Pushup improvement
Pushup improvement
I was wondering what would be a good routine for pushup training. Is it a good idea to use weights? Does benchpressing help? High reps, low reps? I'm sure it couldn't hurt, but I'm looking for the most effective training here. Maybe it just means doing a shitload of pushups every night? Let me know what has worked for you.
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Kilted Heathen
- Tadpole
- Posts: 4542
- Joined: November 12th, 2004, 4:52 pm
Thanks for posting an introduction. As far as your question, I would say that any type of upper body workout you can get into will help. Obviously, bench press and tricep exercises will help build upper body strength for pushups. The key though, is endurance.
When you go through your initial training, you'll get 'dropped' for everything.....uniform not up to par, goofy expression on your face, being too "Hooah," getting sick, asking a stupid question, eating too slow, you name it. Depending on your training and the cadre, you can literally expect to do at least 1000 pushups a day.
In other words, having an upper body like Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't going to help you with military pushups. You want to develope strength, but also be able to pump them out all day long.
I'm no fitness guru, but I would suggest getting in the habit of doing pushups all the time....do a set when you get up in the morning, another before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner, and again before going to bed. Elevate your feet (on a chair or something...at least) and do four count pushups: "1, 2, 3, ONE; 1, 2, 3, TWO; 1, 2, 3, THREE..."
Do this in conjunction with your normal workout program (running, weights, etc). Hope this helps a little. Good luck! Now, go beat your face!
RLTW
EP
When you go through your initial training, you'll get 'dropped' for everything.....uniform not up to par, goofy expression on your face, being too "Hooah," getting sick, asking a stupid question, eating too slow, you name it. Depending on your training and the cadre, you can literally expect to do at least 1000 pushups a day.
In other words, having an upper body like Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't going to help you with military pushups. You want to develope strength, but also be able to pump them out all day long.
I'm no fitness guru, but I would suggest getting in the habit of doing pushups all the time....do a set when you get up in the morning, another before breakfast, before lunch, before dinner, and again before going to bed. Elevate your feet (on a chair or something...at least) and do four count pushups: "1, 2, 3, ONE; 1, 2, 3, TWO; 1, 2, 3, THREE..."
Do this in conjunction with your normal workout program (running, weights, etc). Hope this helps a little. Good luck! Now, go beat your face!
RLTW
EP
Always remember: BROS BEFORE HOES.
This is what I did to prepare for pre-Ranger back when I was a 19 year old noodle arm.
First, you have to know how many pushups you can do in 2 minutes. 2 minutes of pushups is not part of this workout, though.
Let's say you can do 50 pushups in 2 minutes and you want to improve to say 60, for arguments sake.
The workout is 25 pushups, not timed; short break, 25 pushups, not timed, longer break; 13 pushups not timed.
Do your first 25. Make sure that your form is correct, according to FM 21-20. It might help to have a buddy ensure that your upper arm 'breaks the plane' (meets or surpasses a parallel to the ground.) Go to your knees, stretch out your arms and especially your shoulders (where the lactic acid has built up.) This shouldn't be any longer than 30 seconds.
Do the second 25. Honestly, these should be so difficult for you that you may need to go to your knees to complete them. Then take a 1 minute break.
The set of 13 at the end should start out good...for the first 3 or 4 before you have to go to your knees.
I can guarantee you that this workout will improve your pushups by 20% after the first 4 weeks of doing it daily.
It's important to note that while you're doing a set, you can take a break according to what the FM considers a break. You can arch your back or sag your butt, but you can't pick your hands or feet up off of the ground and you can't touch any part of your body to the ground except for your chest during an repitition.
This pushup improvement is designed for those who are unable to meet the minimum standard, but it is a buttkicker for anyone. If you can do 120 in a minute, 60/60/30 in about a 4 minute period is pretty tough.
First, you have to know how many pushups you can do in 2 minutes. 2 minutes of pushups is not part of this workout, though.
Let's say you can do 50 pushups in 2 minutes and you want to improve to say 60, for arguments sake.
The workout is 25 pushups, not timed; short break, 25 pushups, not timed, longer break; 13 pushups not timed.
Do your first 25. Make sure that your form is correct, according to FM 21-20. It might help to have a buddy ensure that your upper arm 'breaks the plane' (meets or surpasses a parallel to the ground.) Go to your knees, stretch out your arms and especially your shoulders (where the lactic acid has built up.) This shouldn't be any longer than 30 seconds.
Do the second 25. Honestly, these should be so difficult for you that you may need to go to your knees to complete them. Then take a 1 minute break.
The set of 13 at the end should start out good...for the first 3 or 4 before you have to go to your knees.
I can guarantee you that this workout will improve your pushups by 20% after the first 4 weeks of doing it daily.
It's important to note that while you're doing a set, you can take a break according to what the FM considers a break. You can arch your back or sag your butt, but you can't pick your hands or feet up off of the ground and you can't touch any part of your body to the ground except for your chest during an repitition.
This pushup improvement is designed for those who are unable to meet the minimum standard, but it is a buttkicker for anyone. If you can do 120 in a minute, 60/60/30 in about a 4 minute period is pretty tough.
4-17IN, 7th ID(L) - 1987-1991;2/327IN, 101st ID - 1997-2001; 2-5IN, 25th ID(L) - 2000-2004
Ranger Class 3/97,4/97,5/97(Grad)
Ranger Class 3/97,4/97,5/97(Grad)
I improved my push ups a lot by using this routine...
This routine assumes that you are able
to do 30 complete push-ups with out resting. By partials I mean restricting the range of motion to just under 1/2 of a complete rep. Always touch the floor with your chest (when possible) and come up
almost half-way then back down. A sample routine would look like this:
Week 1 & 2 Every other day
POSITION #1
Triangle push-ups (you should touch your thumbs to your xiphoid process (lightly!) when trying to touch your chest to the ground)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
rest 90 seconds
POSITION #2
Move hands to shoulder length apart (the tips of your fingers should be aligned with the tops of your sholders)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
rest 90 seconds
POSITION #3
Move your hands out until, during mid rep, your upper arms will be perpendicular to your forearms. The hands should remain in the same
position relative to the shoulders (ie move them "out" in a straight
line)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
Week 3 2 days on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
Week 4 & 5 1 on, 2 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 1 off
POSITION #1
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
rest 120 seconds
POSITION #2
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
rest 120 seconds
POSITION #3
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
Week 6 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
Until failure
Week 7 & 8 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 2 on; 1 off, 1 on;
1 off
POSITION #1
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #3
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
Week 9 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #3
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
Week 10 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on
POSITION #2
100 complete
Do 100 push-ups in POSITION #2 at least twice a week for maintenance
Edited to add credit where credit was due. I did not come up with this program I just happend to find it the website it is from http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Fiel ... 0push.html nothing much else on there besides the plan but I did not want to take credit for it.
I copied this from... http://s7.invisionfree.com/DropZone_Whi ... owtopic=19
This routine assumes that you are able
to do 30 complete push-ups with out resting. By partials I mean restricting the range of motion to just under 1/2 of a complete rep. Always touch the floor with your chest (when possible) and come up
almost half-way then back down. A sample routine would look like this:
Week 1 & 2 Every other day
POSITION #1
Triangle push-ups (you should touch your thumbs to your xiphoid process (lightly!) when trying to touch your chest to the ground)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
rest 90 seconds
POSITION #2
Move hands to shoulder length apart (the tips of your fingers should be aligned with the tops of your sholders)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
rest 90 seconds
POSITION #3
Move your hands out until, during mid rep, your upper arms will be perpendicular to your forearms. The hands should remain in the same
position relative to the shoulders (ie move them "out" in a straight
line)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
Week 3 2 days on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
Week 4 & 5 1 on, 2 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 1 off
POSITION #1
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
rest 120 seconds
POSITION #2
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
rest 120 seconds
POSITION #3
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
Week 6 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
Until failure
Week 7 & 8 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 2 on; 1 off, 1 on;
1 off
POSITION #1
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #3
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
Week 9 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #3
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
Week 10 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on
POSITION #2
100 complete
Do 100 push-ups in POSITION #2 at least twice a week for maintenance
Edited to add credit where credit was due. I did not come up with this program I just happend to find it the website it is from http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Fiel ... 0push.html nothing much else on there besides the plan but I did not want to take credit for it.
I copied this from... http://s7.invisionfree.com/DropZone_Whi ... owtopic=19
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BattleBoar
- Rest In Peace Ranger
- Posts: 102
- Joined: March 4th, 2005, 2:32 pm
WHAT NUMBER IS IN YOUR HEAD?
A lot of new Soldiers psych themselves out of the pushup event. You start thinking about "how many do I need to pass", and the 2 minute test becomes an epic struggle to achieve the minimum standard. Youngsters have to get 42 pushups to score 60 points, so that's the number you get in your head. Just...have...to...make...it...to...forty...two.
Put that number out of your head, or it will stick with you for a long time (like it did with me). Later, you'll find yourself knocking out 42 in a row to start the test--"OK, good, now I passed"--and then thinking everything else is gravy. So even after you've improved passed the point of worrying about passing, the best you're going to do is be mediocre.
It's no accident that a lot of people have posted that 50 is a good number for a set. If you knock out 50 in a row every time you think about it, or whenever you start your workout, it puts a better number in your head. If you can knock out 50, no sweat, no questions, no rest, then you'll be a lot more confident when you get started.
50-in-a-row puts maxing within reach (77 maxes all age groups; 71 for youngsters):
Knock out 50 good ones.
Pause, take a deep breath.
Knock out 10 more good ones (60).
Pause, breathe.
5-10 more (65-70).
Breathe.
Now start working them 1, 2, or 3 at a time. You'll get there!
So knock out those sets of 50! O/W you'll be resting too early in your test. You gotta be able to knock out 50 right off the start. You'll be maxing the push ups before you know it.
A lot of new Soldiers psych themselves out of the pushup event. You start thinking about "how many do I need to pass", and the 2 minute test becomes an epic struggle to achieve the minimum standard. Youngsters have to get 42 pushups to score 60 points, so that's the number you get in your head. Just...have...to...make...it...to...forty...two.
Put that number out of your head, or it will stick with you for a long time (like it did with me). Later, you'll find yourself knocking out 42 in a row to start the test--"OK, good, now I passed"--and then thinking everything else is gravy. So even after you've improved passed the point of worrying about passing, the best you're going to do is be mediocre.
It's no accident that a lot of people have posted that 50 is a good number for a set. If you knock out 50 in a row every time you think about it, or whenever you start your workout, it puts a better number in your head. If you can knock out 50, no sweat, no questions, no rest, then you'll be a lot more confident when you get started.
50-in-a-row puts maxing within reach (77 maxes all age groups; 71 for youngsters):
Knock out 50 good ones.
Pause, take a deep breath.
Knock out 10 more good ones (60).
Pause, breathe.
5-10 more (65-70).
Breathe.
Now start working them 1, 2, or 3 at a time. You'll get there!
So knock out those sets of 50! O/W you'll be resting too early in your test. You gotta be able to knock out 50 right off the start. You'll be maxing the push ups before you know it.
Ranger Class 4-95
82D ABN DIV: B/3-505 PIR 95-97
2ID, Korea: HHC/1-503 (AASLT) 97-98
3ID, Benning: A/1-30 IN (M) 02-03 (Incl OIF), HHC/3/3 ID (M) 01-02, 03-04
All other periods, sadly including the present: No Assigned Weapon
82D ABN DIV: B/3-505 PIR 95-97
2ID, Korea: HHC/1-503 (AASLT) 97-98
3ID, Benning: A/1-30 IN (M) 02-03 (Incl OIF), HHC/3/3 ID (M) 01-02, 03-04
All other periods, sadly including the present: No Assigned Weapon
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nadnklipsch
- United States Marine
- Posts: 59
- Joined: April 12th, 2005, 10:55 am
Monsoon wrote:You rest after you have done the 5 partials, 5 complete, 7 partials, 7 complete.
Monsoon, you will read FAQ's since you are not abiding by this sites rules. I shall post a link and item # Fourth pertains to your 2 posts in this forum.
http://www.armyranger.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=1837
Break this rule again and you will be a member of the 1000 push-up club.
You will not delete your post.
You will not apologize.
You will acknowledge with a two word post here, no more than that.
Sample: I acknowledge.
You will not PM me.
.
RLTW
Steadfast
4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
Steadfast
4/325 82d DIV 68-69
2nd Bde HHC (LRRP), 4 ID
K Co (Rgr), 75th Inf (Abn), 4 ID
69-70
I cooked with C- 4
