I suck at pushups

[Enzio]

So I suck at pushups. On a good day, I can do 2 or MAYBE 3 in a row with proper form before I start shaking like a virgin about to finally lose it.

Is there a specific muscle group it's likely I'm lacking, one I can isolate in some way with different exercises to build up the strength for pushups? Or should I just be doing like 400 "girl" pushups a day until I can do them with the proper form?

[HereBeADragon]

You get better by doing MORE PUSHUPS. If you can do 2 or 3 than several times throughout the day drop and do 3. Keep it up and add a few more over time.

[Enzio]

More pushups it is. Maybe I'll make that my Lent sacrifice... instead of Monkish prayers every 3 or 4 hours, I'll do pushups like clockwork.

[HereBeADragon]

More pushups it is. Maybe I'll make that my Lent sacrifice... instead of Monkish prayers every 3 or 4 hours, I'll do pushups like clockwork.

I'd make it pushups and self flagellation if you're gonna do it for lent.

[BearHammer]

So I suck at pushups. On a good day, I can do 2 or MAYBE 3 in a row with proper form before I start shaking like a virgin about to finally lose it.

Is there a specific muscle group it's likely I'm lacking, one I can isolate in some way with different exercises to build up the strength for pushups? Or should I just be doing like 400 "girl" pushups a day until I can do them with the proper form?

I came up doing push ups a few years ago to the point that my bench press had increased dramatically. I did it off of the perfect push ups (I know). I don't recommend the perfect pushups (standard push up bars are better), but I do recommend the training program associated with it. Basically you start by seeing what your max is then..

do 3 sets of declining reps for each format (regular, military, wide base).

So I started doing 10, rest under a minute, do 8 and rest, then do 6 and those would be my regular push ups for the day.

A little later I would do my sets of military, and even later, my last sets of wide. That's 72 push ups for the day.

Give a day or two for your muscles to recoup as needed and do them again. If you need to start with knee push ups that's fine too. If you keep it up, re-establishing what your new max is weekly, you should see some nice gains. By the time I was moving on to other things, I was doing like 25,20,15 or something like that, almost 200 a day.

and now I'm starting from scratch again after a wrist injury and some shoulder problems since I can't do more than 8-10 without pain atm.

[Cullion]

So I suck at pushups. On a good day, I can do 2 or MAYBE 3 in a row with proper form before I start shaking like a virgin about to finally lose it.

Do you have a weight problem or an injury ?

Quite often the solution to 'I can't do many reps of bodyweight exercise <x>' is 'go on a diet'.

[Gypsy Jazz]

Do push ups with your hands on a bench, box, or stairs and feet on the floor. Work up to doing the desired number of sets and reps, which will largely be arbitrarily selected. Once you can do those without compromising form then lower the platform your hands are on. Progress this until you can get to the floor.

[Enzio]

Do you have a weight problem or an injury ?

Quite often the solution to 'I can't do many reps of bodyweight exercise <x>' is 'go on a diet'.

I'm on a diet, 25 lbs down so far, and I've pretty much plateaued, and it's time to start working out hardcore. But even as a teenager before I put weight on I was terrible at pushups. Just wanted to know if there was something special I could do. And there is: more pushups.

I'd make it pushups and self flagellation if you're gonna do it for lent

I'll try and find my cat o' nine tails.

[Billy220]

do 2 perfect pushups, rest 2 minutes, go for 2 more...repeat 4-5 times, don't go to failure.....

ad a rep to a couple of sets the next time

[User Name:]

Head over to 100 pushups.com. They have a program and even though you may not get 100, you'll be a damn lot stronger than where you are now