Can't do a push up

[yunggod24]

Can I use light dumbbells to build strength to be able to do push ups, or should I just stick to knee push ups?

[Farley1324]

Can I use light dumbbells to build strength to be able to do push ups, or should I just stick to knee push ups?

Either, or both

[Vandeman17]

Either but if it were me I would stick with doing them from your knees mainly.

[whatwhat11]

Update: so found out today that my lower back pain was caused by a really tight core and glutes. Went to the PT who helped release all the tension in more core/glutes/hamstrings and i literally could bend down again without much issue.

PT has given me a greenlight to go to the gym, so I might consider doing some upper body workouts now.

Apart from deadlifts/squats, are there any exercises I should avoid that puts strain on your lower back?

[whatwhat11]

Update: so found out today that my lower back pain was caused by a really tight core and glutes. Went to the PT who helped release all the tension in more core/glutes/hamstrings and i literally could bend down again without much issue.

PT has given me a greenlight to go to the gym, so I might consider doing some upper body workouts now.

Apart from deadlifts/squats, are there any exercises I should avoid that puts strain on your lower back?d

[supramax]

Can I use light dumbbells to build strength to be able to do push ups, or should I just stick to knee push ups?

Neither. The beautiful thing about push ups is that you can make them as hard or as easy as you want; you just vary the angle, off a wall or table etc. It's also helpful to just hold the push up plank position without any movement.

[Farley1324]

Neither. The beautiful thing about push ups is that you can make them as hard or as easy as you want; you just vary the angle, off a wall or table etc. It's also helpful to just hold the push up plank position without any movement.

Well...I don't know that you can make them as hard as you want. What do you need to do to make a pushup for a say a 200 lb guy the equivalent of bench pressing 250+ pounds? As a practical matter you can only make them so hard, and that falls far short of a barbell or dumbell based exercise

[supramax]

Well...I don't know that you can make them as hard as you want. What do you need to do to make a pushup for a say a 200 lb guy the equivalent of bench pressing 250+ pounds? As a practical matter you can only make them so hard, and that falls far short of a barbell or dumbell based exercise

Aside from the fact that push ups are done in a plank, what I said was very clear.

[Farley1324]

Aside from the fact that push ups are done in a plank, what I said was very clear.

Well, you said that you can make push-ups as hard as you want, buuuut you kind of can't

[supramax]

Well, you said that you can make push-ups as hard as you want, buuuut you kind of can't

Yes, you can. Think about it. Don't compare it to a bench press.

[Farley1324]

Yes, you can. Think about it. Don't compare it to a bench press.

I did think about it, and posted as much lol. That's the thing, you can't compare it to the fundamental, loadable, scale-able exercises that are best at building strength and muscle because of the limitations.

If you want to build strength, access to appropriate equipment or a gym is superior to doing pushups with your feet on the couch.

[supramax]

I did think about it, and posted as much lol. That's the thing, you can't compare it to the fundamental, loadable, scale-able exercises that are best at building strength and muscle because of the limitations.

If you want to build strength, access to appropriate equipment or a gym is superior to doing pushups with your feet on the couch.

Are you ever wrong!

[Farley1324]

Are you ever wrong! [IMG]http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e262/kowtaaia/Ring-Push-Ups_zpsst5sd5iw.jpg[IMG]

Yeah...this totally applies to the OP. Just keep telling him he can accomplish something doing push-ups with his feet on the couch and doesn't need proper equipment or to go to a gym lol

[supramax]

Yeah...this totally applies to the OP. Just keep telling him he can accomplish something doing push-ups with his feet on the couch and doesn't need proper equipment or to go to a gym lol

No. The OP has already been responded to and was given (my original post on this thread) the best way to progress in strength in order to do regular push ups. Our conversation is about your objection to my statement that push ups can be made 'as hard as you want'. They can be. Case closed.

[Farley1324]

No. The OP has already been responded to and was given (my original post on this thread) the best way to progress in strength in order to do regular push ups. Our conversation is about your objection to my statement that push ups can be made 'as hard as you want'. They can be. Case closed.

Is that really a push up?

[kwong486]

Guys, your arguments are beside the point.

On another note, OP, my girlfriend used to be UNABLE to do a single regular push up. She resorted to knee push ups, and just continued doing that as her program prescribed. Within a month she was able to start doing regular push ups, supplemented with knee push ups.

So knee push ups will eventually get you there, theoretically. But if your program calls for dumbbells or barbell bench press, then go ahead and supplement your push ups with those activities.

[Garage Rat]

I use to work at a small high school as the S&C coach and took a kid from zero push ups to 30 full reps with about six months training.
Yes, knee push ups full range if you can do them and we also did board push ups like board presses on the bench press.
So trying to work up to 10 reps at a specific board height(usually start with three 2x4,or 2x6 boards stacked) before dropping to a lesser height.
Also did frequent push ups throughout the week with varying volume(greasing the groove).
Also did hard style planks to strengthen the core so there were no saggy push ups.
This method works but you have to be consistent with it and make the push up a primary goal in your training.