When I return to college in late august, I need to be able to do quite a few more push-ups than I can now. My goal would be around fifty or so, but mainly I just need to be a good bit above average.
However, I am on starting the second week of the Waterbury Method now and and am not sure how to incorporate push-ups. I know that the repeated effort method is the primo way to build endurance for push-ups, but if I do many reps on my WM off days, I am afraid I will be overtraining my chest, triceps, and shoulders. In addition, I don’t want to drop bench press from the current program because it will not only mess up the protocol, but I will also lose the vast benefits that come from doing it. Also, at the end of July I am going on the V-Diet and I intend to use Shugart’s sequencing (though it may be easier to tweak because he was not adamant about his specific choices).
So, I would like to get some feedback on ways to either incorporate push-up training into the programs I use for the rest of the summer, or another program entirely that will better lead to my goal. Oh, and I can do about twenty at best now (I’m just not good at push-ups). Thanks in advance.
-Tim
Id go for something along the lines of the 100 rep protocol on none upper push lifting days. Doing sets throughout the day that you end short of failure but try and advance on. getting a total of 100 in a day.
Sat right now you can do 30 before failure. each time then punch out say 20-25. Staying well short of failure. Do the 4- 5 sets thrpoughout the day. During weeks up that # of reps and drop the # of sets as needed until the ultimate goal of 100 no rest and no failure.
What is it that is stopping you from doing more than 20 pushups (i.e. what gives out first)?
I found that through balanced training (i.e. core strength work, upper and lower body work for a few weeks, can’t remember the timeframe now) just with weights and avoiding pushups I increased my numbers from 50 (pass level) to 75 (distinction level).
The program you’re on should be adequate for strength and endurance for the pushups, but you might need the practice to get your form right (including abdominal and posterior chain activation).
Not exactly incorporating pushups - but you’ll need to address your weaknesses before you can increase your numbers - I was weak in pushups for ages, as I just practiced pushups, before I did this.
[quote]Dango wrote:
I remember in the army how they got us to increase our numbers…doing pushups…every day. [/quote]
This was one the things I loved the most in the army. So usefull. Once, when we are under fire and we were lyind down behind a cover, I was able to lift my entire body up to look for the enemies and down behind, 50 times. But then regretfully I had already fallen into the daily routine, turned on my back, and got killed doing my 6th sit-up.
[quote]Imbrondir wrote:
Dango wrote:
I remember in the army how they got us to increase our numbers…doing pushups…every day.
This was one the things I loved the most in the army. So usefull. Once, when we are under fire and we were lyind down behind a cover, I was able to lift my entire body up to look for the enemies and down behind, 50 times. But then regretfully I had already fallen into the daily routine, turned on my back, and got killed doing my 6th sit-up.[/quote]
You say you’re worried about overtraining, so use push ups as active recovery from working your upper body. Just don’t go to failure all the time. For example, for a max of 20 push ups, I would do the following on days you aren’t working chest:
Every waking hour, do 10 push ups. Do this for a week then add 5 reps. After two weeks, test your max. Practice this 3-4 days a week.
I actually used this technique while trying to get my bench press max up, and I do believe it helped.
But, 20 push ups that’s not very many. What weight are you benching? Just curious.
ipjunkie-
I really like the system you proposed and I think I will try it starting tomorrow as today is bench day on the WM for me.
As for my 1RM on bench, the last time I tested it was mid-April, and I have definitely made good gains since then. It was 155 then; also not very much. So you can understand more why I can do only twenty push-ups (I also havent tested this in a while–could be a few more). Thanks.
-Tim