Push-ups. Maxng out vs. intervals.

[ninjaman]

Well, I have looked around on the PT board, and seen some topics on push-ups but none directly addressing my question.

First off, I max out at about 18 push-ups (I know, pretty bad). My goal is 50 push-ups. I want to know, in your experiences, do people improve more doing many intervals of an easier number (say 10) and adding intervals as they go, or by just maxing out every workout until they eventually get their max higher?

Thank you for your time.

[Disinfertention]

I've always done both. Varying the workout should help more than just doing one or the other. Doing sets for numbers and also doing sets for time. All in all though with you having such a low number right now doing any amount of pushings in any form is going to help dramaticly. Just keep working at it. Before I enlisted I don't think I could do 15 pushups.

[Flesh Thorn]

At present, the prevailing thought amongst most exercise gurus is to only max out infrequently like every 2 weeks. You are training your nervous system as well as your muscles and the nervous system responds a little differently. The 100 Pushup program may be of interest to you.

[Ranger Bill]

Having a goal of 50 is striving for mediocrity. Your goal should be to max the PT test.

[Bravo57]

You should try doing 10 pushups every hour on the hour. When you hit muscle failure, do them on your knees.

Try this for a week or two, give yourself a couple of days to rest, then see how many you can do. I also agree with Ranger Bill. You goal should be higher.

[BadMuther]

Lots of different and varied opinions on the subject.

Me, I used to max out and go to muscle failure everytime. Then I read on here under the pullup improvements how that's a bad thing.

I started reading, and educating myself.

http://www.alpinetactical.com/store/

Military Fitness, by Nate Morrison. GREAT book.

I also read http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Warrior-Pav ... 0938045555

Lots of people have gotten goood results with this
http://hundredpushups.com/

done m-w-f.

My suggestion is to either do 10 sets a workout like you suggested and keep the reps at 10, or even 5. Do this 2-3 times a week.

Or do the hourly method where you pick a # that is 25%-(0% of your max (aim lower) and do this number of pushups every hour throughout the day. Change the # each day. You could do this every day, but nate recommends 3 times a week.

Let us know what you pick and how it works out for you.

How tall are you and what do you weigh, btw?

[BadMuther]

All the below is from Nate's FREE newsletters that he used to do prior to writing his book.

http://www.specialtactics.com/documents.shtml

at the bottom of the page.

"Push-up Rules
1. Never come close to failure except when
you are testing yourself (no more than
once a week).
2. Vary the reps and rest interval each day
3. Adjust the load to your recovery ability.
Listen to your body.
4. Build up to cumulative fatigue.
5. Always reduce the load before testing or
EVALs. The day or twobefore start
reducing the load."

"There are still some folks out there that don’t buy all that (not training to failure). They site INDOC graduates who swear by
training to failure. Well, it’s a hell of a thing when you are faced with the prospect of being kicked out
when you’re going to miss the standard by a few reps. When that mental burden comes crashing down on
you, then call me up and tell me what you think of failure as a whole. I know, I was there. I got set back to
another class for failing pushups...by 2 reps! There is nothing more demoralizing than the physical inability
to do one more rep. To give some of more of my personal history, I started right back in the next team
immediately. Instructor Brannon took us out a couple of times and instead of training to failure, we did 25
reps for about ten sets. We did this all week. I remember loving it because I hated always fighting failure at
the end of a set. Well, the next Monday was EVAL day and the Commandant was counting my reps. I
easily knocked out 85 picture perfect reps. He had set me back not seven days before for this exercise and
he got so mad that he chewed me out right there and nearly threw the counter at me. His biggest question
was “where the hell was this one week ago?” I’ll never forget that. We all did well on Push-ups that week.
Another example can be seen from my days at INDOC when a comrade of mine knew he was going to
fail the next week’s EVAL. He asked MSgt Pope for help and saved his career. Pope told him to do 20
push-ups every hour for the next week. Sure enough, he destroyed the standard on the EVAL."

"While at this time I hesitate to offer a canned program, I will elaborate on methods.
If you are a 16-18 year old with some or no athletic background, start by doing body
weight work. Push-ups, pull-ups, sit ups, squats, lunges, pistols, 8-count body
builders, sit-ups (Janda's are preferred), rope climbing, and short jogs up to a mile
every other day. Workout daily, but every other day drop your sets OR reps by 50%.
Learning to swim should also be a part of this first phase. Vary the intensity each
day and test your self every 2-4 weeks allowing 5-10 minutes between exercises.
During the daily workouts vary your rest periods. Be sure to choose a reasonable
number of exercises to start with. In the beginning just a few sets of pushups and
pull-ups might leave you in a puddle on the ground. Add exercises as you progress.
Keeping your reps to 25 or less and do as many sets as you can in good form is a
good start."

[ninjaman]

Thank you for all of your help Rangers. I plan to exceed 50, but that is temporary goal because it is the goal that has been set for me before I can test for my next belt in taekwondo. But I'd like to be able to do at least 100 before I join the military.

Again, thank for your time and advice.

[Nomad]

Thank you for all of your help Rangers. I plan to exceed 50, but that is temporary goal because it is the goal that has been set for me before I can test for my next belt in taekwondo. But I'd like to be able to do at least 100 before I join the military.

Again, thank for your time and advice.

There is nothing wrong with setting realistic, short-term goals. If you can do 18 now, try do to 25 in a row in the next two weeks. From there up your numbers by 10 reps every 2 weeks. You have time on your hands and this will allow your body to adapt to the new stresses without causing you grief.

It should be no problem for you to do 85 within the next twelve weeks. You'll be amazed at how easy it'll be. Just make sure you change up your form from narrow to standard and wide armed. That'll strengthen your stabilizer muscles and give you a better rounded muscle group.

[ninjaman]

Lots of different and varied opinions on the subject.

Me, I used to max out and go to muscle failure everytime. Then I read on here under the pullup improvements how that's a bad thing.

I started reading, and educating myself.

http://www.alpinetactical.com/store/

Military Fitness, by Nate Morrison. GREAT book.

I also read http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Warrior-Pav ... 0938045555

Lots of people have gotten goood results with this
http://hundredpushups.com/



done m-w-f.

My suggestion is to either do 10 sets a workout like you suggested and keep the reps at 10, or even 5. Do this 2-3 times a week.

Or do the hourly method where you pick a # that is 25%-(0% of your max (aim lower) and do this number of pushups every hour throughout the day. Change the # each day. You could do this every day, but nate recommends 3 times a week.

Let us know what you pick and how it works out for you.

How tall are you and what do you weigh, btw?

Thank you for the vast amount of information in your post Ranger Badmuther

I'll go with the 100 push-ups program from the hundredpushups.com website in your post.

Last time I checked (a month or so ago) I was 5' 10 1/2" and weighed 163, though I may have grown since then.

[BadMuther]

Good on you for picking a program. Now drive on stud!

[ninjaman]

Update:

Yesterday (Tuesday 5/11/09) I started the hundredpushups.com workout. Week 1 day 1 goes as follows:

10 reps rest 60 sec, 12 reps rest 60 sec, 7 reps rest 60 sec, 7 reps rest 60 sec, max (at least 9).

I successfully completed steps 1-4 but did not reach 9 push-ups on step 5. After thinking about it, I think that i probably was doing my reps to slow, I too a deep breath as I went down, and blew it out as I came up, making about a 2 to 21/2 second push-up, and I believe that I tired out early because of this. I am going to go ahead and move on to move on to week one day 2, but try speeding up my reps, not to the point of sloppyness, but just a good smooth flowing 1 to 11/2 second push-up.

I will report again soon Rangers.

[ninjaman]

Well, Today I did week 1 day 2, which goes as the following:

10 reps rest 60 sec, 12 reps rest 60 sec, 8 reps rest 60 sec, 8 reps rest 60 sec, max (at least 12).

Again, I did the first four stages fine, but failed to meet their max. I am going to stay at week 1 da 1 until I get it right, and then move on.

[Ranger Bill]

Keep posting your progress on a weekly basis.

[ninjaman]

Yes sir Ranger Ranger Bill!