Need some helpful hints for increasing pushups

S

Super_HKS

0
Hey guys thanks for taking the time to look at my post I really do appreciate it ^_^

So here is my situation. I am almost a State Trooper. In Nov 2009, my Trooper academy class starts and I need to get into the best shape of my life. I currently work out 3-4 days a week typically I work out mon, tues, wed, Take thursday off and then workout friday.

Typically in my routine I start out stretching, doing 30 crunches, and about 20 pushups (just to get my body in that workout mode). After that I hit up the weight machines. I am not a big fan of the free weights so I typically just use the machines. I utilize the chest press machines, deltoid fly, Biceps curls, and for triceps I workout on the triceps drip machines, and also use a tricep machine where I start out behind my head and go up.

I am 6ft4 at about 207 LBS. My biggest killer at the moment are pushups. They are so pesky. Once I get around 15 pushups I get so tired and pretty much am done. For my police academy, 15 isnt gonna cut it. I asked some personal trainers at my gym and no one would give me any helpful hints. There response was "If you want help, I reccommend signing up for a personal trainer program". Anyways guys if anyone here is able to assist me with getting these pushups up, I would certainly appreciate it.
Thanks for your time
-Super_HKS
 
I used to be a cop and have trained many an officer in the field. First off, congrats. Second...you have to get over your opinion of free weights. Machines are nice and cute but you need functional strength. You need to be doing big compound moves with free weights. Not doing deads and squats is not going to make it in the real world. You NEED a solid base. Check out Starting Strength. As for push ups that routine will help also. But google "100 reps on T-nation" and start doing that with Push ups. The best way to get better at push ups is to do pushups. Do sets every hour, every other day within a few reps of failure. Each time add 2 reps.
Also Men's Fitness has a blurb this month about getting to 100 push ups. Ironically they also have an article about working lower body.
 
tenpercent said:
I used to be a cop and have trained many an officer in the field. First off, congrats. Second...you have to get over your opinion of free weights. Machines are nice and cute but you need functional strength. You need to be doing big compound moves with free weights. Not doing deads and squats is not going to make it in the real world. You NEED a solid base. Check out Starting Strength. As for push ups that routine will help also. But google "100 reps on T-nation" and start doing that with Push ups. The best way to get better at push ups is to do pushups. Do sets every hour, every other day within a few reps of failure. Each time add 2 reps.
Also Men's Fitness has a blurb this month about getting to 100 push ups. Ironically they also have an article about working lower body.
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Awesome Ill have to check that out. The academy is about 4 months away and I figure with some hard work, ill be able to pound out those pushups.
 
Also Check out Crossfit. There discussion boards are good and workout of the days are really good for functional strength. Lots of emergency service and military guys do Crossfit.
 
pushups

I'm training in hopes of doing 100 consecutive pushups for a goal I set in Sept. I asked this question before and received a lot of good suggestions. The 100 pushup routine is a good one to follow. One of the military sites said if you're training for 100 work through your goal. I try to do as many reps as possible in as few a number of sets as possible to reach 100. Maybe fifty once then two sets of twenty five. Now I train at 200 and 300 reps in as few sets as possible. Recently I've been doing a once per week circuit where I do five different types of pushups 10 reps each moving from one to the next with no rest. Six sets all together for 300 total.
I find this routine to be one of the best total body workouts I have ever done. Couple that with a good core circuit and I'm getting better at reaching these crazy goals. Good luck and keep posting your progress we can encourage each other.
 
Are you doing any running? Most of these "boot camp" type experiences are more about endurance (both physical and mental) than strength. Increasing your endurance (and reducing body fat) will also increase your count on pushups (and other body weight exercises)!

And I agree with the other posters, get on the free weights! You need to increase your over all upper body strength FAST. Free weights will do that more efficiently and effectively than machines.
 
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