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Bodyweight Progression From 5 Push-Ups To 50+

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Is there someone who has experience with GTG push ups through the day along with a ROP training schedule?
I'm on the ROP to achieve my 1/2 bw press but I really like push ups as well!
I would like to be able to do an unbroken set of 50 clean push ups. For now my max set is around 30 reps.
So GTG sets of 15 throughout the day for a total of approx 100 reps per day would be good or would it be overkill along the ROP?
 
ROP presses and high volume GTG do not mix. You will get tendinitis in the elbow and/or possibly other shoulder issues. Maybe S&S with the GTG pushups, but you''d want to wave between 30-50%. Re test your pushups once every 2 weeks.

The other possibility is to take a month dedicated to body weight. GTG pushups during the day, and then a dedicated session for Pullups/Pistols - maybe doing the fighter pullup routine, but use it for both exercises.
 
flisterfive said:
One more routine that I like: Do five sets of pushups to failure with a minute rest between sets. Do 30 seconds of pushups, then rest for 30 second. Repeat that for 5 straight minutes, three times.
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Glycolysis by pushup - wouldn't be my choice.

-S-
 
Hello,

This is a huge volume. 5 sets to failure, then a few "drop sets". I have no doubt it can work to a certain extent, but recovery'd be a top priority in this case.

For a while, some time ago I trained using 5 sets to almost failure (basically, technical failure, not a true failure then), with 25s rest between sets, 3x a week. After a while, roughly 6 weeks, I was forced to scale down to 2x a week.

I got good results as far as rep number was concerned. Max strength also increased but it was more "marginal".

Today, I did a little test:
As a disclaimer, my current routine just involves for the push portion a few HSPU in the morning, and sometimes few others using GTG (never more than 10 during the day) when I feel like it. Same goes for OAP. This is done day in day out.
I tested my "max" regular push ups (chest to the ground, etc...) and got 85, which was the moment where I did my first rest in plank position. I stopped afterwards. I train push ups (regardless the variation) no more than a few minutes per day.

Usually I am not as "definite" but I clearly think that low rep push ups (HSPU, OAP, etc...) can give an acceptable 1 set max rep as a by product, while increasing near max strength. It tends to be more "efficient" and more time worthy. One can still do a set of 50 (for example) for tendon and ligament strength.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
rando247 said:
I really appreciate all of the responses. I came across that Stew Smith plan (4x your max GTG for 10 days and then re-test) and was planning on starting this today. But does anyone have any experience with how far this program can take you?

The reason I ask is that my bench press is very low, especially relative to my body weight. I'm currently benching 155lbs at 225lbs bodyweight. I still have about 30lbs to lose, but I'm not going to be magically benching 1.5x my bodyweight any time soon. I really like the information in the article posted by Sean M, but the author also has a very respectable bench. I'm just concerned on the one hand that my max strength may limit my potential to reach the 50+ range, but on the other hand I don't really have any uses for a big bench so I would rather start push-up specific training as soon as possible.

So what's a good approach for me - to use the Stew Smith plan in 14 day cycles until it no longer produces results? And then consider doing some kind of 5x5 push-up plan with resistance? Thanks in advance everyone!
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A lot of times having a heavy bench doesn't mean you can do a lot of pushups. Cause the heavy bench is max strength and good form, and a lot of pushups is strength endurance.
 
The reason I ask is that my bench press is very low, especially relative to my body weight. I'm currently benching 155lbs at 225lbs bodyweight
 
rando247 said:
But my goal is to be able to perform 50+ push-ups in a single set. What does a good progression look like for me? Should I even consider GTG yet given I can only perform five reps? And how far, on average, can one expect GTG to take them? And when does something like resistance-band push-ups come into play?

If anyone has experience with attaining a similar goal and documented the process they went through, I think that would help me a lot. I'm very concerned about making sure I do enough to achieve my goal and I'm worried about wasting time training inefficiently. Thanks in advance.
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Personally, I think the easiest way to work up to a single set with high reps in push-ups is using a progressively lower incline. You probably can do 50 reps with the hands against the wall or on a table already. From there, work your way down, going lower whenever you can do 50 reps. The easiest way to achieve a seamless progression is using something like an adjustable doorway pull-up bar, since you can set it up at any height. How long it will take will depend on your ability to recover and make progress. This method can even be used by more advanced people, for one arm PU as well as for two arm PU. The last time I used it systematically was when I worked up to 250 reps in 2:30 minutes, which took me about three weeks (I started out able to do about 100 reps in a single set, so I was mostly getting accustomed to higher volume in a short time frame).
Another way is using progressive range of motion, using a stack of books or something similar under your chest, toughing it on every rep. The one disadvantage of this method is that certain muscles (e.g. chest) will come into play only to a higher extent at a certain depth, meaning you may not train them much at first if you start with a very small range of motion in the beginning.
 
altanvid said:
what are some suggestions for me ?
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Improve your technique, bench more often, and vary the reps. You may find that you progress better in a certain rep range. This has to do with a number of factors, one of them being muscle fiber distribution. In general, I find that with most beginners, their 10 RM and their 5 RM are very close to each other, maybe only 10 lbs apart. In those cases, I personally usually recommend working with higher reps per set, since in my experience people tend to progress better at first in this way, and it's easier to recover from efforts less close to your max. You can switch to lower reps as you improve. You could work with 2 sets of 15 for a month or two (as long as you can make progress), then switch to three sets of ten (with a higher starting weight) for another month or two, then three sets of five (again with a higher percentage of your 1RM) for a couple of weeks; once you hit a plateau, decrease the weight again and work up to a new PR with 15 reps, and so on.
Please note that this is my personal experience, I am not speaking for the SF methodology.
 
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I haven't read the previous, so I may repeat what's already been said - if you can only do 5 push-ups right now, I'd suggest continuing to use bench press and planks 1-2x/week to build strength for full range push-ups. Once a week, do push-ups in sets of doubles and/or triples and make sure your technique is spot on and you aren't short stroking your reps.

After you've built up the strength to do repeat sets of 10, it's going to be a different approach.

(edit - I didn't realize this was an older thread....)
 
altanvid said:
what are some suggestions for me ?
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Pick one goal at a time, either the pushups for 50 reps or Bench press BW. Do not try to do both at the same time. Based on my personal experience I would recommend:

Pushups
Option 1) do the "Drop and Give me 100" program Pavel wrote for Muscle Media back in the day. It was republished in his book Beyond Bodybuilding.
Option 2) Use the "Fighter Pullup Program" but with pushups. Although the exercise is different, all the rules of the program remain. Rest time wasn't mentioned, personally I like a lot of rest 2-3 minutes... The Fighter Pullup Program Revisited | StrongFirst
In both options you need to focus on rhythm, breath, tight core, relax when you can. Every rep is a practice!

Bench Press
I like using Power to the People (so a Bench and a Deadlift only). I like the Dan John modification of 5/3/2 using the same weight for all sets. Start lighter and add 5 pounds per week (so a 2.5lb plate on each side). The Bench Press is very technical lift, get instruction on how to do it right.

edit...
I would do 4 weeks of PttP followed by 2 weeks of Drop and Gimme 100. Keep cycling back and forth until you get your desired numbers.
 
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