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Best way to build up push ups

Always train for the strictest graders; that way you'll do better if they're easier, but you won't fail if they're hard. Practice making sure your chest gets close enough to the ground that it would hit an orange or a softball. If you're having a hard time doing them in the proper form, practice perfect form pushups very slowly. Try this in sets of 20-25, and step down in increments. The slower you go, the better. This will suck at first, but eventually your body will get used to that and you'll do them right when you go faster for the test.
 
See my problem is the lower half of my body. I can throw my chest down way far.

I was corrected by a SFC in the Army who told me I needed to keep my pelvis straight and let me tell you it hurt like nothing else doing pushups that way. So maybe I should focus on lower back exercises or something.
 
The tip of your d!ck should touch the deck for each correct push-up (if you are wearing blue PT shorts).
 
You sound like you need to strengthen your core. Squats and deadlifts should do wonders for you. Hit the bench too because there's absolutely no reason to be anywhere near failing pushups.

Chest to deck is my method. Nobody can say a damn thing about breaking 90/parallel upper arm/yadayada if your chest always touches the ground.
 
The best way I have found to increase push up numbers is to do ladders. Do five sets in a series. Start with 1's. So the workout would be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. When that becomes easy move to 2's. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2. Then threes. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 12, 9, 6, 3. Keep increasing your ladder work out as they become easier. Rest for a short period between steps during the workout. But do not stop. Finish the ladder work out even if you have to do so on your knees. Of course getting propper form down is the first step. When doing push ups look strait ahead, not at the ground, this will keep your butt down. Also focus on contracting your core, it will keep your back strait.

Its always good to work in max sets every once in a while too so you become used to doing so for the prt.

again this is just my opinion, what I havee found to work best for me. Good luck just keep working
 
now I'm guessing I should do these squats with weight. What would you recommend for a guy weighing around 205 to be lifting? I'm not really a weightlifter.
 
LazersGoPEWPEW said:
now I'm guessing I should do these squats with weight. What would you recommend for a guy weighing around 205 to be lifting? I'm not really a weightlifter.
Click to expand...
You can't really say what you 'should' be lifting. You need to figure out where you're at and start there. So, you should start by placing 2 45s on the olympic bar (1 per side). This should be fairly easy and a good warmup (you need to get accustomed to the motion as well). Increase the weight by 50lb increments (25 per side). Once you hit a weight that you can do ~10-12 times, that should be your starting point. I'd recommend starting each squat regimen with a warmup set at 135 followed by 3 sets at the weight you determined was in the 8-12 range. Once you get stronger, start incrementing your sets so that you do progressively more weight while decreasing the reps. I wouldn't increase the weight past the point where you can't do at least 6 reps.

Remember, you're strengthening your back and core so that it isn't limiting you when you're doing pushups. You still need to work specifically on your chest and shoulders.
 
Outstanding. That's a great tip. Yea I can run like all get out for my size. I've always encountered difficult in getting a good upper body workout.

I'll give that a try tomorrow when I make my way to the gym.
 
I know push-ups are a complex workout, but what are all the areas you can isolate to improve them? Right now I have shoulders, triceps, chest and core. Anything else in there that I missed? In terms of core one of the things I sometimes do is planks, anything else that isolates the core besides dead lifts?
 
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