Push Up Frequency Debate

You're not doing hardcore amounts, you don't need to worry about recovery or be a slave/OCD to you strength training days. Figure out weekly total (75?) and just get it done whenever, on commercial breaks, waiting for microwave, at the bus stop in front of some hotties etc. If it's 3 days in a row, no big deal, you get 4 days off, you'll still be better off then the average couch potato.

If you're bored, mix it up once in awhile with clap pushups, diamond pushups, spidermans etc.

FWIW Usain Bolt does 4500 crunches a week, 1000 on easy days, 500 on hard, no rest days.

Worked a job where I lifted everyday. Retired fairly young. Every spring I would up my "hobby jogger" miles and eventually would develope some nagging condition. Started with push ups and sit ups and over a year and a half added about 8 more body weight exercises. Haven't had a single issue since. I do at least one set six days a week.

My son who runs XC and track D-1 hated doing weight days because he was always sore after. He has been doing the exercises that I put together and lifts

2 to 3 days. He was the only one on his XC team that didn't see the trainer this past XC season. Six days a week seems to be working for us.

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

So this is one set? And you want someone to do ten of these as fast as they can?

Are we talking real pull ups and push ups or crossfit style?

Big difference.

Sallly Vixxxx wrote:

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.

If you are doing 1200 push-ups as a workout, you need a brain, not recovery.

Even doing 30 per minute continuously, which you aren't, this would take 40 minutes. On what? Core, chest and triceps? I can think of about 100 things that would be a better use of time for a runner in any event from sprints to marathon.

If you want to increase strength, do a real strength routine. That will take recovery.

For whatever other goals you might be addressing with your idiotic 1200 push-ups, there are better ways to achieve it.

Chill wrote:

FWIW Usain Bolt does 4500 crunches a week, 1000 on easy days, 500 on hard, no rest days.

Bolt trains hard 5 days a week? 2 easy days- 2000 total, 5 hard days- 2500 total.

"Walker has participated in a variety of sports including football, Olympic bobsledding, track and field, taekwondo, and ballet dancing. Instead of lifting weights, he has a daily regimen of 750 to 1,500 push-ups and 2,000 sit-ups.[62] He has been going through this same routine since high school.[63]"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herschel_Walker

brutus recommend the mighty bench press to make better 4K time

nothing beats mighty bench press for chesticular development

mighty bench press not to be trifled with and require long rest period

markschultz25 wrote:

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?

Hey Schultzy,

Maybe you should find out what workouts folks do in prison? Those negros are RIPPED!

Ohio Bowling 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

So this is one set? And you want someone to do ten of these as fast as they can?

Are we talking real pull ups and push ups or crossfit style?

Big difference.

Real push-ups, real pull-ups, real squats.

Pull-ups will be hardest. I suggest deloading pull-ups, let your feet touch the ground and reload for each pullup.

Alan

What's a real pull-up? Arms straight, 45 degrees, 90 degrees?

Runningart2004 wrote:

A typical bodyweight workout might be:

10 pull-ups

20 push-ups

30 squats

10 sets as quickly as possible

Alan

Alan, why pull-ups instead of chin-ups? We seldom do pull-ups in my coached workouts. We do chin-ups more frequently.

Would it be acceptable to do the pull-ups with a band assist? Otherwise, there's no way I could do this. My max pull ups is about 7.

Even with the band to put my foot into to help with the pull-up, I doubt that I could do more than 5 sets. Would I just do 5 sets and build up to 10 over a few weeks?

Q for runningart wrote:

What's a real pull-up? Arms straight, 45 degrees, 90 degrees?

Look here.

Chill wrote:

FWIW Usain Bolt does 4500 crunches a week, 1000 on easy days, 500 on hard, no rest days.

You changed the topic. The recovery time for difference muscles is different. It is fine to work on abdominals everyday.

I can't believe that people thing that work out is impossible. I'm a 47 yr old runner and I can do it (its my Monday morning workout). I'm sure all the sub14 running superstars on here can knock this out no problem.

Then do chin ups, or assisted, or inverted rows. The goal is to do a pulling movement.

I like close grip (closer than shoulder width), hammer grip (palms in) pull-ups. I can do a lot more of those than chin ups....for most people this will be he strongest position for pulling.

More fun bodyweight exercises:

Burpee push-up pullup.....do as it says, pullup bar must be above you so you can jump about 6 inches to reach.

Box jump, depth jump circuit. Boxes of various heights, 2-3 jumps total.

Single leg deadlift, touch fingers to ground.

Traveling push-up, push-up, move body left do a push-up, move body right, do a push-up

Plyo push-up onto step or between steps. No more than 4 inches off the ground.

Spider man push-up

Rope climbs for days

Contralateral knee or toe touch from the push-up position. In the push-up position, move your left leg/knee under and across your body to touch your right hand. Then alternate sides. Yeah it sucks.

Alan

few proud wrote:

Q for runningart wrote:

What's a real pull-up? Arms straight, 45 degrees, 90 degrees?

Look here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLdwu4RCMqY

That video is useless because it's from the waist up. The fact of the matter is that your legs have to swing out some to counterbalance your upper body. Your head and upper body start out directly beneath the bar but they end out off to the side of the bar, so your legs have to swing out to counter-balance.

The problem is that you can then add just one or two inches of kip to make the pullup a bit easier, and it's effectively impossible to see.

There are lots of correct ways to do a pullup.

The problem with kipping like Crossfit is that it is inherently unsafe.

Alan

Let's see the video of you doing that workout.

Keep your body tight, straight, and up high. Bend your elbows to lower your chest around 2 inches below the top of the bench. Push back up with enough force so that you could have done a few more reps if you wanted to.
There is an ongoing debate about how often someone should do push-ups in order to see results. This is a good linear progression to follow, however, some people might not have time to do the 5 days a week. As well, some people may have other goals which can be achieved better with less push-ups.
I personally believe that the best results will be obtained by doing at least 5 days a week of push ups. People who want bigger chest muscles don't necessarily need to do this many days a week; however, it is optimal for overall shoulder and chest health.

adfoc.us/7391331