gym + pushups

[Obsidian]

hey quick question

If you're doing pushups on the days that you don't go to the gym, will that impair your muscles' ability to rest and repair in between gym visits? I've been doing 70 push-ups a day, and wondered it might be slowing my bench-pressing progress.

 

[Quiksilver]

Short answer, yes.

If you're doing any kind of chest workout, beit incline bench press of 315lbs, or 70 pushups, it's going to tax your chest. Put your push-ups and bench press lift at opposite ends of the week(eg. Monday bench press, Thursday pushups).

Out of curiosity, why are you doing push-ups? The barbell with heavy plates is where size/strength is bred.

Your body needs at least 48 hours rest after a workout, if you want any muscular growth.

 

[Obsidian]

I was doing the push-ups before I started going to the gym regularly; then I just kept doing them.

 

[Omen]

I do push-ups on chest days because for me it is a part of my chest workout. Now you hear people go... Who the hell does push-ups anymore? Well, people who know better.

I warm up with a 45lb plate on my back for say 8-10 reps, and then I go into my HEAVY 2-3 sets after.

115lb weighted push-ups. Have someone try that on for size. And i'll tell you now, there aren't many people to attempt it, little alone even the 45lbs. BUT you have to work your way up. I am very strong in that area, and I put it this way... I'm under 150lbs and I can push that up.

I've had guys 60lbs heavier than me pu*ss out on half that.

And for me, adding the push-ups really hits my chest.

So my suggestion is to stop with just plain ones unless you want to rep them after your sets. I'll usually rep 25 after I get done with the 2-3 weighted sets.

I'd start off with a 25lb plate (with spotter) and see what it is like. If it is to easy, try a 45lb. I use to have a 100lb flat plate in my old gym, but now I have to use 2 45lbs and a 10lb which becomes hard cause of balance, but someone is ALWAYS there every bit of the way.

 

[Charm]

I recommend doing them VERY SPARINGLY about 3 days after your chest day. The same goes for pullups actually. You can do pullups on a day besides your back day, just make sure its a few days between them. Go easy though and do different kinds of pushups, not just the standard.

 

[Omen]

I recommend doing them VERY SPARINGLY about 3 days after your chest day. The same goes for pullups actually. You can do pullups on a day besides your back day, just make sure its a few days between them. Go easy though and do different kinds of pushups, not just the standard.

You can, but pull-ups are a MAJOR back exercise, and i've known people that got an amazing back from them, and even before contest. Weighted pull-ups with a vest in fact is my VERY first exercise on back day. I couldn't imagine doing it any other day than with my back/shoulder routine. Love pull-ups.

Now sure, you dont want to do them all the time, but nothing wrong with doing them with back at all.

 

[icebox360]

i did push-ups for about year with no lifting wieghts and i almost look like ll cool J

 

[S-House]

I would actually say the answer could be either yes or no. Push-ups everyday may be ok for some individuals assuming they are taking in a pretty good amount of calories to help the muscles recover. More times than not though, doing push-ups everyday may lead to overtraining of the muscles. When this happens, you have to consider taking some time off from working your chest (maybe 1-2 weeks, but be sure to keep your protein high)

 

[Omen]

I would actually say the answer could be either yes or no. Push-ups everyday may be ok for some individuals assuming they are taking in a pretty good amount of calories to help the muscles recover. More times than not though, doing push-ups everyday may lead to overtraining of the muscles. When this happens, you have to consider taking some time off from working your chest (maybe 1-2 weeks, but be sure to keep your protein high)

Actually its going to be a NO period. Doing push-ups everyday would be like saying its ok to do pull-ups everyday. Now if you did one, ok yeah, who cares, but if your doing anything worthwhile, its not ok to be doing them every day, regardless of the person. Taking in enough calories and protein has nothing to do with it at all.

Your second part of your post is correct. And it would be more like... WILL lead to overtraining.

No one should be doing ANY exercise everyday. That would mean NO time for recovery period. So the answer would still be no, you shouldn't do them every day.

 

[onyx]

this question is like saying if I eat 20 eggs and a plate of pasta 5 minutes before dinner..will I still be able to eat a meal my obese momma cooked up for me

 

[S-House]

Actually its going to be a NO period. Doing push-ups everyday would be like saying its ok to do pull-ups everyday. Now if you did one, ok yeah, who cares, but if your doing anything worthwhile, its not ok to be doing them every day, regardless of the person. Taking in enough calories and protein has nothing to do with it at all.

Your second part of your post is correct. And it would be more like... WILL lead to overtraining.

No one should be doing ANY exercise everyday. That would mean NO time for recovery period. So the answer would still be no, you shouldn't do them every day.

I don't want to derail the post with a debate, but I still believe that by taking in enough calories (for example in a bulking phase) you could get away with the push ups. But honestly it really is pointless. There are far better things to do with your exercise time than push ups.

 

[bman]

I don't want to derail the post with a debate, but I still believe that by taking in enough calories (for example in a bulking phase) you could get away with the push ups. But honestly it really is pointless. There are far better things to do with your exercise time than push ups.

if you can do them 2 days in a row, you arent working the muscles enough if they dont need to repair. which makes it almost pointless. i say stick to the bench.

 

[Ricky]

Use your strenght at the gym as a guide. If you find your strength is decreasing from gym visit to gym visit, then something is causing that.

I do think that regular pushups are very good for building a bit more endurance in the tricep muscles.

I know one guy told me it helped him break a plateau in the bench. It seems his triceps were holding him back even when his chest was probably strong enough.

 

[Omen]

I don't want to derail the post with a debate, but I still believe that by taking in enough calories (for example in a bulking phase) you could get away with the push ups. But honestly it really is pointless. There are far better things to do with your exercise time than push ups.

Debates are fine and we enjoy them, but I dont think there is a debate for this topic. So you're saying if you crammed in enough calories that wold allow you to do more correct?

Is your theory that you will have more energy because of extra calories? Or your recovery time will be cut in half if you take in more calories?

To debate it you need a solid reason WHY you think taking in the calories will allow ones body to do this. You could double what you eat now, and that recovery time of what ever the time frame may be for the body will be that time frame.

There is no way I could do push-ups again after yesterday, and to also say there are better things to do with your time than push-ups makes me think you need to study up a little more and that the push-up is NOT something of the past. In fact, that's the sole reason my other chest exercises are climbing, as well as the push-up exercise. I set a new record of 115lb push-ups yesterday, and without doing them and starting off slow and increasing, i'd never be able to do those. Not only that, the flat DB bench is going up as well.

Your point about calories is only valid to an extent. You need to recover and you need nutrients, and that's given. If you didnt eat for 2 days would you recover as quick? NO, but if you eat 3,000cal per day and double to 6,000 do you think that you will be able to do push-ups everyday? No. The body still requires rest, and the muscles to repair themselves. Fatigue and lactate threshold and DOMS will not all of the sudden vanish by eating that much more I hate to say. For instance eccentric contractions may damage the basis structure of the muscle cell. Usually the Z-disk. DOMS range from 24-48hrs and can last 10 days. Increase in caloric intake doesn't change this.

 

[mrRuckus]

Who the hell does push-ups anymore? Well, people who know better.

Pretentious wordplay like this is why the backhand was invented.

 

[Omen]

Pretentious wordplay like this is why the backhand was invented.

"But honestly it really is pointless. There are far better things to do with your exercise time than push ups."

If people believe that, then more power to them I guess. Some people seem to think the push-up vanished in the 70s or 80s and that no one does it anymore.

Anyway, its one of the best chest workouts I get. Let people think what they
want I guess, what do I know. I'm stating this for everyone, and not just one poster.

It's like the person that comes up to you in the gym or stares and goes... Dude, your not wearing a belt for those squats? Ronnie Coleman does, so you should definitely be doing it, and he also uses a belt on his bench, so that's why I use it.

If people would ask WHY you do them, or... I thought no one did them, can you explain? But when you get... they are pointless and that there are better things to do with you time? Give me a break.

 

[icebox360]

Pushups are a great exercise; they don't get the credit they deserve. Anyone here who can do than 40 pushups in superset is probably lieing or doing them too fast...pushups WILL tone and strengthen the chest, triceps, and shoulders.

that's why i love push-ups it not only strengthing ur chest, but other things to

 

[Kev07]

Before I started hitting the gym I used to do two sets of 50 push ups every night.

a while later, i started getting lazy and did push ups every other day, I saw more results when I switched to every other day.

So my recommendation is to have rest days in between whatever you do.

 

[Omen]

Pushups are a great exercise; they don't get the credit they deserve. Anyone here who can do than 40 pushups in superset is probably lieing or doing them too fast...pushups WILL tone and strengthen the chest, triceps, and shoulders.

If I hadn't started doing weighted push-ups, i'd never be putting 115lbs of plates on my back now doing them. Never imagined that in years, but after starting with a 45lb plate and going up,they have been the best thing in my exercise routine not only cause of the chest workout I get because of every other muscle it hits as well.

All I can say is that I have people doing them, and they thank me after they start off with light weight and get heavier. I have never had one person question why I do push-ups at the gym with 100+ lbs. Obviously they work or I wouldn't be doing them. I contribute them to the increase in flat DB, and the extra fatigue I get. I'll do about 4-6 reps and 3-4 sets.

I dont plan on ever taking them out of my routine. I read an article about this very topic once about how if you think the push-up is gone, you need to reanalyze it and see why it is still one of the best exercise to do. It was pretty on target.

 

[Omen]

That's great to read your posts about weighted pushups. I rarely see people in my gym doing pushups, let alone weighted; but, like you write, Omen: weighted pushups produce results, and that makes all the sense in the world to me. Personally, I attribute most of chest definition to weighted dips, and I am starting to see how your doing weighted pushups is very much similar to weighted dips.

I've never tried weighted pushups, but I think I'm going to try them. Does this rwquire a spotter???

Which do you consider more effective: weighted pushups or weighted dips?

Push-ups target the following...

Target: Pectoralis Major, Sternal

Synergists Pectoralis Major, Clavicular, Deltoid, Anterior, Triceps Brachii

For your dips...

Primary Muscles are Triceps, Anconeus (outside of arm near elbow joint), Pectoralis Major, and Anterior Delt.

Even if you are perfectly straight doing a tricep dip you'll still feel the chest.

They both are good, and i'll do dips body weight, but what does it for me is the fact if I tried to do that much weight on dips i'd prob be more prone to back injury, and sometimes is a main concern of dips cause of the weight belt.

BUT.... I have a vest to distribute it, and the only thing is that it only goes to 60lbs, so I find the BULK of the routine to be done with push-ups as i'm able to do more, and it honestly is less of a strain on my body for me anyway than dips.

When you do the dips to target more, make sure you have the wide bar grip and try to angle the body bit more so you are pushing in a downward motion amlost. The straighter you are the more you'll hit triceps.

On the weighted push-ups yes, you need a spotter, and have him stand over you with the weight. Make SURE your spotter puts the weight on the back and NOT near the 4th and 5th lumbar, or right above the sacrum in the lower back. Main thing is not right there on your back at the bottom before it hits your butt crack. I make sure it isn't there because it is too low and if you end up bowing your back by accident it only digs in that area, as well as it is so much tougher to do them when the weight is that low. So right in the middle of the back, and i'll make sure the person knows that.

Sometimes you have to spoon feed people. Show them the weight. For instance the O is the weight. The bottom of that capital O shouldn't be on my lower back. Even when you do explain some moron will get it wrong and you'll get screwed up.

Normally when i'm done, im done, and the spotter rips it right off in a second because you dont want to go crashing to the ground. And as the weight gets heavier, good luck (depending on your gym) finding a person to actually pick up 100+lbs and put it on you without dropping it. Choose wisely.

I dont have 100s at my new gym anymore so I have to use 2 45lbs and a 25lb weight, but the guy who spots me knows what he is doing so it works out.