Push-Ups - HELP!!!!

[ladycop]

I am training to attend basic law enforcement class and I will be required to do 40 regular push-ups before I can get in. I have very good muscle size in my arms and I am strong but I cannot get enough push-ups in. I am working out with free weights and doing as many push ups as I can...which can be 20 or less depending on the day. I am supplementing with Whey protein drinks, flax seed oil, GNC women's multi-vitamin, B-complex vitamin, Vitamin E, Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplement and Bee Pollen. I am going to get L-Glutimine today and start mixing that in with my drinks. I only drink water and orange juice, occassionally a beer and iced tea. If anyone has any suggestions on how I can improve my push-ups I would greatly appreciate it. I have 5 weeks to get the required 40 in. I am running and working out as often as I can.

[svelt4]

What is your time frame? Did you just start doing pushups? They can be difficult at first--your strength needs to improve if you can only do 20 and it sounds like you are working on that--how long do you have? Only supp I know to increase strength in short time is creatine but I really don't know how quickly it would work--I think time and consistancy will be your best friends!!!

[M(0)NSTER]

I am training to attend basic law enforcement class and I will be required to do 40 regular push-ups before I can get in. I have very good muscle size in my arms and I am strong but I cannot get enough push-ups in. I am working out with free weights and doing as many push ups as I can...which can be 20 or less depending on the day. I am supplementing with Whey protein drinks, flax seed oil, GNC women's multi-vitamin, B-complex vitamin, Vitamin E, Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplement and Bee Pollen. I am going to get L-Glutimine today and start mixing that in with my drinks. I only drink water and orange juice, occassionally a beer and iced tea. If anyone has any suggestions on how I can improve my push-ups I would greatly appreciate it. I have 5 weeks to get the required 40 in. I am running and working out as often as I can.

Before drowning yourself in all that crap, try working on your form 1st. This was the best thing I did for myself when I went through boot camp. Most people do push-up elbows out, thus putting stress on the shoulders and upper chest, leaving you in a terrible position as far as leverage is concerned.

Now...try this.

Try doing your push-up elbows in, at your sides. Your hands should be right at your sides, touching right below your breasts in a down position. This will make it a LOT easier to do push-up, as you will be using mostly your arms now.

[Paichka]

I disagree completely.

Close-Arm pushups are MUCH harder than wide-arm pushups, simply because your triceps will fatigue much more quickly than your chest will. Close-arm pushups are a lot easier for males -- all the guys in my unit do them this way, but the females have a really hard time with them. You're better off doing them the "regular" way, unless you have some wicked strong triceps.

Here's my recommendation -- on your chest days, throw in a set of 10 pushups in between each exercise. Like, do your sets of bench press, but before you move on to the incline press, do a set of a pushups. Pump out 10, even if you have to go to your knees. Repeat. Try to get up to 5 or 6 sets per workout. Then, before you go to bed every other night, knock out 40 pushups. Do as many as you can with proper form, then go to your knees.

I did that and it helped me for the Army Physical Fitness Test -- I regularly knock out 50+ during the 2 minutes of the pushup portion of the test.

Ultimately, the best thing to do is to do pushups. A lot of it is practicing the proper form and the rhythm -- do them in front of a mirror at your gym if you can.

cheers,
Sunny

[ironman1964bc]

I agree....close grip push ups not only make the push up longer but they rely on the triceps too much. A wide grip push up will not only shorten the push up but it uses the chest and shoulder muscles more, which are stronger than the arm muscles (especially for women)

To be good at push ups, you must do push ups. I know that sounds stupid but you won't believe how many people try to get good at a certain exercise by doing another exercise.

Try doing multiple sets at different times of the day without going to failure. Don't just do them in your workout but do them all day long. You won't get tired or sore as long as you don't go to failure. Doing them all the time will help you find the right groove.

Also, try doing them with a weight vest on or do them the way I used to when I was boxing. I would do them with my hands on cement blocks and that would make it alot harder because my hands were so high off the ground that the range of motion of the push up is alot longer. After doing those for a couple of weeks, a regular push up will feel like childs play. You will be rattling off 40 in your sleep. good luck

[ChocoChick]

Ultimately, the best thing to do is to do pushups.

Yep. What she said

[ironman1964bc]

I forgot to add that doing the push ups with your feet on a chair will help alot too. Weight vests, cement blocks, and feet on chairs all make push ups harder but will make regular push ups alot easier. In fact, regular push ups will feel so easy that you will just laugh at them.

[ladycop]

Thank you for the advice. I only have 5 weeks before the courses begin and I have already been working on these for about 2 months. I have made great improvements, going from 3-4 push-ups to 20. I appreciate the comments and suggestions and will work hard to accomplish the required 40. I would like to be able to squeeze out 50 so I am sure I can punch out those required 40. Thanks again!

[TigerAngelLeigh]

I found it easier to put my feet up on a sofa while doing push ups - I've read that it's harder that way, but I actually find it easier for balance and it has helped me improve my standard push ups.

[TurbulentFluid]

I got from 20 to 40 in about 2 weeks... Just for fun, my mum wanted to know if I could double it... I use them as warmup exercise. Now I can do about 45, but I'm not increasing. I keep my elbows wide; but sometimes I do them on my fists too (my wrists can handle about 20, tho). I always did 3-4 reps more per series, like:
day 1:
1x21
1x22
1x23
day 2:
1x23
1x25
1x26
etc.
It works, and the more you increase the bigger steps in increasing you can make.

Note: do them every day, and if it's your lifting day, do them first, and then go on with lifting.

[ladycop]

Thanks for all the advice. And the good news is that the Chief just told me and the other female officer that they are going to let us go to January's class so we have time to build up the push-ups since that is the area we both were having problems with. That gives me another 5 1/2 months to prepare which is plenty of time if I continue with my training, which I intend to do. Thanks again all of you and I'll be back on as I'm getting into all of this training. I used to work out regularly in my late teens and early twenties but once the kids arrived I kind of slacked off.....now I'm getting back on track and I love it! Best wishes to all.

[TurbulentFluid]

Good luck! Keep up the good work and keep visiting us...

[sapphic20]

when you do your push-ups, dont do them everyday; gotta give your muscles a rest....try to go up 5 to 10 push-ups every few days...itll work....