Wow, push ups, and crunches are killing me!

[MonarchX]

Been going to the gym for the last 9 months, lifting right, eating right. I can only do about 25 of proper push ups, and only 15 crunches. In the gym, I can do 30 crunches with 120lbs weight on (nobody else I know there can do that).

So, should I integrate push ups, crunches (normal, machine-less), pull ups, and stand ups into my routine? They wear me out quicker than ANY weight!

[MT!]

i don't get it. you can only do 15 crunches...but then at the gym you can do 30 with 120 pounds? do you mean you can only do 15 real crunches but on the crunch machine you can do 30 with 120? or did you mean you use to only be able to do 15 and now you can do 30?

i'm a little confused. please clarify.

oh and also what is your routine that you want to incorporate this stuff into? you said you can do 30 crunches, which is cool, but you never really elaborated on your workout regiment. so maybe you could explain what it is you do when you go to the gym so that we could better understand if added sit-ups and push-ups would be a good idea. i mean i don't think it's ever a bad idea. if you want to go for it. you just weren't very specific.

[BigMace255]

Been going to the gym for the last 9 months, lifting right, eating right. I can only do about 25 of proper push ups, and only 15 crunches. In the gym, I can do 30 crunches with 120lbs weight on (nobody else I know there can do that).

So, should I integrate push ups, crunches (normal, machine-less), pull ups, and stand ups into my routine? They wear me out quicker than ANY weight!

Is this like all you do? Push-ups, crunches, and weighted crunches? I just don't understand in general, kind of the same question as the guy above me.

[MonarchX]

i don't get it. you can only do 15 crunches...but then at the gym you can do 30 with 120 pounds? do you mean you can only do 15 real crunches but on the crunch machine you can do 30 with 120? or did you mean you use to only be able to do 15 and now you can do 30?

i'm a little confused. please clarify.

oh and also what is your routine that you want to incorporate this stuff into? you said you can do 30 crunches, which is cool, but you never really elaborated on your workout regiment. so maybe you could explain what it is you do when you go to the gym so that we could better understand if added sit-ups and push-ups would be a good idea. i mean i don't think it's ever a bad idea. if you want to go for it. you just weren't very specific.

Thats right. I can do 30 120lbs push ups on the crunch machine in the gym. Machine-less crunches (when you just lay on the floor) I can do only 15lbs. And YES, I do machine crunches properly. Its supposedly the best machine for abs EVER since all the people are like "OMG, I can feel my abs BURN" and its like that for me. However, normal flor crunches give me WAY more of a burn when I do them. Its not as hard to perform, but it burns way more (and I do it slow, breath proplerly).

Is this like all you do? Push-ups, crunches, and weighted crunches? I just don't understand in general, kind of the same question as the guy above me.

No, I never do them. I have a well designed weight lifting routine and the only weightless exercise I perform is pull ups on the bicep day.

This is why I asked in the first place...why would someone who was lifting for so long have problems doing push ups?

I mean, I do lift as much as I can, which is about 130lbs bench, 70lbs bicep curl, 120lbs ab crunch, and 215lbs squats.

[Vinny_Au]

yeh doing push ups in diffrent angles is reall good for you to (i.e elavated) also if you put to chairs or benches on either side of you and elvate yourself and do pushups thats even better, at the end of the set you can try hold the position for as long as you (static contraction) it really kills you.

[Olifter]

A bench isn't the same as a push up, when you're doing a push up you have to support your whole body during the lift, on the benchpress, the bench supports your body, the push up actually works more muscles i reckon. And just to point something out, you are weight training, not weightlifting.

[Dominik]

You want a real pump all over and a shock for your body? Set your stopwatch and time yourself doing pushups as quickly as you can, but properly. I always aim for 100 in around a minute. Rest for a few minutes then do it again. It feels amazing as you work your way up in numbers. That and boxing is all the cardio I need. Sure beats the boring old treadmill and even jogging and you can do them at home.

Btw, I only started doing so many because I thought it'd be embarrassing looking like I worked out hard but not be able to drop to the floor and pump out 50 pushups if asked (which I'll admit was hard at first since I hardly ever went past 15 reps of bench at the gym). Every day I did them I managed to do an extra 5-10 and then went for sheer pace to make it a good cardio workout.