push up question

[QueBert]

I dug out my Perfect Pushup's recently, and went on youtube to watch videos showing different push up variations you can do with them. One thing I noticed in all the videos is they start the push up with their hands horizontal, and rotate to a vertical position as they lower down and rotate back to vertical going back up. This is how I do mine and I get a good burn pretty quick, but out of curiosity I tried doing them the opposite way. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but I felt like my muscles, I don't know felt different? Now I'm not educated enough to actually know anything here, so I'm wondering will me doing them this way actually give me different results?

 

[Pantlegz]

I'm not sure but just imagining the motion while sitting at my desk, at work, it seems like starting vertical(I think you mean your hands facing palms in, they would make lines parallel to your body) would work more of the triceps at the bottom and chest up top. But that's just my guess, it may not change anything.

 

[exdeath]

Get some push up bars. *Much* better workout and doesn't injure your wrists.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Push ups are painful wastes of time IMO. Why sit there and torture yourself for minutes at a time vs banging out a set of bench press in 30 seconds? Don't get me wrong they do some good but it's twice as much work. I get stronger and bigger with weights with much less pain.

 

[Lithium381]

I would imagine that you're simply engaging your muscles differently. more weight is perceived at the bottom of your motion and if you're always horizontal there, the exact same muscles will be used in the same way. by changing that more weight is being put on muscles that are used to being used for the "lighter" part of the pushup.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

This is a good site for plyometric exercises.
http://www.beastskills.com/

 

[elitejp]

Push ups really hit my chest gooood! The only problem is I havent figured out a way to add weight, so all in all push ups are useless for me.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

Push ups really hit my chest gooood! The only problem is I havent figured out a way to add weight, so all in all push ups are useless for me.

Do dips?

 

[QueBert]

Push ups really hit my chest gooood! The only problem is I havent figured out a way to add weight, so all in all push ups are useless for me.

I'm thinking a bit down the road I'll want the same thing, this looks good

http://www.lifelineusa.com/products/allproducts/power-pushup.html

I have their TNT resistance bands and they are pretty nice for the price imho. The one I linked you can add up to 240lbs of resistance to your push ups. I think I might go pick them up today looks like Sports Chalet up the street has em in stock.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

That's because you're utilizing supinator/pronator muscle groups with the perfect pushup. In addition, that changes the angle of pull, amount of torsion on the muscles/tendons, and moment arms of each particular muscle group.

 

[Baked]

I do 1 set the old fashion way, palms up, parallel to my shoulders. Then I do another with a set of dumbells where it allows my hands in a cup holding position. Then I do the last set with my hands together forming a diamond.

I'm watching this perfect push up video, and it looks way too complicated.

 

[elitejp]

Do dips?

Dips, barbell/dumbell presses etc etc. Theyre all excellent. Quebert if you do buy that let everyone know what you think of them. I personnaly think that it would rub against your back and be very uncomfortable. Its like me doing the leg curl machine. I can go heavier except the pads just rub the back of my calves the wrong way and it feels like its just rubbing any leg hair I have right off. So i much prefer sldl,s.

 

[Cstefan]

Pushups in no way are like benches. DO THEM BOTH if you are serious about fully developing.

 

[tedrodai]

Why sit there and torture yourself for minutes at a time vs banging out a set of bench press in 30 seconds?

Because you have different goals or different resources available (time, money, space, equipment, etc). Easy enough question.