Bodyweight Two Handed Pushups?

[Kozushi]

Do the old original two handed pushups mean anything at Strongfirst? Do you guys see any value in them?

 

[JeffC]

Of course, push-ups should be a core exercise in any program. It's a moving plank, and upper body builder. Push-ups are a great antagonist exercise to swing variations.

 

[Steve Freides]

Do the old original two handed pushups mean anything at Strongfirst? Do you guys see any value in them?

They don't require much strength. We are generally interested in what you can do for up to about 5 reps insofar as grinds like push-ups are concerned. Do them from a handstand position and now they're interesting.

-S-

 

[MattM]

They don't require much strength. We are generally interested in what you can do for up to about 5 reps insofar as grinds like push-ups are concerned. Do them from a handstand position and now they're interesting.

-S-

Or with a weighted vest/band/both

 

[offwidth]

Yep... and when you are far from home with no bells or weights, you always have push-ups

 

[Steve Freides]

Or with a weighted vest/band/both

Or do them with one arm - there are many ways to cook the push-up.

-S-

 

[Kozushi]

I guess the fact that they don't take much strength is a kind of positive, since they're easy to do yet do yield some nice toning results if not huge gains in strength. What I did over the two summer months was at least 5 sets of 10 2handed pushups once or twice a day, and also the GTG Naked Warrior programme of one handed and then one handed one legged pushups (and of course the pistols too) - as often as possible throughout the day. I don't feel that doing the 2handed pushups detracted from the programme. It seemed to me that they functioned perhaps as a nice "warmup" if nothing else, although I do think they strengthened me a bit as well.

Thank you for the responses. I appreciate them very much. It would seem that the Strongfirst approach would be to dispense with the 2handed pushups entirely for one handed pushups. Okay. I'll do that - I'm trying to follow Strongfirst's programmes perfectly. I'm sticking with Naked Warrior for now until my back is completely ready to switch back to S&S (or ROP if I get the book in the mail soon!)

 

[Steve Freides]

@Kozushi, I wouldn't advise you to "throw" out any exercise, but remember that with weight, we try to find the appropriate size - heavy enough to elicit a strength training response, but not "on the nerve" heavy except when we test our maximum. The same goes with bodyweight exercise - we advise you to manipulate the leverages to an appropriate level. You might try some two-handed pushup variations, e.g., where one hand is way out to the side - that would be a good thing.

-S-

 

[Kozushi]

@Kozushi, I wouldn't advise you to "throw" out any exercise, but remember that with weight, we try to find the appropriate size - heavy enough to elicit a strength training response, but not "on the nerve" heavy except when we test our maximum. The same goes with bodyweight exercise - we advise you to manipulate the leverages to an appropriate level. You might try some two-handed pushup variations, e.g., where one hand is way out to the side - that would be a good thing.

-S-

I weigh 96kg, so maybe that is why (since I am heavy) that the two handed pushups do seem to have a good effect on me. The single handed pushups are fine when I space my feet out a lot. I can do one one arm one leg pushup per side, so I guess that's my maximum weight for the time being. I haven't been able to bring my feet close together yet and still feel comfortable doing the one armed pushup for more than one rep. I guess that's going to happen bit by bit. I really do love the programme though! I was hoping to switch back to S&S but I was overenthusiastic and so I'll be continuing with NW for a while yet it seems. It doesn't really lack much compared with S&S, is easier to do, takes less time anyhow, so I won't let myself feel frustrated about that.

 

[Pavel Macek]

Valuable exercise, but - once you can do sets of 10-15 strict Hardstyle pushups, shift gears to one arm pushup progressions.

 

[Kozushi]

Valuable exercixe, but - once you can do sets of 10-15 strict Hardstyle pushups, shift gears to one arm pushup progressions.

Ah, okay, I see! Thank you! I wasn't sure about what to do with them. I can certainly do that and have been for a while so I'll switch over to only one handed ones and if anyone's interested, keep people updated.

 

[coachnathanwhite]

I personally perform 1,500 - 2,000 push-ups per month since the horizontal push is not a big part of most kettlebell movements. I have also noticed that the additional push-ups have helped with eliminating some nagging elbow pain I had managed for over 2 years. Better late than never HA!

 

[mikhael]

Ok, how about Seiken Push-ups? The Hard Style Push-ups are performed on the palm of the hand. I have wirst injury and I can't do them like before so I'm doing Seiken Push-ups. Is there in the Strong First world something like Hard Style Seiken Push-ups?

 

[coachnathanwhite]

Mikhael, a Hardstyle push-up could be modified using parallete bars or a pair of kettlebells to keep the wrists straight but still be able to use your grip to transfer the necessary tension from the hands up into the torso.

 

[mikhael]

Ok, and is it could be transfer from clenched fist into the torso too? I'm just wondering because this kind of push-up are only one I'm able to do.

 

[coachnathanwhite]

Ok, and is it could be transfer from clenched fist into the torso too? I'm just wondering because this kind of push-up are only one I'm able to do.

The transfer of tension and shoulder packing will not be as high with only a clenched fist since you are not able to grip with your fingers. Although, something is better than nothing so continue with what is working for you. As a supplement, add in some SFG planks to compliment your training.

 

[mikhael]

Thank You very much. You are very helpful.

 

[Steve Freides]

@mikhael, fist pushups are a training staple in many martial arts - look around and see how they do them.

-S-

 

[mikhael]

@Steve Freides I know I have 6 kyu in karate Kyokushin I was wandering is this transition possible.

 

[Kozushi]

One reason for me bringing up this issue was because while I was working on the GTG Naked Warrior progressions, I felt that I still needed to maintain some kind of overall physique, and pushups (often with a heavy backpack) fit the bill quite nicely. So, I'd do sets of one handed pushups at one point in the day according to the book, and then a lengthy string of sets of 10 two handed puhsups at another time of the day. I was lucky enough to find chinup bars aplenty where I was staying, so I also did hefty chinup workouts. The one legged squats were a nice compliment to the extensive walking and hiking I was doing.

If I have one overall reflection on my own (quite unprofessional and hacked) work with the Naked Warrior programme, it's that it does indeed make me super strong and fit BUT in spite of being lucky enough to be able to add in chinups daily, my lower back (as the book says) was not getting strong or every really staying strong. While I was perfectly strong enough in every other way to resume my S&S workout when I got back home after 2 months (because of the Naked Warrior training I had been doing), my lower back was not ready, and I ended up hurting myself a bit in that area.

Anyhow, the point of Naked Warrior is to do the best we can with no equipment whatsoever, and it's sheer brilliance as far as I'm concerned. I never need to feel afraid to leave my ketlebells behind again. I will, however, actively search out something heavy to at least do deadlifts with to maintain my lower back strength somehow or other, next time.