Push Ups
 

To the experienced/knowledgeable lifters out there:

I want to train to do push ups in different ways that just doing a push up.

Eg instead of 2 sets of 12 reg. push ups - 20 push ups where you're just pushing yourself up from the ground, not lowering yourself down.

OR

Just lowering yourself down slowly 20 times.

Will this sort of training ( just taking turns to train in the concentric/eccentric phases ) bring as much of a result as other eccentric training like lowering yourself down a chin up bar?

Any comments appreciated.

:)

Wow someone who is here at this hour too. Cool.

There are soooooo many different variations of a pushup. Incline or decline (hands on a bench or feet on a bench). Hands close together forming a diamond (insanely hard), hands wide apart; Some of my favorites are getting 2 exercise balls and placing them up against a wall. Then place your hands on the balls in a position that does not hurt your wrist and do pushups. As you become more advanced balance the balls without the use of the wall.

Also take a smaller medicine ball and while in pushup position, place it under one hand. Do a pushup. Then roll the ball to the other hand. Do a pushup. Repeat.

use a bosu ball part down and do pushups.

Hope that helps

In my opinion, yes and no.

Yes, eccentric only training will bring the same benefits. No, in that if you can already do a regular pushup, then you will not get the full benefits that eccentric only training offers unless you add external weight for your eccentrics.

The real key to eccentric only training is to take advantage of the fact that you can handle more weight in the eccentric than you can in the concentric and getting the neural and muscular adaptations from the increased weight will carry over to the full exercise. Doing eccentrics only with the same weight (in this case bodyweight) that you are using for the full exercise is a waste IMHO.

If you want to vary your workouts, I would use some of the suggestions provided by starmac or add external resistance with bands, chains, or vests.

Is it a waste of time to use eccentric training using the same weight once you have hit failure in your set of reps? In this case were speaking of pushups. However, I have been using this in my bicep curls. (Yes I know, but I still do them)

When I reach failure in concentric bicep curls I then assist with the up and then very slowly almost painfully lower for four more reps. Any thoughts about this Depalma? Waste of time or added bonus since I'm already sitting there with the weight in my hand and can do a little more but with a different technique.

If there is some benefit to this we could in the case with the pushups reach failure with the standard pushup then focus upon just the lowering in an eccentric movement.

Ok - I meant more for a person that can't do more than 2 or 3 full - body push ups.

Depalma - you're right about someone's reasons for doing eccentric training (you can handle more weight.)

Hrmm... Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I will continue to ponder and trial the methods mentioned.

I've already experimented with bands, balls etc - but now I wanted to try eccentric training since I haven't done that for chest before.

Thanks again =)

Assisted reps at the end of the set can have their place in a workout as long as you keep in mind that assisted reps means training beyond failure and therefore are a very high intensity move when used on a compound movement. Which means that it may be appropritate for an advanced trainee but not for someone who is still has not reached the intermediate level. So for someone trying to develop the strength to do full sets of regular pushups they are not appropriate.

Also, personally, I don't like assisted reps on exercises that require a good deal of stabilization especially if spinal loading is involved. While the spine is not loaded with the pushup, a lot of stabilization is required. Once your stabilizing muscles are exhausted, it becomes much too easy to get injured. I prefer this technique with isolation exercises or exercises where stabilization is provided by a machine. I have no issues with assited reps with bicep curls.

With pushups, I prefer modified height pushups over assisted reps in further developing the pushups. If a person cannot finish the required reps of regular pushups, I'd prefer for them to finish the set with modified pushups.

One more thing. If your pushup form is correct, you should not be simply resisting the force on the way down, but essentially be rowing yourself to the ground, so instead of doing eccentrics simply do more horizontal rowing and if a persons weakness is in the stabilizers, then they need to be doing more planks instead of eccentrics.

Quick question...is it okay to do push ups every day or should you do it like weight training..every other day??