On pushups

[Vijay arun]

Hi :) In boxing pushups are very important.I could take only fast pushups.But my freinds are saying that in the begging stages of exercising slow pushups should be taken.And I can't take the slow stuff.So what can I do?

[YODA]

Both?

[Saz]

It is harder to do slow push ups than quick ones. As far as I understand, doing exersizes slower makes the muscle work harder, or increases endurance or something like that. If you can't do them slowly, but can do them quickly, I'd view that as something to work on and improve.

[Vijay arun]

Thanks!But if I start with slow pushups will I eventually able to do the quicker ones?

[Jude3085]

Why shouldn't you? Doing them slower will let you build endurance and strength. Also if you want to build exposive power in your push-ups do clap pushups. It's a great way to get explosive strenght in your push-ups.
If you want to do clap push-ups do 8 sets of 3 reps.

[Who am I?]

I believe so

[Vijay arun]

I am sorry for a mistake in my question.The actual question is as follows.
Will I eventually be able to the slow pushups(which are harder)
if I start with the quicker ones(which are easy to do)?

[Jude3085]

No, you wont build much muscle doing fast push-ups because your not using the full extent of your muscles and not challenging them enough.

[Cain]

Jude's right however fast push ups help in explosiveness ie plyometrics IMO

|Cain|

[warren]

for a real good work out try handstand push ups against a wall with a pause at the bottom of each rep

[fallout]

If you can support your own body weight when doing slow push ups then try benchpressing to build up the required muscles (chest and tricpes) also if your hands are closer togther you are working your triceps more where as if they are further apart the emphasis is on your chest more, it may be the case that your chest is stronger that your tricpes or vice-versa.

[Vijay arun]

Please explain me what handstand pushup is?

[Cain]

Handstand push ups are when your upside down with only your hands on the floor and doing push ups, you can support your legs on the wall to keep balance.

Also Vijay, you by any chance from India?

|Cain|

[Vijay arun]

I couldn't get u cairn

[Cain]

Try this -

[Jude3085]

Wouldn't handstand push-ups work your back? not you pecs?

[Saz]

You mean handstand push ups?

There's a scene in a flim, (I think its The Rock) where Nicholas Cage does hand stand push ups. If I can remember the exact name if the movie, I'll post it.

[Cain]

Con air :D

|Cain|

[Vijay arun]

I tried this stuff once.But it made blood flow thru' my head and I could not with stand the pressure for more than a second or two.
I think it is easier to do ordinary pushups than hand stand pushups.What do you think?

[peacfulwarrior]

Another way of doing pushups are with your feet elevated they don't necessairly have to be straight up. Try using a chair or bed to raise your feet.

[Vijay arun]

One more question.Some people say that taking pushups with moving the chest and abdomen downwards one by one makes the whole body stronger.Is that true or Is it the proper way to take the pushups(I actually did pushups by just lowering the whole body)?

[Cain]

The only thing I take care is that my lower back does'nt arch and my stomach does'nt sag down to the floor, if it does I increase the distance between my hands and feet, does the trick quite well.

|Cain|

[Trent Tiemeyer]

Try doing ten fast, five slow, ten fast, five slow.

[Dark Blade]

Or, slow on the way down, fast on the way up, do a clap, and repeat.
And try them on your knuckles.

[Hannibal]

I agree with the "do both" suggestion. They are not exercises that exclude each other!

I believe that muscles have "fast twitch" and "slow twitch" fibres that need to be hit in deifferent ways to gain maximum benefit. Slow and fast variations should help with this.

Hindu pushups are my personal favourite though. I started on them two years ago and they are a staple of my routine now.

[Cain]

Yeah - hindu push ups aka suryanamaskars are fantastic, I was exposed to them before push ups ;)

|Cain|