How to increase the number of push-up?

[Shokei Marcsui]

If your fixated on doing a set amount when you feel you cant do any more full press ups drop down to your knees or hips as necessary and complete your target figure

Interesting. Great way to self spot yourself.

[Lucy]

Originally Posted by seienchin

Osu Lucy - how did you get this far without being able to do seiken pushups? They were articulated as a specific grading requirement when I did my kyu grades and shodan. I think for shoan I had to do 100 seiken pushups and 20 fingertip pushup. There was a tradition of not requiringthe women to do seiken pushups, but really hated that because it just gave us all weak wrists.
The difference with seiken pushups is that they really work the triceps and biceps, not the pecs. IF you are really struggling with these start with your knees on the ground, just to work those isolated muscles. Then, graduate to feet wide apart, with knees off the ground.
And no, you don't need boy muscles. Just a strong kyokushin GRRRL attitude! (which I am pretty sure you have in abundance!).

Osu Seienchin

I only had to do seiken push ups for my gradings when i took my 1st kyu and shodan because i was a junior for my other gradings (under 16 they only do them on the palms). I did them somehow, dont ask me how! Looking back, it was shear fear that drove me to do them because we had a Shihan wealding a shinai and i was a case of do it or get a whack lol! Like i said its my own fault, i don't practise them enough and i was just wondering what tips people had and what they find useful. I will make this my goal as im all into working on my weaknesses at the moment

[Bloke]

Lucy if you dont do them that often then I would start off by getting used to the seiken position in push ups - dont do a push up just hold the position - start off with 30 seconds and build from there. Experiment with angling your fist (i.e not parralell with your body but angled out slightly) and different widths to find the best position.

[seienchin]

Originally Posted by Lucy

Osu Seienchin

I only had to do seiken push ups for my gradings when i took my 1st kyu and shodan because i was a junior for my other gradings (under 16 they only do them on the palms).

Now that makes sense...I used to encourage my 14 - 16yo who were 5th kyu and above to do fingertup pushups. No risk of damage to growing joints, and build strong wrists! Maybe these would work for you as an alternate. (but again, unless there is a specifc reason to be worried about this - dont. )

A lot of women are worried about getting ugly knuckles from seiken pushups. They can be done with mitts on. My graduation photo is very funny - I am holding my degree certificate, all dresse up in academic gowns, makeup and jewellery...with big red knuckles (I had done a big session the night before! )

[Uchi Deshi]

It all depends on what you're refering to as "pushups"...
I mean there are what some people call a "pushup" and what
some other call a "PUSHUP". (Stay in position at a distance
of about 6 inches from the ground then slowly move up at about 90%
of a full extension -without "locking" your arms- then slowly go down).
I will either do an average of 2x50 series a day (1st round in "seiken", the 2nd one in "shotei") for the cardio.
I don't really see the use of trying to do more than that.
Now if I'd wanted to get a bigger mass of meat around my arms, I might try to gradually add more weight each time on my back .
I've seen some guys doing pushups with their girlfriend sitting on their back to either increase the resistance or rather the showoff... but I have never tried it.
There again, pushups are only a segment of my training.

[BudoKid2002]

im a female who can only do 30 continous knuckle pushups in class. after that i turn into jell-o.
at home, i train by doing 15 repetitions, then rest 30 sec, and 14, 13,12 etc. which totals up to 120

[supergroup7]

One thing that I found out was that I needed to strengthen all of the muscles that surround my shoulders, back, chest, stomach, and legs to be able to do a good push up consequetively. I had to balance the resistance training so that it isn't only certain muscles that became really strong while the others stayed weak. I learned that inverse push ups focusing on the strength of the triceps versus the biceps, and various different shoulder weight training exercises were needed to balance out the ability of my arms.

[homer_simpson]

I managed to get to 60 reps now, but going beyond 60 seems really really hard ... :P

[Shokei Marcsui]

Originally Posted by homer_simpson

I managed to get to 60 reps now, but going beyond 60 seems really really hard ... :P

I read a tip that if your overall goal is to do 100 push ups continuously, it is okay to rest in between as long as you hit your 100.

So if you can hit 60.. rest for 30 seconds then push yourself again to finish out to 100. Eventually you will be able to hit 70, 80, etc etc until you reach 100 non-stop.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by Shokei Marcsui

I read a tip that if your overall goal is to do 100 push ups continuously, it is okay to rest in between as long as you hit your 100.

So if you can hit 60.. rest for 30 seconds then push yourself again to finish out to 100. Eventually you will be able to hit 70, 80, etc etc until you reach 100 non-stop.

I don't know about that. We do rapid sets all the time in the dojo and easily rack up 100-200 in each session (with only small breaks in between sets, usually 10 seconds) and I'm no closer to reaching that number. It increases my endurance so I'm more able to go longer, but not in one continuous set.

Just my experience.

[Shokei Marcsui]

It increases my endurance so I'm more able to go longer, but not in one continuous set.

I think that's the point that the author was trying to make. To be able to build up your muscle endurance to be able to go longer and eventually perform in one continuous set. It kind of goes along with a tip that was on this forum about finishing to 100 even if it means to do knee push-ups when you are exhausted. The point is to reach the goal of 100 whether it's through a short rest or on your knees.



Personally: I'm at 60 right now.

[Paedde]

I found this workout some days before and copied it into a Word Document, I don't have the source anymore so I can't give credit...

Before you start you should be able to do 30 Push-Ups


• Week 1 & 2: Every other day

o POSITION #1
Triangle push-ups (you should touch your thumbs to your xiphoid process (lightly!) when trying to touch your chest to the ground)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
rest 90 seconds

o POSITION #2
Move hands to shoulder length apart (the tips of your fingers should be aligned with the tops of your sholders)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
rest 90 seconds

o POSITION #3
Move your hands out until, during mid rep, your upper arms will be perpendicular to your forearms. The hands should remain in the same position relative to the shoulders (ie move them "out" in a straight line)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete


• Week 3: 2 days on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on

o POSITION #1
Until failure


• Week 4 & 5: 1 on, 2 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 1 off
o POSITION #1
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
rest 120 seconds

o POSITION #2
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
rest 120 seconds

o POSITION #3
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete


• Week 6: 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on

o POSITION #1
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
o POSITION #2
Until failure


• Week 7 & 8: 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 2 on; 1 off, 1 on; 1 off

o POSITION #1
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds

o POSITION #2
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds

o POSITION #3
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds


• Week 9: 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on

o POSITION #1
Until failure
rest 240 seconds

o POSITION #2
Until failure
rest 240 seconds

o POSITION #3
Until failure
rest 240 seconds


• Week 10: 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on

o POSITION #2
100 complete
• Maintenance: Twice a week

o POSITION #2
100 complete

[Satori]

Push Ups Bodybuilding Secret With 100 + Push Ups - Chest Muscle Benefit of Increase Push Up Workout Tips

[cherizar]

I can't seem to get beyond 50-55 reps push-up in a single stretch. I have been doing daily push-up (except on Sunday), minimum 2 sets x 50 reps .. sometimes more. I have tried doing mini-reps as well (many sets of 25 reps ... up to 200-300 reps a day) and it does not seem to help.

Any idea?

Thanks.[/quote]

i found that doing push ups the true kyokushin way (on ur first 2knuckles) have greatly increased the amount i can do.
im on 45 now, then i start losing my breath.
also keeping the fists in a str8 line and symmetrical enough to equally support ur body weight, will help u get the extra 5 or so
also try to spread ur legs about shoulder width(not too wide cos then ur cheating) will bring the desired results!

[seienchin]

I suggest alternating high-rep days of fast pushups with low rep days of the slowest pushups you can manage. REally, really really slow up, hold halfway up, really really slow up the rest of the way, then repeat on the way down. 20 of these will really cost! But they really improve your stamina (dont be surprised if you can only do 5 at first!)

[cherizar]

i also find my number of push ups have increased dramatically doing it the kuokushin way - seiken push ups
osu!

[cooper_543]

I've found that spending a week or two doing light to moderate weight bench press can really help, although when I've spent too much time lifting heavy my pushup # tends to suffer, even if my max bench increases. If you can get ahold of pushup bars (usually only about $10) you will find huge increases. They help you hit muscles that you normally wouldn't feel too much with a pushup. I know my lats are really sore after using pushup bars.
Right now I max out at about 75 straight on a good day. There are no Kyokushin Dojo's near me, but in another six months I'll be near some schools so I'm working on getting back in shape. I'm trying to do 1000 push ups per week, doing sets of 55-75 throughout the day. I think I'm going to start doing knuckly pushups in preparation too. Great thread, thanks!

[Bloke]

Just make sure its the top two knuckles (index and middle finger)

[tmd]

Originally Posted by Lucy

This is very useful BUT palm push ups are nothing like knuckle push ups and you use different muscles. I shall try it though seiken an see how it goes. I so can't do seiken push ups I can't do any upper body exercises very well! I think you need boy muscles to be good at them lol.

My first Kyokushinh Sempi was Paula Long - she used to do 100 push ups, 100 sit ups and 100 squats every morning (apparently) - She was certainly very fit and capably of knocking off a 100 push ups at any time in class - I think she was a girl??