Chest press or stair push ups??

  • I have been following Krista's split day beginner WL program with a couple of extra exercises.
    On my UB day I do lat pulldown, standing shoulder press, one arm rows, chest press ( 2 15 lb DBs) and a tricep exercise, bicep curls and then abs.
    3 sets of each.
    Should I be doing stair push ups instead of/ in addition to what I am doing?
    Krista says to do either push ups or chest press, but I am concerned if I replace the chest press I will lose what I have gained, because even though I am not lifting very heavy DBs in the chest press I have actually had to work up to that weight, since I am weak in my upper body.
    I would appreciate any advice/ suggestions.
    Thanks
  • Katie, 15 pound DBs for chest press is a very respectable weight, so on building up your strength! Chest and shoulders are my weakest body parts, too.

    I think it's OK to swap your DB chest press for pushups because they're going to be working the same muscles with both exercises. In fact, pushups are a more challenging exercise because they require the use of stabilizing muscles in your core and legs that aren't used in the chest press.

    Or you could alternate the two exercises for each workout -- chest press one time, pushups the next, then back to chest press?
  • I think if you can do stair pushups (I've started doing them fairly recently), I'd definitely add them to your routine. Building up strength doing dumbbells is awesome. The stair pushups should be more challenging though and are a more practical workout. Basically, what Meg said
  • Quote: Or you could alternate the two exercises for each workout -- chest press one time, pushups the next, then back to chest press?
    This is what I do.
  • I do both, all the time. I do 2 exercises for each body part, so I do the press and then hit the stairs.