Push-ups Club

[alias]

If you have back issues or simply can't do push-ups, try to do them against a wall. I do them against the kitchen or bathroom sink. Start by doing a few ever time you use the sink. Work up to 25 or more at one shot.

You'll see progress real soon !

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/h ... shups.html

[sharonbikes]

When I was doing some rehab work on my shoulder, they had me to push-ups against the wall - a great place to start with strengthening your muscles for push-ups!

Sharon

[HealthFreak]

Several years ago I brought my Perfect Pushup handles to work. My co workers and I have been doing pushups throughout the day, ever since. We even have a white board to keep track of how many. I have found that sets of twelve reps are perfect for me. The Perfect Pushup allows for a greater range of motion and also raises you up off the floor about six inches. I work in an office environment so it's a great way to get exercise during the day.

[JohnLarson]

I was wondering about the Perfect Pushup device. Here is a link from Popular Mechanic Magazine: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/reviews/4308389

I would like to try one first, but I might have to take a chance and try it out.

[Chile]

If you have back issues or simply can't do push-ups, try to do them against a wall. I do them against the kitchen or bathroom sink. Start by doing a few ever time you use the sink. Work up to 25 or more at one shot.

You'll see progress real soon !

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/h ... shups.html

Thank you for the reminder. I hadn't read this thread until this morning because with neck, shoulder, and wrist issues, proper pushups just aren't likely to ever be a part of my world. Push-ups on the wall, yes. Even more challenging are push-ups on an exercise ball held up against the wall. That was one of my physical therapy exercises years ago.

So, I will make myself a challenge to be able to do push-ups against the wall. I can't guarantee I'll try for 100 because until I start doing it, I don't know how my shoulder will respond. Just trying to use my husband's new archery bow (for sport, not hunting!) twice left my shoulder inflamed for two weeks...

[JohnLarson]

I have not bought The Perfect Pushup yet. I have been doing my sets in the morning, afternoon and before bed. I even attempted some sit-ups this morning. I put a pillow behind my back. My wife has a yoga pad, I might get that from her to do sit-ups on.

[HealthFreak]

I have not bought The Perfect Pushup yet. I have been doing my sets in the morning, afternoon and before bed. I even attempted some sit-ups this morning. I put a pillow behind my back. My wife has a yoga pad, I might get that from her to do sit-ups on.

A yoga pad is also great for doing planks. I recommend the Perfect Pushups. You can get a better workout and you don't end up with your face in the floor. You can go deeper in the down position and your wrists naturally turn to the best position throughout the pushup.

[Waingapu]

You can go deeper in the down position and your wrists naturally turn to the best position throughout the pushup.

Two points.

Wouldn't the natural position be one where you aren't using a device? and in a similar train of thinking, do we really want to go beyond the floor, which is a position we'd rarely ever find ourselves in?

Just wondering...

Unless of course it somehow reduces injuries.

[jamietwo]

Count me in!

I bought my son a pull-up bar that goes in the doorway. I can't even do ONE pull-up! I was SHOCKED! So now I "jump"-up and use what little muscle I apparently have to lower myself back down. I just started doing push-ups the other day (from the knee). This morning I managed 10 (barely), and I didn't lower my face to the floor. At least its a start! My yoga days are not that far gone, but the muscle sure goes faster.

ETA: highlighted push-ups - no way can I do 10 pull-ups! (I wish!)

[JohnLarson]

I have never been able to do a pull-up, never.

Great job on doing 10.

[Waingapu]

I have never been able to do a pull-up, never.

Great job on doing 10.

Briefly I thought the same... then I re-read it and it was 10 push-ups. Still a great start!

As to pull ups, gosh I wish I had a place at home to start.
I'm almost afraid of trying, only to learn I can barely do one or two.... perhaps zero.
Perhaps none, since I remember about 8 years ago finding them super difficult.

I think what most of use would need, to "build up" from almost nothing, would be something like a lat pull device where you could begin with a much smaller weight than your entire body.

Google ( lat pulldown machine )

As I recall from a few years ago, it was a tremendous strain on the muscles involved to go from having done none, to lifting one's entire body on the first go. Be careful of injury. AND thats from a person who is only about a 19.5 BMI

[awackywabbit]

I am joining in on this too! I have doing almost exclusive cardio and I need to add some strength training. This is the perfect way to have no excuses for not doing strength exercises. Thanks for the link!

[geo]

If you can not do a pull-up or push-up yet, then do them in a negative style. Start in the top position, for a pull up use a chair to get into the top position, then just lower yourself very slowly. Take 10-20 seconds to just lower yourself. If you can do several more like that thats great! You will gain a lot of strength quickly and soon be doing a complete up/down motion.

[biophiliac]

If you can not do a pull-up or push-up yet, then do them in a negative style. Start in the top position, for a pull up use a chair to get into the top position, then just lower yourself very slowly. Take 10-20 seconds to just lower yourself. If you can do several more like that thats great! You will gain a lot of strength quickly and soon be doing a complete up/down motion.

And if you find that too hard you can keep one foot on the chair to take some of the weight for awhile.

I do both pull ups and push ups and have found pull ups so much harder to increase. I've been at it for a year or so. It may be partly because push ups are so convenient that I end up doing more of them more often. Both are great exercises though and I find you get a total upper body workout alternating them every other day. That with some running/biking and I'm a happy camper. Cheap too!

[HealthFreak]

You can go deeper in the down position and your wrists naturally turn to the best position throughout the pushup.

Two points.

Wouldn't the natural position be one where you aren't using a device? and in a similar train of thinking, do we really want to go beyond the floor, which is a position we'd rarely ever find ourselves in?

Just wondering...

Unless of course it somehow reduces injuries.

Maybe natural was the wrong word to use. What I mean is that the equipment allows the person to work out all muscles involved more than a person can from a conventional pushup. Just like most equipment in a gym allows people to really isolate and work muscles more than exercises that only use the human body. Conventional pushups are great, I think the Perfect Pushup is even better. The turning handles allow muscles to be more engaged during the motion than when your hands stay in one fixed position.