Pushups
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Anhslaught
Don Juan
Hey Im new. Anyhow, pushups build your chests. The closder your palms, the more chest its working. It also builds your triceps and some minor areas around the chest the more apart your arms are. It's more emphasized on being an endurance work out since your body typically isn't heavy enough to build some major strengths. My 2 cent. 
Don't worry haboob. Keep it up and your limit will grow.
I'm a big fan of pushups. I try to do them every other day. You're right, you won't grow HUGE with pushups. But it definitely gets you in good shape, burns some calories, and gets you looking pretty lean and in shape.
Alexi
I'm a big fan of pushups. I try to do them every other day. You're right, you won't grow HUGE with pushups. But it definitely gets you in good shape, burns some calories, and gets you looking pretty lean and in shape.
Alexi
when u r young, pushups do you a lot of good, i got a really ripped upper body... but i was doing at least 100 a day. sometimes, when i didn't have nothing better to do, i managed to do 500 a day
anyway, anhslaught is wrong, since the most apart are your arms, the more your pecs work, while you have to put them closer to each other to make the triceps work more.
anyway, anhslaught is wrong, since the most apart are your arms, the more your pecs work, while you have to put them closer to each other to make the triceps work more.
tyciol,
The human body is wierd. If you do ten sets of 20, it'll STILL hurt to do a few sets of 25. But the way I built up reps in a set is to do them to failure. And when you feel tired, rest in the "up" position (arms extended) and squeeze out an extra five resting in the up position.
I was once at a point where I could bang out about 100 pushups in a minute (for a PT test I had to do 72 to get the maximum score and did that 72 in 45 seconds). This was back in military school doing sets of 144, resting in the up position when necessary.
And Jay-X is right. Close together is more tricep. Far apart, more chest. Also, make sure your elbows stick ******ds when you do them.
Alexi
[edit] Interesting. Apparently the word "0utwards" is censored. (used the zero instead of the "o" to make it stay in my edit)
The human body is wierd. If you do ten sets of 20, it'll STILL hurt to do a few sets of 25. But the way I built up reps in a set is to do them to failure. And when you feel tired, rest in the "up" position (arms extended) and squeeze out an extra five resting in the up position.
I was once at a point where I could bang out about 100 pushups in a minute (for a PT test I had to do 72 to get the maximum score and did that 72 in 45 seconds). This was back in military school doing sets of 144, resting in the up position when necessary.
And Jay-X is right. Close together is more tricep. Far apart, more chest. Also, make sure your elbows stick ******ds when you do them.
Alexi
[edit] Interesting. Apparently the word "0utwards" is censored. (used the zero instead of the "o" to make it stay in my edit)
Push ups build your chest as said before, but it really makes you stronger in general. Try doing them on different hight levels. What I mean is place your hands higher/lower then your feet, this way you train other parts of your chest. Also if you want it to be really hard place your palms close together fingers facing each other. And always keep in mind to do it slow. Your musles need a learning moment and this way you can flex them at maximum power. The slower you do them and the more power you'll put into them, the more effective the workout will be.
diablo
Master Don Juan
Yep, the forum kept getting spammed with people trying to increase their stats in that online game "0utwar". Eventually things got to the point where the word was just banned. Not many people know about it, after all, how often do you use the word "0utward"?
Good point. Didn't know about the game. Ah well. I'm sure that I can think of many OTHER words to use in it's place in the future.Originally posted by diablo
after all, how often do you use the word "0utward"?
Pushups are great. They're no substitute for bench pressing, but for someone just starting out, they're a great exercise.
Also a great way to build up muscle endurance. Just make sure you go nose to the floor on the way down. None of this just bending the elbows 2" deep stuff and then claiming to do 500 pushups in three minutes.
Also a great way to build up muscle endurance. Just make sure you go nose to the floor on the way down. None of this just bending the elbows 2" deep stuff and then claiming to do 500 pushups in three minutes.
A technique I used to use is to put something on the floor (not too high) and make sure to touch the center of your chest to it every time. Things that have been used in MY personal experience, A bell (the kind you hit on top to sound, like in a library or bank), a pair of socks, another person's hand laid flat, etc. etc.
That way you know you bend enough. Or just hit your chest to the ground every time.
As for the "substitute for bench pressing" comment, it all depends what you're aiming for. If you're aiming for chest SIZE, then bench press. If you're aiming for less size, but still good definition and something that won't hurt any cardio sport/exercise as much, pushups.
Alexi
That way you know you bend enough. Or just hit your chest to the ground every time.
As for the "substitute for bench pressing" comment, it all depends what you're aiming for. If you're aiming for chest SIZE, then bench press. If you're aiming for less size, but still good definition and something that won't hurt any cardio sport/exercise as much, pushups.
Alexi
A big chest from bench pressing hurts cardio and sports? How?
I've looked into all the different kinds of pushups, they're all rather confusing. My main concern is elbow safety, the angles certain pushups put them at worry me, sure thin guys can all do them, but when you're really large (through either bodybuilding or fat), that kind of pressure on the joints is something you need to approach safely.
I've looked into all the different kinds of pushups, they're all rather confusing. My main concern is elbow safety, the angles certain pushups put them at worry me, sure thin guys can all do them, but when you're really large (through either bodybuilding or fat), that kind of pressure on the joints is something you need to approach safely.
Well, just because the more muscle you have, the more oxygen you NEED in order to fuel it. So that's why you'll never see a big musclehead marathon runner or a musclehead cross country mountain biker. Short bursts of energy, muscle is fine. Long-range energy (meaning needing constant energy for hours on end, which is the sports that I'm into), too much muscle hurts ya.
I wouldn't think any more stress than loading hundreds of pounds onto a bar. But only if you angle the elbows correctly (like you said, some people don't do them with correct form and that's bad in ANY type of lifting/exercise)
Alexi
My pushup routine is as follows:
Regular pushups with various hand placements
"Plyo" pushups where I do clappers
Weighted pushups where I do pushups with plates on my back
"push to stands" where I do a pushup to try and propel myself to a standing position
"stands to pushups" where i fall forward and end up in a pushup position and then pump up again(the upper body equivilant to a depth jump)
Regular pushups with various hand placements
"Plyo" pushups where I do clappers
Weighted pushups where I do pushups with plates on my back
"push to stands" where I do a pushup to try and propel myself to a standing position
"stands to pushups" where i fall forward and end up in a pushup position and then pump up again(the upper body equivilant to a depth jump)
You will not get huge from doing many, many, low load pushups(muscular endurance).
If you want to get big using pushups you will have to increase the load via angle and leverage or by adding weight(or both).
With that accomplished you would do the same rep/set/volume schedule you would follow for a body building routine: 4-8 reps per work set, 9 or so work sets, adaquet rest inbetween.
If you want to get big using pushups you will have to increase the load via angle and leverage or by adding weight(or both).
With that accomplished you would do the same rep/set/volume schedule you would follow for a body building routine: 4-8 reps per work set, 9 or so work sets, adaquet rest inbetween.
