New to doing push-ups…arms shake and feel super week for a long time
- Thread starter mstub
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- bodyweight fitness
sister_recovery
New member
@mstub Maybe chill on the pressups to start. I was in a similar position to you in that I didn't eat enough and was weak from not doing much, and my tendons did not like the extra strain and I got golfers elbow which lasted for frikin ages.
All I mean is, just take it extra slow if you are experiencing signs from your body like this.
All I mean is, just take it extra slow if you are experiencing signs from your body like this.
omojolajohnson
New member
trusthim711
New member
fierywater
New member
@mstub When I (M) started working out I weighed 130 wet. It took 2 months before I started to see obvious and faster muscle growth. Make sure you are eating enough carbs, fat, and protein. It was hard to eat enough to give my body the strength it needed to heal, I tried to eat healthy and lift at the same time but I think it held me back a little. Add supplements like whey, one at a time to see how you take to them. Protein is is simple and easy enough to calculate and find. Creatine is something you should research for yourself.
One thing I think didn't click for me immediately, but I wish it had, was that these exercises were meant to build my muscle so I should really be focusing on the muscle working during the movement.
In other words, the pump and the negative pump, were not something I always focused on. Sometimes I would just want to do the movements and move on.
But for this to matter and make it worth your time, make sure the speed is not fast and the movement is made with intent for each exercise. Focus your mind on the muscle that you are currently working on. "Feel" the pump.
I added creatine, protein, and pre-work outs once I got into a repeatable habit, and my physique flourished. I did hit a plateau at a weight of 165, where I was benching 235 for regular sets, and couldn't gain any weight or increase my lifts, but I was fit for a little while there while I had my good habits. It was always a fight to feed my body enough for the exercise I was doing. Don't give up.
One thing I think didn't click for me immediately, but I wish it had, was that these exercises were meant to build my muscle so I should really be focusing on the muscle working during the movement.
In other words, the pump and the negative pump, were not something I always focused on. Sometimes I would just want to do the movements and move on.
But for this to matter and make it worth your time, make sure the speed is not fast and the movement is made with intent for each exercise. Focus your mind on the muscle that you are currently working on. "Feel" the pump.
I added creatine, protein, and pre-work outs once I got into a repeatable habit, and my physique flourished. I did hit a plateau at a weight of 165, where I was benching 235 for regular sets, and couldn't gain any weight or increase my lifts, but I was fit for a little while there while I had my good habits. It was always a fight to feed my body enough for the exercise I was doing. Don't give up.
@mstub First off, I want to say good job getting the motivation to start training. I know that can be hard. At 130 lbs you are very light so I want to make sure that you are eating enough calories to build decent muscle. Aim for a couple hundred calories over your maintenance calories. If you don’t know how to figure that out, don’t worry there are plenty of resources online that can help you easily. If you’re not eating enough it’s hard for your body to prioritize building muscle when it’s using fat storage to keep you “alive”, also make sure you are getting in plenty of protein and vitamins. As for training push-ups are a very friendly way to get into training. As others have said if it’s hard for you to keep these reps and sets try reducing the load by doing push-ups from your knees or by doing an incline push-up. Once that begins to get easier you need to increase your effort either by increasing reps and/or sets or by increasing the load again. I do also recommend finding other exercises as doing push-ups alone will get boring sooner than later and you will begin to develop muscle imbalances. Best of luck on your journey and keep up the good work.
@mstub Bwf is great, and I’m a big fan, but if you want to get bigger and stronger more quickly, you may want to consider adding in some weights and learning some of the basic lifts (deadlifts, squats, cleans, etc.). Doing those will likely build up many muscles and add more size to your frame more quickly than bwf will.
@debro Yeah at some point I will probably get a gym membership, but for now I’m super busy and am only 80-90% dedicated to doing this stuff long term…if I see improvements in strength and slightly muscle gains after a month or two I’ll likely go to the gym over the summer and really, really commit to building muscle!
stellan01alb
New member
@mstub Lots of good tips in here. I'd like to add a few myself.
For example:
3-10 reps 2-2:30 rest
15-20 1:30-2:00 rest
25+ 0:45-1:00 rest
- this means doing the reps/sets until you can't do another one with proper form. Once your feel like you have break your position, use leverage, or anything else other than the form you started with, that's considered failure. The idea behind this is you're training your muscles properly.
- if you're doing body weight workouts, the max you should be able to do before adding weight is 25 reps per set.
- if you're using weights like barbells, dumbbells, etc., whatever number you choose(let's say 10), that should be the max you can do with those weights each set with proper form. If it's more or less, adjust your weights accordingly
Bad form and technique=poor muscle engagement and growth
Good form and technique=proper muscle engagement and growth
Sorry for the novel, hope this helps
- In between sets, you should allow enough time for your muscles to recover. I recommend at least 1:30-2:00 between your sets. Your muscles will have time to recover and adjust and you will be able to get the most action and effort from them each set.
Code:
- High reps+lighter weights=less rest time between sets
-Low reps+heavier weights=more rest between each setFor example:
3-10 reps 2-2:30 rest
15-20 1:30-2:00 rest
25+ 0:45-1:00 rest
- Eat some protein and/or something with amino acids after your workout. Your body will have an active metabolism and will absorb nutrients better during this time
- If you train till failure(more on that below), you won't need to do them every other day. Twice a week will be plenty, especially at the beginning. Giving your muscles time to recover is just as important as the workout.
- this means doing the reps/sets until you can't do another one with proper form. Once your feel like you have break your position, use leverage, or anything else other than the form you started with, that's considered failure. The idea behind this is you're training your muscles properly.
- if you're doing body weight workouts, the max you should be able to do before adding weight is 25 reps per set.
- if you're using weights like barbells, dumbbells, etc., whatever number you choose(let's say 10), that should be the max you can do with those weights each set with proper form. If it's more or less, adjust your weights accordingly
Bad form and technique=poor muscle engagement and growth
Good form and technique=proper muscle engagement and growth
Sorry for the novel, hope this helps
mygodisalvation
New member
@mstub First time I did a push up was when I was 13 and I could barely do 2 (proper, slow ones, I might add; not those quick, 1/4 of the way types).
What I did then was that I noted my plateau and then I just broke through it every time.
So if I could only do 2, I tried going for 4. Then I went for 6. Then 10, etc.
Within a 2 to 3 weeks, I was doing 40 to 50.
I'm a natural athlete, so it might be different for you, but I think the basic principles are the same.
What I did then was that I noted my plateau and then I just broke through it every time.
So if I could only do 2, I tried going for 4. Then I went for 6. Then 10, etc.
Within a 2 to 3 weeks, I was doing 40 to 50.
I'm a natural athlete, so it might be different for you, but I think the basic principles are the same.
@mstub This is a good thing! Exhausting your muscles is the first step to growing them. The soreness and weakness immediately after the exercise just takes a little bit of getting used to.
Every other day is fine for frequency, though you may want to do the push-ups every 3 days to give yourself more recovery time. In the downtime between sessions you can do exercises that target other muscles.
Push-ups target the chest, tricep, and front deltoid, so doing different exercises like pull-ups, rows, or squats on different days of the week will allow you to make uniform progress in more than one area at a time.
Good luck!
Every other day is fine for frequency, though you may want to do the push-ups every 3 days to give yourself more recovery time. In the downtime between sessions you can do exercises that target other muscles.
Push-ups target the chest, tricep, and front deltoid, so doing different exercises like pull-ups, rows, or squats on different days of the week will allow you to make uniform progress in more than one area at a time.
Good luck!
@sheradon Thank you man! My muscles feeling so weak afterward feels counterintuitive, but everyone is in agreement that it is a good thing. I’m assuming the soreness will come later on, because I haven’t had much of it yet in my triceps (a lot in chest and shoulders). I have already added pull-ups in between days, but I definitely need to add squats even though I hate them 
And speaking of pull-ups, I can only do 1-2 legitimate pull-ups (start and end at dead arm hang as opposed to using momentum) so it is still worth doing? Maybe I could look into rows.
And speaking of pull-ups, I can only do 1-2 legitimate pull-ups (start and end at dead arm hang as opposed to using momentum) so it is still worth doing? Maybe I could look into rows.
@mstub The main driver of push ups should be your chest and shoulders so it’s probably normal for your triceps to be less sore sometimes. Often times if your triceps are getting too sore then it can indicate you are pushing a lot with the outside of your hands and not your inner palm, which I believe will activate your chest/shoulders more.
@raymo Sounds good! And yeah, I wasn’t planning on using any supplements unless I really get into it. Was more-so concerned about whether or not the weakness meant I would not be getting stronger. Because weakness with no soreness made me think that I wasn’t making small gains…but I’ve read that not having DOMS isn’t always a sign that you’re not building muscle.
@mstub Don't sell yourself short because of your body stats. That sort of mentality will be toxic and self-limiting.
You can become very strong relative to bodyweight, and at your weight and height I was still complimented on having a nicely built physique which was capable of some pretty crazy shiz.
Don't overthink the shakiness, the weakness, that stuff WILL go away in time. Just remain consistent, build up your mental fortitude as well as physical.
You can become very strong relative to bodyweight, and at your weight and height I was still complimented on having a nicely built physique which was capable of some pretty crazy shiz.
Don't overthink the shakiness, the weakness, that stuff WILL go away in time. Just remain consistent, build up your mental fortitude as well as physical.
@fire77 Appreciate the encouragement!! For once I am truly set on being patient in this process, so I’m not expecting any immediate results or anything. In the past I’ve quit after a week, but I’ve built some other “long term” habits over the past 6 months so I know that as long as I give it the time, I’ll see a difference.
agnostictheist
New member
@mstub Nothing to worry about. I personally experienced the same thing. Usually after working out for the first time after months of slacking, my muscles will feel weak, I couldn't even push the door open without relying on my bodyweight. I would wait until the soreness is gone before continue working out, usually within 1 week.