Benching heavy but push-ups are hard??

[Dan666]

I don't get this. I can bench up to 120 pounds on a machine but when it actually comes to push-ups, I suck at them. It's as if all of that benching on the machines has done me no good in making a push-up easier or gaining me any muscle muscle. I did go from 80-120 pounds in the bench press on the machine though...

How come push-ups are still hard?

[whitely]

I don't get this. I can bench up to 120 pounds on a machine but when it actually comes to push-ups, I suck at them. It's as if all of that benching on the machines has done me no good in making a push-up easier or gaining me any muscle muscle. I did go from 80-120 pounds in the bench press on the machine though...

How come push-ups are still hard?

You should use push-up machine, than u'd see results of your hard work.

[DanishJordan]

If you want to get better at push ups then practice push ups.

This. If you wanted to be a better runner, you would run. Push ups are no different.

[Wildtim]

The machine does not actually force you to move 120#'s. you don't have to balance it, you might not even be moving all of it because of cam action or let of.

If you claim a 120# bench it has to be a free bar on a normal bench press. By the way don't try it with 120 right off you can't do that yet either because you have never had to balance the weight you have don't have the development to move that kind of weight.

[bunty82]

U didn't wrote you age and the number of push ups you do.
I have seen lots of bodybuilders who lift heavy like 220 pounds or more but they suck on push ups its like endurance excercise. You wont be able to do it untill you really do it .
Start doing it and increase 2 pushs every week i am sure u will do gr8 in time.

[scottaii]

The machine does not actually force you to move 120#'s. you don't have to balance it, you might not even be moving all of it because of cam action or let of.

If you claim a 120# bench it has to be a free bar on a normal bench press. By the way don't try it with 120 right off you can't do that yet either because you have never had to balance the weight you have don't have the development to move that kind of weight.

+1, Want to be good at push up, Keep doing pushups

[Zschnack]

It's all about practice. If you want to be better at push ups, maybe use dumbbells instead of a barbell or machine. I can bench 150 around 3-5 times and can only do about 10 push ups in a row. It wasn't until recently that I even started trying to do them.

[Cappie31]

What they said about using that machine, you naturally over compensate with one side or the other.
Something i have learned also... building up your pushups will increase your benching, but it doesnt work the other way around. Like Bunty said, its more an endurance exercise.
If you really want to boost your strength. Search the forums for "Pyramid set".
I posted a pushup / chinup routine that is awesome for just this.

[tyltong123]

you didn't mention how much you weigh. if you can't bench your own weight for reps you can forget about doing a lot of push ups and machines are misleading. the pulleys on the machines decrease the actual weight. why no use free weight like everyone else said and and increase your reps to build up stamina and endurance.

[SirKonstantine]

Why do you want to do pushups? Is it because you need to pass your APFT or one of the other branches's physical fitness test?

I weight 135 and can just about bench my weight but pushups are easy for me since the most I ever did on my APFT was 101. I realize that if I did wide arm pushups, It would be much more energy efficient since my arms had to move less to perform a correct pushups. It also saves time since less movement is required.

That is about the basic secret, there are 2 other things that I can't really be able to describe in words. hope this helps.

[sbowesuk]

you didn't mention how much you weigh. if you can't bench your own weight for reps you can forget about doing a lot of push ups and machines are misleading. the pulleys on the machines decrease the actual weight. why no use free weight like everyone else said and and increase your reps to build up stamina and endurance.

1. Bench press =/= push-up. The exercises may have their similarities, but they also have stark differences. Stating "if you can't do X with bench press, you can't to Y with push-ups" is a tad foolish and ignorant.

2. Push-ups =/= 100% BW (Body Weight).

Test point 2 for yourself. Grab a set of accurate scales, weigh yourself, then go into a regular push-up position with the scales under your hands. My personal findings were as follows:

Arms straight with body at top of movement = 72% BW on the hands.

Arms bent with body at bottom of movement = 83% BW on the hands.

Obviously the missing BW % is travelling through the feet, and the increase in load on the hands at the bottom of the movement is due to the change in overall body angle, which alters the weight distribution. These aren't factors with the bench press, ergo they are different exercises and thus should be treated as such.

[s_stumbo]

I don't get this. I can bench up to 120 pounds on a machine but when it actually comes to push-ups, I suck at them. It's as if all of that benching on the machines has done me no good in making a push-up easier or gaining me any muscle muscle. I did go from 80-120 pounds in the bench press on the machine though...

How come push-ups are still hard?

You should do more push-ups and change your angles. Here is what I do on a chest workout day. It will help with push-ups and your bench.

Diamond Push-Ups
Incline Push-Up
Regular Width Push-Up
Close Width Push-Up
Wide Width Push-Up

Do two sets of each and shoot for 10-15 good steady reps. You'll be surprised if you do this three times a week for a month. Good luck!

[pumplikecuming]

Push ups work different fibers. So does db press, and barbell bench, and machine press. Your body functions as a unit...each exercise is a new neural input and your body has to learn the movement. Its like saying I play football and am athletic, why do I suck at basketball.