Push Ups

[Jason Senn]

I feel my biggest weakness in Crossfit is pushups. Example i did Cindy and got 17 rounds. Pull ups were not a problem nor were the squats. I got through about 4 rounds of push ups unbroken and then I had to break them up some. By the end it was 4-2-1-1-1-1 or something similar. Obviously one way to get better is to just do push ups. However I was wanting to do something else besides that to keep a little variety in my life. I was thinking of adapting the Smolov squat cycle to bench press (my bench is my worse lift) but doing it close grip which would be similar to push ups in my mind. Any thoughts on that or any other ideas?

[Robert D Taylor Jr]

Originally Posted by Jason Senn

I feel my biggest weakness in Crossfit is pushups. Example i did Cindy and got 17 rounds. Pull ups were not a problem nor were the squats. I got through about 4 rounds of push ups unbroken and then I had to break them up some. By the end it was 4-2-1-1-1-1 or something similar. Obviously one way to get better is to just do push ups. However I was wanting to do something else besides that to keep a little variety in my life. I was thinking of adapting the Smolov squat cycle to bench press (my bench is my worse lift) but doing it close grip which would be similar to push ups in my mind. Any thoughts on that or any other ideas?

Pushups are surprisingly different from BP. I would just do pushups. There are numerous varieties and they respond really well to volume.

If you insist on benching and more pushups is your goal with it, Smolov is a mass/strength program and what you are looking for is pushup endurance. I would do about 60% of bodyweight for several sets of high reps, and plank afterward.

Really, just do pushups.

[Jason Senn]

Thanks for the advice. It is appreciated.

[Brett Valego]

1. do more push ups: do slow eccentric push ups, push ups where you pause at the bottom (chest not touching floor), slow concentric push ups. that will help a ton

2. get stronger triceps: yes isolation work.

3. shoulders. lateral/front/bent over lateral raises with a dumbbell. yes shoulder isolation work

4. watch the magic happen after a few weeks.

[Jason Senn]

Thank you

[Colin McLafferty]

Jason,

You might want to check out this link from the Greasy Tabata thread:

http://www.thestrengthbase.com/blog/...s-in-2-minutes (WFS)

You don't need to do the full program since you're not prepping for a two minute test. I'm guessing that your maximum set of push ups is probably low (I coul be wrong). You could easily get by with 4x50% sets four days a week or two days of a tabata push ups and two days of 4x50%.

[Dan Woerheide]

So I am in the Army and this is always a topic of interest.. I would reccomend that if you want to train push ups you follow this regiment for improvement and you will literally see within 6 weeks that you can top 100 unbroken with excellent form. There is even an I-Phone and Android app which will have the same program if that is easier... still called 100 pushups.

http://www.hundredpushups.com/

I use this as a warm up or add on to my workouts when I am falling short.

[Mario Beltran]

I just did 5x(10 pushups - 5 pullups/chinups) EVERY morning and EVERY evening at home. Takes you app. 3 minutes. You will notice how much easier it gets.

GTG - do a set of sub-maximal pushups every hour. You can do that at work/school without any problems.

[Jason Senn]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I am going to try the 100 push up in 6 weeks plan. I am the type that needs a plan given to me like that to be most successful. I'm going to give a few days for my initial test (2 days post Cindy and I'm a little sore) and hopefully start this next week and early 2015 I'll hit 100!

[Chris Mason]

There is nothing wrong with using strength training to improve your push-ups. In fact, it can and will improve your results if done properly, but with that said, if you want to get better at a specific movement you must practice that movement. Use the strength training as an accessory to your push-up training.