Hi - I'm having a problem increasing my ammount of pushups for a 1 minute test. for the past 2 weeks I've been doing 200 every other day. 8 sets of 25 with 5 minutes rest between. For some reason I cannot get past 44 max(sometimes I can't even hit 40!) in the minute... would really like to get to 50. any ideas?
push up help
- Thread starter Mrfriedhoff
- Start date
The best way to increase pushups, as well as situps and pull ups, is to pyramid your weight. I can't post links yet, but the full article is up at internetgym.smworth.com
To give a brief explanation...body weight exercises can be increased effectively by increasing the volume. Right now you are doing 25 for each set for 200 total reps. If you pyramid the weight it will feel easier, but you will be greatly increasing your volume. If you can do a max of 40 pushups right now, pyramid your reps from just 5 pushups. Increase each set by 5 until you hit 40, then work your way back down to 5. Limit your rest to about 60-90 seconds if you can. And make sure you stretch your chest in between each set.
So your sets will look like this:
5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
You will be increasing your sets, reps and volume, as well as finishing 320 pushups. Make sure you don't do this anymore than every other day(mon, wed, fri, with the weekends off). If you know the date of your physical agility test (since you mentioned a 1 min pushup test I am going to assume military or police agility test) make sure you stop doing all pushups 3-4 days before the test to allow your muscles the rest they need.
If you want you can try a 1 set max on Sundays and readjust your numbers if needed for the week. I have been a member of SWAT for 10 years. This program is actually built for the purpose of increasing your max numbers. Good luck!
To give a brief explanation...body weight exercises can be increased effectively by increasing the volume. Right now you are doing 25 for each set for 200 total reps. If you pyramid the weight it will feel easier, but you will be greatly increasing your volume. If you can do a max of 40 pushups right now, pyramid your reps from just 5 pushups. Increase each set by 5 until you hit 40, then work your way back down to 5. Limit your rest to about 60-90 seconds if you can. And make sure you stretch your chest in between each set.
So your sets will look like this:
5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
You will be increasing your sets, reps and volume, as well as finishing 320 pushups. Make sure you don't do this anymore than every other day(mon, wed, fri, with the weekends off). If you know the date of your physical agility test (since you mentioned a 1 min pushup test I am going to assume military or police agility test) make sure you stop doing all pushups 3-4 days before the test to allow your muscles the rest they need.
If you want you can try a 1 set max on Sundays and readjust your numbers if needed for the week. I have been a member of SWAT for 10 years. This program is actually built for the purpose of increasing your max numbers. Good luck!
I have done 99 in one minute for a pt test years ago with two spotters and a counter - i didn't know how many i did until it was over because numbers are a mental block for me and they mess with my head if I count as I'm going along.
Therefore, this is what worked for me ---what I did to get my numbers up was train similar in intensity that I was going to test at. So I knew that I'd go all out and do them fast. Therefore, I probably would cut back the overall volume cuz the above suggestion looks like a ton.. in a good way, but just a ton if your numbers are consistently at 40'ish. I'd also only do sets of 15-20, and take a rest of approx 1 min max. Do these sets fast, with good form. You may be able to do 5 sets. The week of training try to increase your numbers by four or five... and keep the rest the same... you'll soon be doing more than your goal for an all out because your body will become used to doing them with a lack of oxygen that the intervals create. The repeat sets at this speed will prepare your body for one all out set with X number of pushups.
Remember that since your test is timed, doing pushups for more than that minute in your training means that you're not training them fast enough. You only have one minute, so train like it - intense.
My two cents.
Therefore, this is what worked for me ---what I did to get my numbers up was train similar in intensity that I was going to test at. So I knew that I'd go all out and do them fast. Therefore, I probably would cut back the overall volume cuz the above suggestion looks like a ton.. in a good way, but just a ton if your numbers are consistently at 40'ish. I'd also only do sets of 15-20, and take a rest of approx 1 min max. Do these sets fast, with good form. You may be able to do 5 sets. The week of training try to increase your numbers by four or five... and keep the rest the same... you'll soon be doing more than your goal for an all out because your body will become used to doing them with a lack of oxygen that the intervals create. The repeat sets at this speed will prepare your body for one all out set with X number of pushups.
Remember that since your test is timed, doing pushups for more than that minute in your training means that you're not training them fast enough. You only have one minute, so train like it - intense.
My two cents.