Can't increase pushup reps. Increase in chinups, core strength. Pushups stuck at 20

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knifegill

Peacock Bass
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Sep 19, 2005
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What am I doing wrong? I've increased my chinups (combined with straight leg/ab curls and never touching the ground between reps, just pausing to lower my legs to prepare for the next curl, but no contact with the ground) from 5 to ten in the past six months, but I've been trying to get more pushups in for years and can't beat twenty. I focus on pushups two to three times a week with several sets of sets per day on days that I am working on it. Usually the first set is a set of about twenty, then I wait about thirty seconds and can do 10 to 12 more. Another 30 seconds and the last set is somewhere in the whimpering single digits. And then I do it again a few hours later. Then I rest a day or two for strength to return and mass to build. And my muscles have actually increased in size, perhaps to mock me for how weak they still are. What gives? Should I start doing sets every day and just rest on the weekends? I'm sick and tired of making no gains, as this strategy has proven somewhat successful for my chinup routine. I eat a lot of meat and vegetables, very few grains and very little toxic and/or refined product except for a mouthful honey before bed.
 
do you workout when your chest is hurting from the previous workout?
 
muscles need a recovery stage, my guess is your chest muscles arent getting their proper recovery as needed w/o supplements (assuming you dont take them) so maybe just allow the muscles to rest fully and keep to tat cycle, then you may be able to increase slightly.
 
IMO, you should push yourself beyond your limits.
Even if it hurts, just continue like below is a mat of spikes waiting to impale you
No pain No Gain!
 
20 pushups.....really? I am guesing you are very young and are still growing. Pushups are really more of a warmup then a workout. My wrestling coach in High School started and ended every practice with 200 pushups and 200 situps in alternating sets of 20. Should take about 8 minutes per 400 reps. If you cannot complete a set with good form drop your knees and force yourself to finish the reps "girl style". ( no offense!!!!)
My guess is you are growing fast and your muscles are still trying to cope with your bigger bones......The others are right though....it is supposed to hurt....push through until you get a second wind!!
 
Spiritofthesoul;5042316; said:
IMO, you should push yourself beyond your limits.
Even if it hurts, just continue like below is a mat of spikes waiting to impale you
No pain No Gain!


good advice. just makes sure you don't workout when your muscles are hurting... then you're just going backwards, being counterproductive.

to OP... when you workout, aim to give yourself DOMS (delayed onset muscular soreness) for 3 days minimum. also mix up your workouts.. pec flys and chest press are good.
 
LOL i don't think anybody can take 2 consecutive days of hardcore training.

Hit the gym for 8 hours straight, couldn't get up the next day.
 
Spiritofthesoul;5042336; said:
LOL i don't think anybody can take 2 consecutive days of hardcore training.

Hit the gym for 8 hours straight, couldn't get up the next day.
Stallone did 6 days a week at the gym when training for the Rocky movies.
 
I would suggest working out your triceps as well with reverse pushups. You will also need to focus on your core strength (abs, back) as thesse are the stablilizer muscles that will help you do the push ups. One thing we do in the military is work on the actual form of the push up by going slow and ensuring that each push up we are doing is correct. Doesn't matter how many you can do if you aren't doing them correctly. I would also suggest doing different types of push ups (diamond, wide arm, inclined) to strengthen your chest. Hope this helps!!
 
pushups require more than core strength. also try different ways to do pushups, like wide spread on arms, then try them really close right under you. try with one had on something and then switch. can actually workout a lot more than arms and shoulders
 
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