Help

ChapOfDRyans

I need to build my fitness in general,and my main problem is push ups.

Whats the best way of building up so i can do 20-30 in a min or so,at the moment im pretty poor at them.

Im also trying to build up my running,i wouldnt call myself over-weight either.

Any tips would help a lot thanks

Boston

Bench press will help build your upper body strength and thus improve your ability to do push ups.

FunkZ

Just do as many as ya can in a minute and do a few sets of this and it should build up.

Like I remember when I first started doing them I coulodn't do more than 5, and after a few months I was able to do sets of 50, they're fairly simple and it's just practise dude.

rubadub

ChapOfDRyans wrote: »

Whats the best way of building up so i can do 20-30 in a min or so,at the moment im pretty poor at them.

Is this for some particular fitness test?

You can do them against a wall or put your hands on the steps of your stairs to make them easier so you can increase your reps.

I used to do 50 every morning, with practise you can get good quickly. If it is a time limit you are working against then practise using your momentum,get a rhythm going, usually people will advise against it since it is "cheating", i.e. making it easy. But if you are doing a test it doesn't matter.

ChapOfDRyans

Thanks so it seems its just pratise practise practise:(:( lol

Again thanks for your help

eroo

ChapOfDRyans wrote: »

Thanks so it seems its just pratise practise practise:(:( lol

Again thanks for your help

I'm guessing you are looking at push ups for Defence Forces AFT?

As already posted, do as many in 1 min as you can. Repeat several times. You should see improvement in no time! BUT make sure you ALWAYS have proper form!!

Also, start using free weights. That way you can strengthen your shoulders, chest and arms. Also sit ups. This way you are strengthening the muscles used in the push up.

As for running, I had my own system. Slow progress, but little chance of injury. Increase distance of run by 1k a week.

Hop that helps!:)

brianthebard

http://hundredpushups.com/index.html
I think this programme is pretty good, push ups are a good exercise but often people don't have a structure for them. Maybe include planks and side planks so you can hold yourself in the push position properly and keep good form. That will help you do more push ups as well. Also don't forget there are variations like diamond push ups (hands under chest/face that makes a diamond shape) or feet/hands on a bench/chair/swiss ball to make it harder or easier depending on what you need.

tribulus

From my own experience I had never trained pushups at all but regularly benched, shoulder pressed and did other similiar exercises. When it came to push ups I found I could easily do 50 at a time and I was probably heavier than the average person at around 90kg. When it came to the actual entry test obviously it was only 20 in a minute but it was a complete doddle.

Now obviously the best way to get better at something is to practise it often, you don't swim if you want to get better at running, you don't play rugby if you want to get better at football etc but the above was just my experience and is something to consider if you find yourself plateauing on a push up program.