Running the risk of embarassing myself even more so than I did by posting my reenactment picture, I think it's time to tell you all the truth. I cannot do a true, for reals, push up. Well, I can sort of do one or two. But several in a row? Like is required during Kettlebells class? Um, no. Big fat fail.
I can do a bazillion push ups on my knees. No problem. But make me go on my toes and I shake like a leaf and collapse onto my belly. It is really humiliating. I need to figure out how to toughen up and do a real push up.
So I will make you all a deal. YOU teach me how to do push ups. Give me whatever advice you have. In exchange, I will impart really the only piece of wisdom I have: how to survive winter running. I may not be able to give any advice on any other area of running, but I have run through cold Minnesota winters for several years and I know my snow and ice. But first, I need to figure out how to do push ups. Because I have a total girl crush on my kettlebells teacher and I want to impress her with my superhuman strength.
12 comments:
Cheat! OK - that gets you no where. You can build up to where you can do a push up in two simple steps. 1) Start on your knees - DONE! Congratulations, you're ready for step two. 2) Assume the push-up postion except put your hands on the bed. If you can do some push ups great, if not, change to something else (perhaps the kitchen table) that gives you less of an angle. As you get better at doing push-ups at a specific angle, keep lowering the angle (perhaps go from the bed to a bench. Then from a bench to a step) until finally you reach the point where you can put your hands on the floor.
Dear heavens how I hate push ups & plank position. Hate. Them.
I know there's a push-up program out there somewhere. Maybe if you Google "push up challenge"?
Good luck with that.
I've got the upper body strength of a toddler.
Deal. I could NOT do a push up to save my soul. I can now do 20 in a row without stopping. WHOO. I did girl pushups pretty consistently concentrating on REALLY good form. Once I had that "mastered" I would start my push up routine with as many REAL pushups as I could do. If it was 2, it was 2. I'd do my girly push ups, and then try to do as many REAL ones afterward. Repeat x a billion, until you can do a bunch.
To be honest, it was my boyf at the time betting me dinner that I couldn't do 10 in a row. Motivate me with food, and you'll be surprised what I can do. Ha.
Now dish on the cold weather goods.
To follow up to JoyRuns's comment, I tried to do the 100 push up challenge. That helped with telling me exactly how many I had to shoot for in each set, instead of me giving myself a number and wussing out. I had to do week 1 a thousand times over though, so it could be discouraging...
Hundred Push Up Challenge
I have yet to complete it myself... this was my goal for the year (to do REAL push-ups so my bootcamp instructor would stop teasing me). Then I separated my shoulder and now I get stabbing pain in my shoulder blade when I attempt a push up.
Good luck!!
I have terrible upper body strength and can only manage girlie push-ups...and I can only do like 15 in a row before my arms give out, so I am of no help here. :(
I say just keep on trying. Do one today. And then shoot for two tomorrow. And then rest. Move on to three. Really woman, it's just like running. You gotta build up to those dang things.
I couldn't do any until I took this crazy boot camp thing (it was so tough!) but now I can do at least 10 real pushups. (I have been slacking or I swear I could do more! LOL!)
I find working on some upper body weights really helps with push ups. You will get better, keep it up!
I did the pushup challenge and that got me quite a ways this summer. Then I stopped and I bet I can't do more than a handful at a time now, sigh.
Tell me more about winter running. I want to avoid my treadmill as much as possible this winter.
MCM Mama
I suck at push ups too. I have been doing some pilates and that seems to be helping the core and my pushups have improved. Improved = doing one without being on my knees. one.
Sorry, I can't help. I have little t-rex arms that wobble under one or two push up sna dthen fold.
I just found your blog and love it! I can do two "real" push ups but I have to use dumb bells (sp?) for leverage so my wrists aren't cocked all weird, maybe that means it is not a real push up, hmmmm....
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