Push ups & stomach fat?

running the roads · 02-04-2014 08:18PM #1

Hi my stomach protrudes a bit in a running top or t-shirt, despite not being overweight and very fit. The sales assistant and former olympian said that push ups would help tone my tummy and remove this appearance, would it does anyone know? have never really been able to do push ups and neglected this area of my body. Advice appreciated.
Thanks

Doug Cartel · 02-04-2014 08:26PM

There is nothing in particular about push ups that will remove fat from your midsection any more than any other exercise.

Alf Veedersane · 02-04-2014 08:27PM

running the roads wrote: »

Hi my stomach protrudes a bit in a running top or t-shirt, despite not being overweight and very fit. The sales assistant and former olympian said that push ups would help tone my tummy and remove this appearance, would it does anyone know? have never really been able to do push ups and neglected this area of my body. Advice appreciated.
Thanks

No one exercise will reduce fat in any particular place.

Improved diet and some more exercise will help reduce overall bodyfat and that's the only way you will reduce the bit of a tummy.

Mellor · 03-04-2014 02:25AM

running the roads wrote: »

Hi my stomach protrudes a bit in a running top or t-shirt, despite not being overweight and very fit. The sales assistant and former olympian said that push ups would help tone my tummy and remove this appearance, would it does anyone know? have never really been able to do push ups and neglected this area of my body. Advice appreciated.
Thanks

It's most likely excess fat, even if you aren't what would be considered "overweight".
Push ups won't target the belly, no exercise will. And if you aren't really able to do push ups, then you'll be far less effect than general exercise for burning energy.

I'm a bit curious by former olympian sales assistant. Very bizarre advice from him.

03-04-2014 08:58AM

As already said, nothing is going to strip fat off one particular part of your body. But if you do want to tone up the muscle in that area, some simple pilates exercises could help. Even just some planking and twisting could help.

Or you could buy bigger clothes.

generic2012 · 03-04-2014 09:38AM

Hate to break it to you but if you can't do a push up you probably are overweight.

Typer Monkey · 03-04-2014 11:15AM

generic2012 wrote: »

Hate to break it to you but if you can't do a push up you probably are overweight.

Not necessarily. It just means he has terrible upper body strength.

To get rid of the belly fat you need to eat a calorie deficit. If you want to improve your upper body strength just start doing push-ups. Start with however many you can manage and do them every day/second day and you'll gradually get better..like anything else really

LuckyLloyd · 03-04-2014 11:17AM

generic2012 wrote: »

Hate to break it to you but if you can't do a push up you probably are overweight.

Hmm, I know plenty of women weighing healthily who would be unable to do a proper form full pushup. I doubt Mo Farrah's max unbroken pushup number is particularly impressive either.

I'm fat but I can still bang out a few pushups. The movement requires and helps develop upper body pushing strength and core control (when done properly).

TommyKnocker · 03-04-2014 01:57PM

Can I just ask, isn't there some postural abnormality, Anterior pelvic tilt? which I believe is not that uncommon and think can give the appearance of a "pot bely"?

Might be another reason rather than carrying more body fat then you think as advised above. Your GP or possibly a Physio might be able to check this for you.

loveisdivine · 03-04-2014 02:07PM

TommyKnocker wrote: »

Can I just ask, isn't there some postural abnormality, Anterior pelvic tilt? which I believe is not that uncommon and think can give the appearance of a "pot bely"?

Might be another reason rather than carrying more body fat then you think as advised above. Your GP or possibly a Physio might be able to check this for you.

Hyper Lordosis. I suffer from it a myself. Not extreme, but enough thats its always pointed out by my doctor. There are certain stretches/exercises that help correct it. Stretching the hip flexors is a big part of it.

Brian? · 03-04-2014 02:31PM

generic2012 wrote: »

Hate to break it to you but if you can't do a push up you probably are overweight.

That's nonsense.

jane82 · 03-04-2014 02:56PM

I can go from having a small pot belly to little or no belly depending on how much bread and chips I ate in the few days before. Its more bloating than anything else I think. If you tense up and can still grab bits you more than likely just eat a little more and exercise a little less than it takes to achieve your idea of your perfect body.
I would start with all types of upper body and lower body exercises. The more you do the more fat will be burned off the belly. It wont happen overnight. I would also try make cuts to any heavy carby food you eat. Lower the portions of things like bread potatoes biscuits cake pasta rice chips etc etc.
Of course you need some carbs but if you have a bigger belly than you want you more than likely eat too many.

rubadub · 03-04-2014 03:21PM

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

No one exercise will reduce fat in any particular place.

I don't think the advice as given as a means of spot reducing fat.

I think it was more along these lines

TommyKnocker wrote: »

Can I just ask, isn't there some postural abnormality, Anterior pelvic tilt? which I believe is not that uncommon and think can give the appearance of a "pot bely"?

I also remember hearing the late Gerry Ryan going on about some ab device he was using and saying something along the lines of the somewhat developed muscle holding in fat better. Now I am not saying this is true or false, but I have heard similar ideas since then too, how developed ab muscles might hold in the gut. Certainly on "embarrassing bodies" there was a woman with damaged or torn ab muscles after pregnancy who had a belly due to it, and got surgery on the muscles.

Doug Cartel · 03-04-2014 03:29PM

rubadub wrote: »

I also remember hearing the late Gerry Ryan going on about some ab device he was using and saying something along the lines of the somewhat developed muscle holding in fat better.

More developed abdominal muscles might do a better job of holding in viceral fat (the fat under the muscles) but if you've got a lot of viceral fat in your abdominal cavity, you would be better off trying to get rid of that fat, as it's really, really unhealthy stuff.

Alf Veedersane · 03-04-2014 03:33PM

If it's anterior pelvic tilt, I'm not sure push ups would necessarily be the best exercises.

And if it's strengthening the abs or core, push ups wouldn't be the first exercise that springs to mind.

Just sounds like odd advice, but maybe that's just because there's a bit of chinese whispers about the OP in relation to what might have been said exactly.

Dietsquirt · 03-04-2014 03:38PM

OP, as someone mentioned earlier in the thread, you can't target fat loss in a particular part of your body. In fact your stomach area would probably be the last place fat will be burned. To lose fat, which is the hardest part of getting in to shape, is to be at a caloric deficit.
What does that mean? You need to be burning more calories than you are eating.

Watch what you eat, it's easy to omit some stuff from your diet; Ie: Chose ryvita over bread, chicken over pork etc..

I wouldn't worry too much about push-ups/sit-ups. Just run/cycle/elliptical machine in the gym <-- great cardio exercise imo.

If you can do the above 3/4 times a week for 30 mins and pay attention to what you eat (no burger king!) you should notice it dwindling away.

When you say 'very fit' could you clarify?

There's no right or wrong answer, that's just my opinion. Good luck.

generic2012 · 03-04-2014 04:35PM

Typer Monkey wrote: »

Not necessarily. It just means he has terrible upper body strength.

I know not necessarily that's why I said probably.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Hmm, I know plenty of women weighing healthily who would be unable to do a proper form full pushup. I doubt Mo Farrah's max unbroken pushup number is particularly impressive either.

I didn't know OP was a woman if they are then it obviously wouldn't be as high a probability. Interesting thought about Mo Farrah's max unbroken pushup number, I doubt that Sonia O'Sullivan can deadlift 300kg.

OP, If you're 'not overweight' and your 'very fit', then **** what some sales assistant thinks about you, don't let it worry you.

Celly Smunt · 03-04-2014 08:15PM

Squats squats squats! The key to fat burning in terms of non-cardio based exercises.

GenieOz · 03-04-2014 08:20PM

Celly Smunt wrote: »

Squats squats squats! The key to fat burning in terms of non-cardio based exercises.

Why do you think that?

I'd imagine the initial advice was given in that push ups are a core exercise so will tighten up the stomach muscles and give the appearance of it being less fatty.

brownej · 03-04-2014 08:27PM

GenieOz wrote: »

Why do you think that?

I'd imagine the initial advice was given in that push ups are a core exercise so will tighten up the stomach muscles and give the appearance of it being less fatty.

If you read enough threads around here you will find that someone at some stage will provide "Squats" as the answer to the question.

GenieOz · 03-04-2014 08:28PM

brownej wrote: »

If you read enough threads around here you will find that someone at some stage will provide "Squats" as the answer to the question.

Ah right, insidey type joke, fair enough

Squats do bring on a serious burn though .

running the roads · 03-04-2014 08:31PM

She advised me not to purchase a certain sport shirt because it gave me the appearance of having a small belly....otherwise a good fit, she said that the forementioned exercise would reduce this appearance and she's a former Olympian.

I do have a curvature of the spine, there's quite a bad hollow in my back immediately behind my abdomen, I mean if I was to stand against the wall, I've ran a marathon in the past year, but have never been able to do push ups or press ups, maybe with the right technique, I could, but it's always been a struggle, I would like to improve upper body strength without being muscular though, because I'm as weak as they come.....

generic2012 · 03-04-2014 08:34PM

running the roads wrote: »

I could, but it's always been a struggle, I would like to improve upper body strength without being muscular though, because I'm as weak as they come.....

Don't worry about getting muscular by improving upper body strength. There are lots of people who actually try to get muscular and can't do it!

Slydice · 03-04-2014 09:19PM

running the roads wrote: »

She advised me not to purchase a certain sport shirt because it gave me the appearance of having a small belly....otherwise a good fit, she said that the forementioned exercise would reduce this appearance and she's a former Olympian.

I do have a curvature of the spine, there's quite a bad hollow in my back immediately behind my abdomen, I mean if I was to stand against the wall, I've ran a marathon in the past year, but have never been able to do push ups or press ups, maybe with the right technique, I could, but it's always been a struggle, I would like to improve upper body strength without being muscular though, because I'm as weak as they come.....

I found it hard at the start too. The advice I read on the internet was to give as much of a try as I could. Doesn't matter how little a person can do. It worked for me.

If you can only do one quarter of a push up, then do that. Do it 3 more times in an hour. Get some good sleep (min 7 hours, max 9)

Do the same the next day and the same for 6 more days.

Then try doing one half of a push up again 4 times in an hour for 7 days.

Then keep going up like that, three quarters of a push up, one whole push up, one and a half push ups etc...

If you find yourself able for more then try.

The main thing is try and then to keep trying. If your muscles aren't used to the work, you'll have to slowly build them up. Each time you try, you send the message to the muscles that you need them and they listen. After you work them and then rest (healthy food and sleep), they repair and come back a little bit stronger.

Good luck!

Mellor · 04-04-2014 02:22AM

Dietsquirt wrote: »

Watch what you eat, it's easy to omit some stuff from your diet; Ie: Chose ryvita over bread, chicken over pork etc..

What wrong with a lean cut of pork?

generic2012 wrote: »

I didn't know OP was a woman if they are then it obviously wouldn't be as high a probability. Interesting thought about Mo Farrah's max unbroken pushup number, I doubt that Sonia O'Sullivan can deadlift 300kg.

What are you trying to say here?
The other posters were saying a lack of strength could be down to be skinny, and not being over weight. If anything the above backs up their point, not your own.

GenieOz wrote: »

I'd imagine the initial advice was given in that push ups are a core exercise so will tighten up the stomach muscles and give the appearance of it being less fatty.

Push ups focus on the chest not the stomach.

generic2012 · 04-04-2014 09:49AM

Mellor wrote: »

What wrong with a lean cut of pork?

generic2012 wrote: »

I didn't know OP was a woman if they are then it obviously wouldn't be as high a probability. Interesting thought about Mo Farrah's max unbroken pushup number, I doubt that Sonia O'Sullivan can deadlift 300kg.

What are you trying to say here?
The other posters were saying a lack of strength could be down to be skinny, and not being over weight. If anything the above backs up their point, not your own.

My point is that how many push ups Mo Farrah can do continuously is totally irrelevant the point at hand.

GenieOz · 04-04-2014 10:51AM

Mellor wrote: »

Push ups focus on the chest not the stomach.

They're also a very good core workout. Plank would be a better one to do but two for one with a proper push up.

Alf Veedersane · 04-04-2014 10:53AM

GenieOz wrote: »

They're also a very good core workout. Plank would be a better one to do but two for one with a proper push up.

Done properly, yes.

But most people don't engage their core properly doing a push up and a few reps in look like they're somewhere between a push-up and dry humping the ground.

LuckyLloyd · 04-04-2014 11:14AM

generic2012 wrote: »

My point is that how many push ups Mo Farrah can do continuously is totally irrelevant the point at hand.

It is relevant to your contention that 'cannot do pushup = overweight'. Your statement was simply incorrect, that's all.

generic2012 · 04-04-2014 11:20AM

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It is relevant to your contention that 'cannot do pushup = overweight'. Your statement was simply incorrect, that's all.

I said if you can't do one push up you're probably overweight, I never said it was equal to it, I'd appreciate if you didn't put words in my mouth to suit your argument. How many push-ups you can do continuously is a totally different thing from whether you can do a single push-up or not. If you're saying that being overweight is not the most common reason for not being able to do one push up, then what is the most common cause/most probable reason?

LuckyLloyd · 04-04-2014 11:26AM

generic2012 wrote: »

I said if you can't do one push up you're probably overweight, I never said it was equal to it, I'd appreciate if you didn't put words in my mouth to suit your argument. How many push-ups you can do continuously is a totally different thing from whether you can do a single push-up or not. If you're saying that being overweight is not the most common reason for not being able to do one push up, then what is the most common cause/most probable reason?

Insufficient upper body muscle mass.

Push ups & stomach fat?

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