I'm currently doing 3 days on, 1 day rest, 1 day on, 2 days rest.
But I've read in other places that you should do push ups every other day.
My push up workout consists of 25 push ups. I hold the down position for about 3 seconds.
Given that, is it better to switch to every other day, or just continue as I'm doing now?
The orthodox body building dogma is that chest muscles should be worked every other day.
Yes
Muscle development/growth occurs when you break down the muscle(s) and then allow the muscle to recover while providing it with nutrients. Muscle growth takes place during this recovery period. That is why you should never work a muscle on consecutive days. Try doing push-up workouts 3 days a week.
You do not need "recovery" from any body weight exercise you are doing dozens of consecutively like push-ups and core stuff. Do every day. Do once a year. Whatever. But recovery and "rest days" are meaningless for push-ups.
new lifter wrote:
You do not need "recovery" from any body weight exercise you are doing dozens of consecutively like push-ups and core stuff. Do every day. Do once a year. Whatever. But recovery and "rest days" are meaningless for push-ups.
If you do many (400 to 1200 a day) you DO need recovery. 25 ... sure - you don't.
25 a day, or let's say one max set a day you can do everyday. When you actually start doing a workout with multiple sets then you'll need rest.
A typical bodyweight workout might be:
10 pull-ups
20 push-ups
30 squats
10 sets as quickly as possible
Alan
Farmers, construction workers, movers and other manual laborers lift everyday.
Best advice I ever heard was from a d1 football player. Do max push ups every commercial break while you watch tv every day.
I've personally seen guys do this and go from 100 in a matter of weeks
I just do 10 sets of 15 push-ups every 45 seconds everyday. Is that enough to be taking rest days?
Did all of the advice take into account the type of push ups im doing? I keep the down position for 2 usually closer to 3 seconds. So by the 10th rep I am already feeling a burn. Would that make a difference in rest days?
coach wrote:
Farmers, construction workers, movers and other manual laborers lift everyday.
Two things:
1) Not at the intensity level of a workout on a regular basis, whether to failure or near failure. This is not to denigrate the work they do. They work hard, and are obviously way more fit than office workers. I've done both.
2) Check out the disability rates for these occupations. Doing the same thing day after day leads to repetitive stress injuries.
Runningart2004 wrote:
25 a day, or let's say one max set a day you can do everyday. When you actually start doing a workout with multiple sets then you'll need rest.
A typical bodyweight workout might be:
10 pull-ups
20 push-ups
30 squats
10 sets as quickly as possible
Alan
You mean 10 sets of 10-20-30? With proper form (no swing, touch chest...)
For a total of 100 - 200 - 300?
That is not possible, unless you are a Olympic level gymnast or similar, if that is what you meant
If you do max intensity, you need a rest day.
Google greasing the groove. That's the technique I use when I want to increase the amount of push-ups, pull-ups or dips that I can do.
I do sets of these all day long at 50% intensity, sometimes 4 or 5 days in a row.
Yes farmers and manual laborers do not max out everyday. Nor will the OP and most people doing push up routines.
The routine Alan presented is not as daunting as it appears unless you are a beginner.
Listen to your body, those who can't will be forced to take days off.
I'm at a point in my life where 3 days a week of exercise is enough (mobility work the other days). I have plenty of students who work a bit everyday.
coach wrote:
Yes farmers and manual laborers do not max out everyday. Nor will the OP and most people doing push up routines.
The routine Alan presented is not as daunting as it appears unless you are a beginner.
Listen to your body, those who can't will be forced to take days off.
I'm at a point in my life where 3 days a week of exercise is enough (mobility work the other days). I have plenty of students who work a bit everyday.
Your stance is that a non-beginner (meaning: typically fitness concerned person) can do that workout properly?
I would love to see those pullups. Alan can't do it, neither can you.
Whatever frequency you choose, just make sure that you do not do them at the resonance frequency of the building you're in, or you might make it come crashing down on you.
Ahnold wrote:
Runningart2004 wrote:25 a day, or let's say one max set a day you can do everyday. When you actually start doing a workout with multiple sets then you'll need rest.
A typical bodyweight workout might be:
10 pull-ups
20 push-ups
30 squats
10 sets as quickly as possible
Alan
You mean 10 sets of 10-20-30? With proper form (no swing, touch chest...)
For a total of 100 - 200 - 300?
That is not possible, unless you are a Olympic level gymnast or similar, if that is what you meant
I'm surprised that people think this would be impossible to do unless you're an olympic gymnast. I started lifting right after my college running and was able to do 5 sets of 13 with 60 seconds rest.
Doing 10 sets of 10 with a lot more rest (push ups and squats with minimal recovery then back to pullups) wouldn't be very difficult. Certainly not the difficulty of an olympic gymnast's workout.
He'll I can't do 2 pullups. But I have students who do this workout with kettle bell swings between sets but we do 6 sets. I'd consider these guys intermediate level performers.
Pavel, Dan John, and others have programs that have taken beginners to high levels in a short amount of time. I've witnessed some impressive transformations
Runningart2004 wrote:
25 a day, or let's say one max set a day you can do everyday. When you actually start doing a workout with multiple sets then you'll need rest.
A typical bodyweight workout might be:
10 pull-ups
20 push-ups
30 squats
10 sets as quickly as possible
Alan
I do this weekly. It will kick your tail.