I want to be able to do 50 good ones in less than 2 minutes. I do not see me doing more than 50 in one set.

Maybe my next fitness goal will be to gain strength and go to a gym. Right now my goal is to be able to pass the US Army PT Test for my age. APFT Standards for 2013

[KensCircus]

I don't like push-ups. Ultimately you will get to the point where you can do too many. So I instead prefer weight training using heavy classic lifts like the squat, deadlift, press, bench press and power clean according to the program described in Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe.

Doing strength training with weights you can just add more weight to get stronger.

How many pushups are too many? I’m finally up to 100 in a single set.

Pushups and pull-ups are about my only exercise except for running around the building and up the stairs at work. I don’t have any equipment or room for it if I had any.

Ken

[waingapu]

Just wondering how push-up club members are doing?

My push ups exercises have evolved a bit.

I was doing pushups daily or every other day.
Now, after reading up, I skip 2 or 3 days between exercise.
I don't do a huge number on those exercise days. About 40 "girl" push-ups to warm up. (2 x 20)
Then in a mix of sets I now do about 115 total "legal" push ups. I don' t do more even if I feel like it so as to avoid injury as I slowly build muscle over time.

Also, I was trying for most push ups with a time limit of 2:00 or even sometimes more time.. up to about 2:30 by which time I was exhausted anyway.
Was aiming to get to my age, 63, but saw that so far off I abandoned that goal for now.

I also got really tired of pushing so hard and having the last 10 or 15 pushups being totally painful, slow, halting (in the up position), and with legs shaking. I started not looking forward to doing them.
So I switched to a new plan.

Now I do as many as I can do in 1 minute. Sure, the last 15 seconds in still painful but not like the last full minute in the 2:00 or 2:30 format, where you are painfully and slowly grinding out the last 60 seconds.

OK, I'm making progress and now, with proper warm up, I can do 40 fully legal full range push ups in 60 seconds. Only a bit of shaking on the last 2 or 3.

I'm now up to the 99th plus percentile for my age group according to the fairly extensive Cooper Clinic data
See here for chart with push-up data based on lots of people tested. (used by many police departments and other agencies)
See page 7 for male and also some female data

http://publicsafety.utah.gov/post/pdf/PT.pdf

Remember, these numbers are for a 60 second test. Most folks could do more if they slowed down and took 2 or more minutes.

The fully legal push up is not like what you see on 98% of youtube videos. Most of those are only partial push ups.

Fully legal means going down to the height of a fist (about 3 inches for most folks), where your upper arm is parallel to the floor and your elbows are at about a 90 degree angle. The fist height is the easy way to measure the height, then place a object or books equal to that height.
On the up portion of the push up you should have your arms fully extended, essentially locked out but not in a exaggerated sense. Also you need to keep your legs and back in a straight line instead of bending in the middle.

Progress can be slow, especially if you are older or heavy.
However with time....months and months, you can slowly see your muscles catching up with your goals.

Remember, you don't have to do them every day. Even skipping two days between exercise is fine.
Just keep doing some. "Girl" push-ups are OK if you can't do full push ups in the beginning.
Even doing a "plank" is good if you can't do a push up. (Like a push up , but without going up and down)

So go to that chart and see where you are on the Cooper Scale.
http://publicsafety.utah.gov/post/pdf/PT.pdf

Slowly creep up the percentile scale.
If you've discontinued your push ups, now is a good time to begin again.
In a year you can be doing great, especially if you lose weight during that same time period.

Remember, you don't have to have equipment or a special place. Any time, any room, almost anywhere is OK. Even drop and do 5 or 10 if you think about it. Steady progress. Don't over do such that you injure your shoulders or tendons.

[eXtremE]

I like doing upright push-ups in a modern gym. These are known as tricep dips. I have never liked doing calisthenics like push-ups and sit-ups. I personally prefer using all the state of the art strength machines and free weights found in most modern fitness centers.

[waingapu]

I personally prefer using all the state of the art strength machines and free weights found in most modern fitness centers.

Well, all types of exercises are good compared to not exercising which is common for most.

I do have free weights at home and I bike and hike as well. If I had to drive to a gym to exercise I think I'd never do so. That and paying to exercise. Then again, I live right next to a park and great cycling roads.

Push ups seem to be about the most universal single exercise in the world after walking and running.

They are useful for far more than just one's arms and chest.
Bottom line is that for everyone who will join a gym and attend, you can get many more folks that will possibly do push ups, sit ups, walking, running, cycling, and such at home.

The biggest problem here on this board and elsewhere is people who do no exercise at all.
Then they get older and can't even get up off the floor. I see it in the elderly all around me.

Thus, starting and doing basic exercises during the week at home is a practice that may well stay with someone for life.
I'm thinking if a person can still do 10 to 20 push ups at age 80, then they are going to be able to get up off the floor. A basic activity of daily living.

BTW, do you also run or walk, or cycle outside the gym?
Also, you obviously do bench presses, just wondering how that would contribute to one's ability to do a minute of push ups. I seem to remember reading that push ups were about equal to doing 70% of one's weight on a bench press. Not sure about that.

[parishmp]

This tread reminded me about how the actor Charles Bronson trained. All his workouts were “free hand” with pushups being a major part. He never touched a weight in his entire life and had a terrific body into old age.

[viv]

I have been doing "girlie" push ups (bum in air) on and off for years. My son who is in the Marines, has tried to teach me the "real" push-ups to no avail. I think there is some physiological reason why women have a hard time with real push-ups. Anwyay, I will continue with bum in air for now. At least my shoulders look good!

[eXtremE]

@ waingapu , I agree...doing anything is better than doing nothing. I was a long distance runner for over a decade but I still weight trained in a gym while running. I have always been a gym "rat" or "junkie" I suppose. Nothing wrong with doing calisthenics...I just don't personally like doing them.

You can be fit and never step foot inside a modern gym but if one wants to develop muscularity to the fullest potential, you have to workout in a gym with machines and free weights unless you have some of the necessary equipment at home. American fitness trainer and choreographer Shaun T has some of the most amazing abs I have ever seen but I can almost guarantee you in addition to his insanity workout DVD, this guy watches what he eats and he also lifts weights in a gym.

[scooterpie]

The biggest problem here on this board and elsewhere is people who do no exercise at all.
~~~snip~~~
I'm thinking if a person can still do 10 to 20 push ups at age 80, then they are going to be able to get up off the floor. A basic activity of daily living.

100 pushups, from zero!