alessandro2121
New member
Hi! I got a new job that starts at the beginning of May (2 months from now) and it requires a physical test for pushups, situps, and a 1.5 mile run. In September I start 10 weeks of training where our physical test results are increased slightly. I already meet the minimums and then some for post-training in situps and the 1.5 mile run but I am stuck on the pushups.
I am 28, M, 6'1" (185cm), 180lbs (81kg)
TLDR; Prior to gym I could do 17 pushups. After 6 weeks of gym, I can still only do 17 pushups. I need to be able to do 22 pushups in 9 weeks from now. How can I do this?
I need to do 22 pushups by May in 9 weeks and 24 pushups at the end of my training in September.
Prior to the gym I was able to do 17 pushups.
I’ve never really been a gym goer before but this job is forcing me to increase my pushups. For the past 6 weeks, I have gone to the gym M-F for 45min-1hr every morning and I take the weekend to rest. I primarily focus on my upper body.
A quick breakdown of my average gym routine: I do each exercise with 3 sets of 12 reps, with my third set usually only reaching 8-10 reps due to failure. I do flat dumbbell benchpress, overhead dumbbell benchpress, bicep curls, wrist curls, row machine, lat pulldown, and leg press with some other things mixed in throughout the week like chest press and shoulder press.
2 weeks ago I started implementing grease the groove for pushups by doing 4 of them every time I thought about it. Also 2 weeks ago I started doing 3.5 minutes of plank exercises on M, W, and F. Every Friday I test out my sit ups to make sure they are still good and I have increased from 37 to 42 in 1 minute.
My pushups 6 weeks ago, before I started going to the gym, was 17. My pushups after 6 weeks of consistent gym training… also 17.
I have also changed my diet to being high protein with an increase of calories. My weight has gone from 176lbs to 180lbs. I am still 6’1”.
What can I do? After 6 weeks I have been able to increase exercise weights, I feel a little stronger, and my body looks slightly better. The first week I did this I was pretty sore but now I’m only sore on my drive home and maybe a little the next day if I’m flexing. It’s bittersweet because I’m noticing changes and yet the one thing I need to change isn’t changing. I am enjoying the gym and it's gradually becoming a hobby of mine but now I feel crunched for time.
Is there anything I can do? Am I not training hard enough? I've read so many stories on here and the internet on people increasing pushups. That's how I found grease the groove. But I'm getting a little desperate now and maybe I'm not seeing something obvious. Thank you if you read all this!
TLDR; Prior to gym I could do 17 pushups. After 6 weeks of gym, I can still only do 17 pushups. I need to be able to do 22 pushups in 9 weeks from now. How can I do this?
I am 28, M, 6'1" (185cm), 180lbs (81kg)
TLDR; Prior to gym I could do 17 pushups. After 6 weeks of gym, I can still only do 17 pushups. I need to be able to do 22 pushups in 9 weeks from now. How can I do this?
I need to do 22 pushups by May in 9 weeks and 24 pushups at the end of my training in September.
Prior to the gym I was able to do 17 pushups.
I’ve never really been a gym goer before but this job is forcing me to increase my pushups. For the past 6 weeks, I have gone to the gym M-F for 45min-1hr every morning and I take the weekend to rest. I primarily focus on my upper body.
A quick breakdown of my average gym routine: I do each exercise with 3 sets of 12 reps, with my third set usually only reaching 8-10 reps due to failure. I do flat dumbbell benchpress, overhead dumbbell benchpress, bicep curls, wrist curls, row machine, lat pulldown, and leg press with some other things mixed in throughout the week like chest press and shoulder press.
2 weeks ago I started implementing grease the groove for pushups by doing 4 of them every time I thought about it. Also 2 weeks ago I started doing 3.5 minutes of plank exercises on M, W, and F. Every Friday I test out my sit ups to make sure they are still good and I have increased from 37 to 42 in 1 minute.
My pushups 6 weeks ago, before I started going to the gym, was 17. My pushups after 6 weeks of consistent gym training… also 17.
I have also changed my diet to being high protein with an increase of calories. My weight has gone from 176lbs to 180lbs. I am still 6’1”.
What can I do? After 6 weeks I have been able to increase exercise weights, I feel a little stronger, and my body looks slightly better. The first week I did this I was pretty sore but now I’m only sore on my drive home and maybe a little the next day if I’m flexing. It’s bittersweet because I’m noticing changes and yet the one thing I need to change isn’t changing. I am enjoying the gym and it's gradually becoming a hobby of mine but now I feel crunched for time.
Is there anything I can do? Am I not training hard enough? I've read so many stories on here and the internet on people increasing pushups. That's how I found grease the groove. But I'm getting a little desperate now and maybe I'm not seeing something obvious. Thank you if you read all this!
TLDR; Prior to gym I could do 17 pushups. After 6 weeks of gym, I can still only do 17 pushups. I need to be able to do 22 pushups in 9 weeks from now. How can I do this?