Fitness Romance SagaBikini Monday! How To Become A Push-Ups Powerhouse
June 5th, 2011 • 35 Comments | Leave a Comment »
This is NOT a challenge. Why? Because a challenge comes and goes, and then it’s over. Push-ups is an exercise I recommend you incorporate into your weekly training, over and over again. Ya know?
I do push ups 3-4 times per week. You have to get your ENTIRE body involved for push ups, but it primarily targets your chest (aka, your pecs) and front of the shoulders. Depending on how you position your arms, the triceps will get a CRAZY intense workout as well. Your core will also be challenged, but you have to focus on engaging your core for maximum results.
In these pics I’m in my couch-azzing clothes (now you know what I wear when I’m lazy). You don’t have to dress up fitness-pretty to do push ups, because you can drop and do them anytime. If you’ve been following my updates on Facebook and Twitter, you already know I’ve been knocking on 100 push-ups per training session. I typically do 10-20 reps in between each plyometric cardio-burst until I’ve reach 100 total push ups.
I chat with lots of awesome peeps about push-ups, but it bums me out when this is what they say stuff like this:
- I wish I could do those.
- I can’t do push ups. They’re too hard.
- I can only do 3 push ups.
Well, okay. I felt the same why when I started out, but the not-so-secret trick to becoming a push-ups powerhouse is to do them consistently. Do them often. Start in the “girlie” modified position and work your way up to full body. You CAN do this!
If you commit to your push-ups, you WILL see strength gains fairly quickly. You will be a bad ass, m’kay? Just start out as demonstrated in the pics below.
Even if you can only bust out 1 or 2 for now, keep at it! Don’t try some today and then not do them again for an entire week. That’s a no-no.
No booty-poking-out, please. Keep that straight body line. Breath in as you lower down and breath out as you push up. Proper breathing delivers adequate oxygen to your muscles to perform the move. (Yeah, I’m getting scientific on your azz!)
If it’s needed, rest in “child’s pose” for 2-3 seconds and then start pushing again. That very short rest goes a long way towards enabling you to knock out a few extra reps.
Just as with most stuff in life, it takes time, practice and patience to improve and grow. If today you can’t do 2 or 10 push-ups, it does NOT mean you are stuck there, so no more talking about what you can’t do. Let’s get crackin’ on what you’re working towards consistently!
Are you a push-ups powerhouse or working on getting there? I wanna hear about your training.
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Melissa June 5th, 2011 at 19:24
I have been doing yoga for 4 months, and it has seriously made me a pushup master! I can do the chaturanga pushups like nobody’s bizness! It took me a while to get there, but now that I can, I’m unstoppable. Like, so much so that I want to demonstrate my pushup awesomeness in inappropriate places. Like at work. Or Target. NBD.
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yumyucky Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
So I just looked up the Chaturanga. I’ve done that before without knowing the name of it. But haven’t done them lots. Totally gonna now. I wanna be a Chaturanga mastahhh like YOU!
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Melissa Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
@yumyucky, And then you can show off in inappropriate places like me, too!
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fran June 5th, 2011 at 19:50
I am def working on getting there… I need to do this because I am SOOOO weak upper body…GRRR… I just got in from out of town and you just inspired me to workout tonight… DARN YOU YUM YUCKY!
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skippymom June 5th, 2011 at 19:51
Sorry. I didn’t read the post because I was seriously distracted by your mighty fine heiny.
I think I have my first serious girl crush. You go girl
Nicely done Josie.
[I can't do push ups anyway. giggle]
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yumyucky Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Might fine heiny? Well that’s a first. hahahaha!
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skippymom Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
After I wrote “mighty fine heiny” and hit “comment – I KNEW I should’ve put “mighty FINEY heiny” – cause it is my friend.
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JourneyBeyondSurvival June 5th, 2011 at 20:25
I stalled.
I’m torn between brassy talk and honest timidity. I’m shooting to start off my week with around 54 Burpees. But, I think push-ups will be good too. So. Tuesday it is then. I’ve got a date with your twitter account.
#ididithopefully
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yumyucky Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 8:28 pm
54 burpees!?! sheesh, woman. I shall join you tomorrow then. I will communicatize to you via Twittah with #ididit by no later than 8am.
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JourneyBeyondSurvival Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 8:38 pm
@yumyucky, If I pass out before I get there, I’ll train the young survivors to send out the sos via twitter. I’m sure your burpees will be much higher quality than mine.
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KCLAnderson (Karen) June 5th, 2011 at 20:29
Yeah, I too was distracted by your “mighty FINEY heiny” or as I thought of it, “bootalicious booty”
I used to be pretty damed good at the push-up, but my right arm (wrist, elbow, shoulder) have been making it hard on me!! But I can still plank!
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Princess Dieter June 5th, 2011 at 20:48
Me and my weeny-puny-whiny wrists are gonna work on this. My goal is to be able to do at least 4 REAL ONES (not modified) by end of August. You are inspiring me, you push-ups goddess, you! THANKS FOR THIS. And dang, you got a butt that makes me green with envy. dang!
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Suzanne @WorkoutNirvana June 5th, 2011 at 21:25
Careful darlin, don’t go gettin pattern overload with all them burpees (or any exercise for too many reps), you don’t want to get injured. You know since I’m smartenin’ up as a personal trainer I’m going to be on your azz now
. Love the push ups post. Keep yo head neutral in the first picture, not looking up. I’m sure you already do this 
.
In the PT training class I just took I was in a roomful of very fit people and we did two sets up push ups that totally kicked our azzes. All we did was change the tempo. Down for four, hold for 2, up for 1. I’m going to incorporate this tempo into my own workout, it was a great challenge!
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yumyucky Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 9:32 pm
Multi-tasking in first pic. Yelling at daughter, too. That takes skillz. Welp, haven’t done burpess in about two weeks, so tomorrow I shall torture myself with those and then go for a run. (and thank you, my trainer guru)
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Coco June 5th, 2011 at 21:27
Well, unlike other people who commented, I was impressed by your glutes. Did you take these pictures before or after your squat-o-rama workouts last week? I hate doing push-ups, but I’m afraid to stop because they do take a while to build up to. I had better get back to them tomorrow after my “taper” week last week.
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yumyucky Reply:
June 5th, 2011 at 9:33 pm
I took these pics today, so the squat-o-rama is over (for now). xo
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Kris @Krazy_Kris June 5th, 2011 at 23:38
YES! I’m a believe that with pushups and pull ups – modified or not – are the foundation of a great routine! They used to be so hard – and I busted out about 60 today no problem. And before my “hurt” back, little by little, my trainer tricked me and one workout I did 180! So c’mon girls – do them – any way you can – but do them and you’ll get stronger! Love my definition with basically only pushups and pull ups (I’m lazy – so I’m all into simple) – ha!
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Necia June 6th, 2011 at 0:16
Oh, what a timely post. I just talked a dear friend of mie into doing the push up challenge with me. I knew going in, I sucked terribly, but I do know how important they are. Needless to say I did 4 half pushups. I was terrible. Im definitely going to work on this, at least 3xs per week. By the way, you mentioned depending where you put you hands! Are there any wrong places for your hands? I guess Im trying to figure out, if hand placement can determine how difficult or easy it would be to execute a push up.
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Miz June 6th, 2011 at 4:51
I LOVE IT!
and push ups.
now, may I do yours and you do my PLANKS??
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Fifty Four Burpee Craze » Journey Beyond Survival June 6th, 2011 at 7:00
[...] all started with Josie at YumYucky’s post about push-ups. Then it evolved. First on [...]
Michelle June 6th, 2011 at 8:08
I’m slowly but surely working on my pushups. I can currently do 20 in one sitting and I’m hoping to improve (one day I’d like to do 50 at a time).
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Jody - Fit at 53 June 6th, 2011 at 9:03
First, thx for putting my pic up!!!
You know I am a powerhouse on push-ups. I love them in all forms – close grip regular, wide, diamond, feet on ball, hands on bench plyo ones – you name it, I love it! PLUS – added benefit, you are doing a plank when you do them IF your form is correct!
You go Josie!
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Josie Reply:
June 6th, 2011 at 10:47 am
I’m working on my diamonds, Jody!
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lisa June 6th, 2011 at 12:09
im a pushup powerhouse! I do 20 a day, as part of my new years resoution, and more on days I do weight training. I like doing inclined pushups best, where you put your feet on a chair or something. I love em, I really see the difference in my triceps!
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merri June 6th, 2011 at 20:17
Hmm youre right, I should do pushups more. The only time I do them is when my instructors in classes like my weight lifting or pilates or whatever make me. I ought to do them every day. I’m def in the working on getting there category. Most of the time my pushups are girly ones, and I cant do many, but since I’m guilty of the do it once or twice a week then wait till next week thing you mentioned, I guess that’s why. Maybe I will try and remind myself to do them more often!
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Princess Dieter June 6th, 2011 at 23:52
How far down do you go? Bosom touching ground? I find I can only go about halfway before I come back up….
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GiGi June 7th, 2011 at 0:46
Check out that TAUT TOOSH! Ow Ow!
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Reinaldo June 7th, 2011 at 2:06
Hot butt!!! Errr, I mean, good push-ups! Wait, no, I meant hot butt!!! Damn!!
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Leelee June 7th, 2011 at 7:11
Great Post!! I was getting real good at push-ups doing P90X but, once it was over I started other programs and lost my push-up beast status. So, I am back at it! I can only do 10 the right way before, jeopardizing my form. Instead of dropping to my knees I’m going to try the child pose stretch! Thanks for the tip!
Oh and I was Laughing my butt off at your multi tasking comment….Girl, yelling at the kids is the TRUTH!!!
Keep up the great work!
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pawsitivelife June 7th, 2011 at 20:25
I started doing pushups a month ago and they were impossible. I tried to do “real” pushups not knee ones. But now after a month I have improved immensly! Its an awesome exercise
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Gordon June 8th, 2011 at 11:53
I really want to try bikram again. It was a out of this world experience.
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Nowel June 9th, 2011 at 12:11
I AM NOT a pushup powerhouse. As a matter of fact my body is allergic to push ups! BUT Im going to give them a chance. After reading your post today, I will attempt to do pushups EVERYDAY.Is it doable? Only God knows, BUT I am DETERMINED to do pushups, even if I get an allergic reaction to them. I will let you know my progress.
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Lynn~The Learning Curves Blogger June 10th, 2011 at 13:51
Nice buns YumYucky!! And great form. I LOVE push ups (until the next day)…they are the fastest and CHEAPEST way to get awesome arms and to go from a weakling to Superwoman!! Where else can you get an all over arm and core workout for free??? After conquering these everyone should work on pull ups and/or dips!! =)
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cher June 12th, 2011 at 1:43
I totally need to get started on these. It’s the last exercise I ever try doing because I have no upper body strength what so ever… but then again, with the new baby, i might actually be able to pull a couple off now! haha
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Thea @ I'm a Drama Mama June 12th, 2011 at 15:32
I am about 2/3 of the way done with the 100 pushups challenge. This is the first time that I’ve done on my toes. I took an endurance test the other day, and I could do 23 without stopping. I’m with you about going back into child’s pose! It’s what I always do when I need a break!
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