Best way to gain push-up strengh?need help plz

[master_no_name]

ok, this may seem dumb but anyways, i can bench a decent weight (i dunno max though) but now i wanted to join the reserve for part time job (nice pay) and experience. And u have this stupid test were u gotta do 19 p-ups and 19 sit ups and a few other things so i laugh it off. but now i realize p-ups are not at all like benching (arms right under the shoulders, i do it a bit farther usually).
and i cant do NINETEEN!!!!!!!!WTF?
so i need a way to boost my numbers (well actually i only do ten and then im bored.....for real, but i coudnt do 19 i think, unless im REALLY pumped up for it).
should i just keep doing sum till i can do more? o put weights on my back?

[Teflon]

Do them FAST, you can do more than 19, just don't give in.

pz

[Ruthless4Life]

I actually never had this problem.

BUT, I know you can always do push ups in your chest routine. I remember one time before I worked out I couldn't even do ONE push up. But, I worked really hard on JUST doing push ups, and eventually I could do a lot, combining with lifting 15lbs dumbbells that I have. I don't know why but I think dumbbells are good for push up strength. Also make sure your abs/back are strong. By the age 14 I could do 50 push ups. MAN that's a long time ago.

Ruthless

[master_no_name]

yeah, i never though b-press was so diff. i never did em before, always deemed them as useless and too easy for me....BANG!!!!! in my face it goes......
ok, ill try faster i guess.thnx

[nogenius]

For me, push-ups are a lot about willpower.

[firstmark]

If you need to do a certain number of pushups you could try doing partials. By doing these I mean doing pushups with a board or some other device resting on the groudn that stops the motion. As you get stronger you make the board thinner and thinner until you are doing x number of pushups with chest touching the ground. You could also combine knee pushups and feet pushups such as 10 on feet then 10 on knees then every week do one more on feet so you are always doing 20 total or more and slowly increasing your pushups on feet number.

Really consistant hand spacing and rep speed is very necessary to be able to be sure if you are progressing or not. Also weigh yourself to make sure weight differences are not a reason for rep gains or loss week to week.

[master_no_name]

wow, thnx, but whT DO u mean by the board thing? u mean just putting somehing tat will make me not go all the way down?

[Rob85]

perform them off the wall
box push ups - get into full push up position and drop knees to floor, pivot from knees
normal push ups
inclined push ups - put ur feet on a chair or summat

these r the different levels of push ups we teach

i when fitness testing someone, u put ur fist on the floor and they hav to come right down an touch it doing as many as they can

[Teflon]

Make sure you stretch GOOD and loosin' up your joints before you get down and attempt a bunch of pushups.

pz

[firstmark]

yes by board thing just using something to make the distance between you and the floor on your pushups variable.

Also if I had to do a certain amount I would check to see what kind of form is passable for them.