What Do You Consider Pushups?

[K31]

I can't see others in the class doing pushups while I'm doing them.

I've had instructors/aides come by while I'm doing them and complement me on my pushups. I thought I was being patronized for being the old guy but now I feel different.

My instructor showed the class how he wanted people's back's straight while they do pushups the other day, so I thought that was the problem: some people had their butts in the air or something.

But a few days ago I watched an "intermediate" class finishing up and they were doing "pushups". I swear that out of the whole class there was only one young lady that was doing pushups. Some were only doing what I can only describe as head-bobbling in a pushup position the rest were lucky if they bent their elbows more than 90 deg.

 

[fireman00]

When we test we have to put a small (4" diameter) squeaky ball under our chest and have to bend our elbows far enough so that our chest presses down on the ball.

Outside of test time there are a fair number of under 18 kids in the class that "cheat" by doing the bob their heads and look so proud of themselves when they can do 50 push-ups. They always look surprised at test time when they wind up having to repeat the push-up part of their test 2 or 3 times before they pass.

 

[MBuzzy]

I have a slightly different perspective here....as usual. In the military, back straight, knees locked, and your elbows must break the 90 degree plane.

In a martial arts class though, I have a slightly different opinion. The proper way to do a push up doesn't change of course, but how I respond to it is much different.

The majority of people who do not do push ups regularly CANNOT do a proper push up. They should be instructed on how to do it properly, but it has to be accepted that they just can't or at the least, it is difficult. It is something you have to practice

 

[IcemanSK]

I have a slightly different perspective here....as usual. In the military, back straight, knees locked, and your elbows must break the 90 degree plane.

In a martial arts class though, I have a slightly different opinion. The proper way to do a push up doesn't change of course, but how I respond to it is much different.

The majority of people who do not do push ups regularly CANNOT do a proper push up. They should be instructed on how to do it properly, but it has to be accepted that they just can't or at the least, it is difficult. It is something you have to practice

I'd agree with Buzzy on the correct way. I'd also agree most folks can't do them well. It try, but can't most often.

 

[Doc_Jude]

I can't see others in the class doing pushups while I'm doing them.

I've had instructors/aides come by while I'm doing them and complement me on my pushups. I thought I was being patronized for being the old guy but now I feel different.

My instructor showed the class how he wanted people's back's straight while they do pushups the other day, so I thought that was the problem: some people had their butts in the air or something.

But a few days ago I watched an "intermediate" class finishing up and they were doing "pushups". I swear that out of the whole class there was only one young lady that was doing pushups. Some were only doing what I can only describe as head-bobbling in a pushup position the rest were lucky if they bent their elbows more than 90 deg.

For the average pushup, The body should be plank-straight, whether doing strict pushups or "knee" pushups (I'm loath to call them "girl" pushups). The hands should be just a bit wider than shoulder width apart, lower until your chest is closer to the floor than your elbows, or perhaps if working with someone have them put a fist under your chest, always a good gauge of form. When you can't maintain proper form, it's time to take a break. That should be the way you test how many pushups you can do. Reps w/o Form are more often than not wasted time.

 

[rutherford]

Shoulder position is something I often see wrong as well. If your shoulders are up by your ears, you're doing it wrong. They need to be tightly down in the socket.

 

[igillman]

Just as Doc_Jude says but I consider myself all the way down when my nose touches the floor.

 

[MBuzzy]

For the average pushup, The body should be plank-straight, whether doing strict pushups or "knee" pushups (I'm loath to call them "girl" pushups). The hands should be just a bit wider than shoulder width apart, lower until your chest is closer to the floor than your elbows, or perhaps if working with someone have them put a fist under your chest, always a good gauge of form. When you can't maintain proper form, it's time to take a break. That should be the way you test how many pushups you can do. Reps w/o Form are more often than not wasted time.

You can alter the benefits of the push up by changing the position of your hands. "Diamond" push ups, where your hands are touching (making a diamond with your thumbs and forefingers) are a GREAT tricep workout. Wide arm push ups, where your hands are a few inches wider than your shoulders do great for your lats and shoulder muscles. The standard push up works a wide range of muscles, including all of the above, the other two just target specific areas. Push ups are also great for your core, since it requires stabilizer muscles to keep yourself straight.

I have used the fist test many times and it is a great way to make sure that you're not cheating.

I do have to disagree about the lack of form though....But only to a point. With push ups, even without the proper form, you're getting something out of it. UNLESS (big qualifier) your form is so bad that you're not actually doing a push up, i.e. only bobbing your head, not bending your arms, just moving your hips, stuff like that. Although even with those, you are doing SOME good just by being the front leaning rest position. To be honest, I NEVER would have learned to do push ups well, and neither would A LOT of the military if it weren't for just sitting in the front leaning rest and continuing to do push ups long after you can maintain proper form (and still being yelled at for it of course).

 

[Miles]

We do push-ups as a cool-down exercise at the end of class.

Typically, the adults do them on their knuckles, the kids on their palm-heels.

One of my assistant instructors doles out pushups as punishment (or threatens to do so). Unfortunately (or fortunately), I've had kids say one of the things they like the most about training is the push-ups.....this must say something about my classes....

Several weeks ago, we played with a push-up device that you can get at a sporting goods sore (the brand name escapes me). It was a lot of fun and could be a nice training aid.

Miles

 

[Laurentkd]

I have noticed poor form in kids' pushups for a long time. Now what I do is have them start laying on their bellys then say "up" the go all the way up to a front leaning rest position and then I say "down" and they lay on the belly again. Doesn't do as much as a "real" pushup, but the kids enjoy doing them and they get a lot more out of it and it is my hope that as they get better they will understand the concept of going up and down and be able to do it correctly (instead of just moving the hips or bobbing the head).

 

[Doc_Jude]

You can alter the benefits of the push up by changing the position of your hands. "Diamond" push ups, where your hands are touching (making a diamond with your thumbs and forefingers) are a GREAT tricep workout. Wide arm push ups, where your hands are a few inches wider than your shoulders do great for your lats and shoulder muscles. The standard push up works a wide range of muscles, including all of the above, the other two just target specific areas. Push ups are also great for your core, since it requires stabilizer muscles to keep yourself straight.

I have used the fist test many times and it is a great way to make sure that you're not cheating.

I do have to disagree about the lack of form though....But only to a point. With push ups, even without the proper form, you're getting something out of it. UNLESS (big qualifier) your form is so bad that you're not actually doing a push up, i.e. only bobbing your head, not bending your arms, just moving your hips, stuff like that. Although even with those, you are doing SOME good just by being the front leaning rest position. To be honest, I NEVER would have learned to do push ups well, and neither would A LOT of the military if it weren't for just sitting in the front leaning rest and continuing to do push ups long after you can maintain proper form (and still being yelled at for it of course).

Ha! You're right. I can get on board with that! Getting yelled at definitely motivates you to get it done however you can!!!

"Do, or Do Not. There is no try!" - :yoda:

 

[Doc_Jude]

Just as Doc_Jude says but I consider myself all the way down when my nose touches the floor.

I find that my form suffers more when I'm looking down instead of forward.

Also, as said above, when pulling the shoulders down, it works your lats more too. Good Point.

 

[Doc_Jude]

PT Questions? Look Here: Stew Smith (Navy SEAL) Archive

 

[K31]

I have noticed poor form in kids' pushups for a long time. Now what I do is have them start laying on their bellys then say "up" the go all the way up to a front leaning rest position and then I say "down" and they lay on the belly again. Doesn't do as much as a "real" pushup, but the kids enjoy doing them and they get a lot more out of it and it is my hope that as they get better they will understand the concept of going up and down and be able to do it correctly (instead of just moving the hips or bobbing the head).

I should have added that that was one of the techniques that the instructor instituted in our class in addition to the "straight back" demo to get people to do pushups right. This was before I realized how bad the problem was. So that is what I do now when I can't hit the requisite number of "real" pushups, go all the way down on my stomach and push myself up. My partner has started doing "catch up" pushups. If he can't do all those required he does the ones he can do with good form, does the rest of the exercises and goes back and finishes his pushups.

 

[Muwubu16858]

From White Belt to Yellow, we have those who aren't able to do them correctly do them on their knees until they are able to do them correctly. Breathing is very important, breath in going down, breath out pushing up. At Green belt, we start them on doing finger tip push ups (Five fingers). Blue belt up, three fingers each hand, Cho Dan up, 2 fingers each hand. We use alot of finger tip techniques at our school, which is why we use this style push up