stymied by push-ups

[lollycat]

I need some pointers on push-ups. I have never felt I do them correctly. I'm 5'6" and average weight but I'm also a 38D - I blame that on my trouble with form! (I like to think if I were streamlined, it would be a breeze.) It feels like I just bend my arms (hands want to turn inward) and that lowers my chest; I never go that far down and don't really feel my pecs working.

Any tips are appreciated!

[kkallus1]

Well, I don't have your exact problem, but I got the following advice fro the Ya Ya's and it helped.
Get into your push up position and be sure you are in a straight line-nothing sagging or sticking up. Then think of having a zipper that runs from your lower abs to your upper abs and pull in or zip up your core. Concentrate on keeping your core muscles tight and engaged through the entire push up. This helped me because I was letting everything relax once I started on the way down. I thought it was weak arms but it was really weak form.
The other thing you might play with is the placement of your feet (wide or narrow) and possibly using a stability ball for push ups.
Good Luck
Kathy

[Redeye]

I learned to do counter-top pushups from Susan Harris.

I like my kitchen counters, but the conference room table at work is lower and makes pushups harder. I try to do a set of these every day. If that's still too uncomfortable, why don't you try them against the wall? That also works well for a starting position.

Also, try different hand placements. If my hands are too close together, it really bothers my shoulders; a wide placement is much more comfortable for me.

When I started doing pushups, the only way I could do them was with my hands turned inwards. As I got stronger, I could place my hands straight.

HTH (Pushups are TOUGH however you do 'em!)

[LoriInND]

I do the counter push ups while I make supper. Great tips all around. I don't have any more, but just wanted to say to keep on trying. I am just now getting really good at pushups and finally DO feel them in my pecs, (I never did before). I think having a strong core has been one of the keys for me.

[lollycat]

Thanks, ladies, good pointers all. I will try the stability ball and the counter pushups. (Where did you get that from Susan? Did I miss something on a video?) I used to do wall pushups but gave them up out of feeling guilty that I wasn't working hard enough. It is good to feel the more correct movement that way, though.

My pushups didn't bother me so much until I did Upper Body Split (The Firm, later-Anna period) for the first time this weekend. Seeing Tracie do them just motivated me to do better.

Thanks for your input. It is reassuring to know I'm not alone in turning in my hands, and that that tendency can go away when I get stronger. Also to know that the day can come when my pecs will feel the effort.

[Redeye]

(Where did you get that from Susan? Did I miss something on a video?) Susan posted that she did counter-top pushups on a message board (FitPrime?) a loooonng time ago.