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Why can't I do pushups anymore?

Dorri732 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:25:10 -0800

What happened to my pushups? I had gotten to where 50 pushups were relatively easy, stopped for 2 weeks, and now struggle to do 15. Of course there's more. I noticed when trying to do pushups now, that i'm lopsided - that is, my right arm is doing more work than my left. also, after pushups, when my pecs are somewhat pumped up, my left pec is noticably flatter than my right.

During the 2 week period when I wasn't working out at all, nothing happened that would explain this, but i did start noticing a tingling in my left hand periodically. This still continues, but repositioning my left arm makes it stop.

Background info: I'm a 35 year old male, healthy as an ox, otherwise. ~175 pounds, 5'9" tall.

I know you aren't my doctor, but any suggestions?

Uberup? Or uberdown

Geppp — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 19:29:15 -0800

Uber pushups? Or am I just kidding myself. Every night, about 3 hours after dinner, I usually do 120 pushups, three sets of 40, or four sets of 30, depending on how I feel that night. Recently, my a friend suggested that I put my legs up on something higher while doing them. So I did. I take my computer chair and crank it to the highest position and put my feet up there. Furthermore, I take two 1000+ page books and I put them on the floor where I put my hands, and put my hands on them. I go down to the point where my face touches the ground. I try an maintain good form (back straight, only toes touching the chair etc)

Now here's the question: It feels like this pushup is a lot tougher than a normal pushup. My arms elbow goes down to make an angle that is less that 90 degrees, and I'm a lot more tired after. (I can't even do the full 120 anymore). But, is this really a good idea? Am I actually benefiting from added resistance? Or even worse, could this be potentially damaging in any way?

HundredPushups + some pullups without overtraining?

sdis — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:52:17 -0800

How do I safely add other exercises to the 100 pushups workout on other days of the week? I'm on week 2 of the 100pushups plan that's been floating around the net lately, and I wanted to add at least pull-ups 2-3 days a week to my exercises regimen, as it seems a little unwise to just work one muscle set for a 7 week period. Am I setting myself for overtraining if I just alternate pushup and pullup days? (that's 6 days a week of lifting) If so, what's a better solution?

I don't really want to do pushups AND pullups on the same days; one of the reasons I decided to do this 100pushup thing is because it's fast and simple and doesn't involve me needing to walk 15 minutes to the park to find something I can do pull-ups with. (Granted if i do pull-ups on alternating days, that's still 3 days a week of going to the park but for whatever reason it's less of a mental barrier to tell myself that I'm just going to do a pyramid of pull-ups and go home than a pyramid of pull-ups plus anything else.)

Where's my pushup website gone?

prentiz — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:16:48 -0800

A website I was using has totally disappeared! What's happened to 100pushups.info, how can I get the crucial training programme back - or, can anyone recommend a substitute? Aargh! The website with the push up programme I've been using has totally disappeared - just as I was making good progress with it!!

I can find some of the pages in the google cache - but not the crucial one with the programme on- or any contacts. Looking at the domain registration it looks like someone might have grabbed the domain recently...

Any suggestions at all on how I can get my hands on the programme or contact the original site owner would be much appreciated.

Failing which, can anyone reccomend a good, progressive, push up programme to bolt onto my other, more cardio, exercise regime?

Help a weakling achieve her first push-up!

geekgirl397 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:25:15 -0800

I'm a 35 yr old female, 5'6", 120lbs, in good general shape (walk loads, work out) who has never been able to achieve a single-push up. It's a key move to many of the workouts I want to do, but most strength-building programs assume that even the weakest can do at least one. What should I do? I want to include yoga and pilates in my routine, but the yoga "chaturanga" pose escapes me, making it hard to do "sun salutations" which are the core of many routines. Part of my routine is the interactive game "Yourself Fitness" on the PS/2 - this features fitness tests every 10 workouts, which include pushups as a measure. I just sit them out and enter fake info, which is frustrating.

I am in good general health. I walk between 15 and 20 miles a week and do yoga/pilates/weight routines for 30 mins about 3 times a week (hoping to ramp up to more). In the past, I've devoted a lot of time to staying fit, and for several years worked out six days a week for at least 45 mins, once a week with a trainer for an hour. Even at my fittest, I was unable to do a single push-up. I could/can do chest presses, flys, etc. with lightish weights. I can hold the yoga "plank" position and "side plank" for a decent amount of time.

I am thinking of finding a yoga teacher and getting an individual lesson to see if that helps me finally get chaturanga, but I don't have a lot of time/money and I don't currently know of a teacher I trust. (Also, gym trainers and yoga/pilates class teachers in the past have not been able to teach me to do a push up or achieve chaturanga.)

Has anybody else out here had this problem? I feel like a freak. Has anyone been able to overcome it? How? Are there any "tricks" or tips that might help me to do my very first push up, and work up from there?

Physics Question

517 — Thu, 25 May 2006 10:58:23 -0800

Simple physics question. If I do a push-up with both feet and both hands on the ground each point in contact with the ground supports 1/4 of my weight. So if I do a push-up with two hand and only one foot on the ground is each of the points in contact with the ground then supporting 1/3 of my weight, and through that have I effectively increased the weight that my arms will be lifting?