I started doing wall push ups yesterday, and I can feel it today in my arms!. Yowwwch! I'm wondering if they are just as effective as regular push ups? Will they do me any good in the long run?
They are NOT as effective as regular pushups, but if they're all you can do, then they're going to be effective for you for now.
When you get to the point that you can do 50 of them, then you should move to a pushup off of a surface like a desk or a bench. And then from there to straight ground pushups. It might take some time, but eventually you will be able to do it.
Wall pushups are a great start, expecially if you're sore after doing them! But floor ones are much more effective. They really target your back, arms, and abs. Try doing like 5 on your knees and then after then move to the wall...and build yourself up. When you are on your knees make sure to keep your butt down and use them abs. I also like putting my knees almost up to my hips on an audmin (sp) and doing them that way.
Dude - If you can do 4 male pushups, you're further then most people! If you can do 4 of them today, do 4. Tomorrow (or the day after) try 5. Then do as many more as you can on the wall. Two days later try for 6... and so on! Are you also one of the C25K gals?
JamieJo - I found progressing from angled push-ups better. The problems I had with knee push-ups were weight related. ie. they killed my knees.
Back in probably March I started with 60-degree (treadmill handles), moved to 45-degree ones (desk), never found a surface I liked for 30-degree ones though. I can (relatively) easily work in 4x6 into my strength training routine of full push-ups now. I've done as many as 4x15 at times, but that's still pretty tough at my weight.
This afternoon I'll be trying decline (or incline depending on how people consider them) where I'll put my feet on a bench... well, my couch. I've done some of these before (and they're tough), however, my routine goes to 6,4,3,2 today and I figured that if the 4x6 weren't killing me it was time to try something harder.
I used to hate pushups! I've never been able to do them well and they always hurt my back. I could do the knee pushups but I couldn't feel them as well. My trainer has me do them on a bar, handles of gym equipment, etc anything with odd angles. For me they're much better. My muscles actually get a better workout than floor pushups because I can go much deeper, more than parallel that you typically get with floors so I can improve my shoulder flexibility as well. I can do them with one foot and a few with one arm, and go far past parallel so I know I'm getting a great workout from them and have the strength but I still struggle with floor pushups so I just don't do them! :-D I feel as though floor pushups are such a singular exercise where as taking them to different levels allows me at least to incorporate more muscles or isolate if I want to as well so if wall/table/couch/whatever pushups feel better and you can get a better exercise and form then I say do those instead!
I just started doing my push ups on the kitchen counter it's a little higher then my waist. I actually prefer these over wall push ups, I feel as if I'm getting a better workout. Which I probably am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vmo1
I used to hate pushups! I've never been able to do them well and they always hurt my back. I could do the knee pushups but I couldn't feel them as well. My trainer has me do them on a bar, handles of gym equipment, etc anything with odd angles. For me they're much better. My muscles actually get a better workout than floor pushups because I can go much deeper, more than parallel that you typically get with floors so I can improve my shoulder flexibility as well. I can do them with one foot and a few with one arm, and go far past parallel so I know I'm getting a great workout from them and have the strength but I still struggle with floor pushups so I just don't do them! :-D I feel as though floor pushups are such a singular exercise where as taking them to different levels allows me at least to incorporate more muscles or isolate if I want to as well so if wall/table/couch/whatever pushups feel better and you can get a better exercise and form then I say do those instead!
This post came at such a great time!! I just got done with this article from Prevention magazine... Wall Workout for your Lower body. Here is the link!
Wall push ups?
