Viewer Mail.

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I’m having trouble doing push ups correctly, can you recommend any particular exercises to increase wrist strength and also tricep strength.

My biceps rock from running with weights, but because pushups are great for back and chest muscles I would like to do them more often. My husband says to just keep building up the number I can do but it’s lame not being able to do other exercises related to wrist strength like bridge poses for any length of time.
Thanks,

First, check out here for a video of MizFit Works Out In Her Kitchen tricep exercises (a new facetime with NEW exercises is on the way).

In addition, try doing your push-ups with your hands close together. This will not only work your chest but also place a great deal of stress on your tricep muscles.

Your email makes me curious as to whether you are doing full-pushups or bent knee. When I started doing pushups I didnt have the chest strength for full and, as you imply above, my triceps gave out far before my chest could even grow tired.

Perhaps try doing bent knee pushups for a while focusing on sheer volume (shoot for 3 sets of twenty reps) and perfect, perfect form.

With regards to the wrist pain you mention I have a few ideas and am hoping the MizFits can chime in with their thoughts as well.

I used to experience exactly what you describe when I did yoga: Im fatigued nowhere else but I need to stop for a few moments to give my wrists a break. The first thing that helped me was to focus on placing my weight on my bottom knuckles/the ‘roots’ of the fingers and spreading my palm. Just this minor adjustment took the bulk of my weight off my wrists.

Next (and this sounded silly but it worked) it was suggested to me to do the following exercise: clench my hand into a tight fist and move in circles first one direction and then the other. I did this a few times a day and my wrist pain during things like bridge pose is virtually gone.

(if Im confused and your wrists ache during the pushups you mightcould try these. Ive never used them but people oft sing their perfect-praises.)

Two other things came to mind when I read your email (and thanks so much for it as Im certain other people are doing/thinking precisely the same things): pushups should not be felt at all in your back muscles. While they do, technically, work your chest, triceps and front deltoid or shoulders—they do not work your back. If youre feeling anything, for example, between your shoulder blades while you do pushups focus on relaxing that area and *connecting* mentally with the parts of your body which are doing the work.

If you feel tension in the low back area check to be sure you arent sticking your butt in the air when you do the pushups (check out the push up monday facetime if youre unsure what Im describing)

Also, in my opinion there is never a reason to run with weights. Beyond the joint injuries which can occur one builds muscle efficiently by doing 8-12 repetitions to exhaustion not by carrying lighter weights around for an longer time period.

Yoga MizFits? Got any better wrist tips?

Any RunWithWeights’Fits who wanna show me the light and motivate my ass me to hit the road with the 5 pounders?

Im waiting.

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Comments

  1. I can tell that I’m going to have to spend some serious time checking out all your videos. There’s a lot of great information there.

  2. I’ve just recently been able to do the “real” pushups! But my wrists have been killing me too! I’m gonna try your wrist exercises and see if it helps.

    Have I mentioned how excited I am about real pushups?!

  3. Ditto on the tip to spread the fingers of the hand while getting good contact with the floor/mat on the palm of your hand (and “roots” of the fingers). Also, check to make sure that the fingers are straight and flat and you’re not gripping the floor with the fingers. I practice ashtanga yoga regularly and there’s lots of emphasis on protecting the wrists. It seems common for people to lift the palms up off the floor…but this only seems to destabilize and aggrivate the wrists. I always have to remind myself to press my palms to the mat. 🙂

  4. Glam, keep us posted as so often what works fer one MizFit doesn’t work for another….so if you find a better solution let us know.

    Kathryn, THANKS for chiming in!

    M.

  5. Great post! Thanks for the tips, I am definitely going to try them! I have some wrist pain with pushups and some yoga poses too – I had carpal tunnel syndrom several years ago and still have sort of weak wrists.

    I just started doing “real” pushups too, after doing modified ones for several months. They’re still very hard and I’ve started with only three sets of five reps; I’ll work my way up just like I did with the modified ones. I think tricep strength is a big key because when I started I had NONE. 🙂 Now that I’ve done weights for several months, there’s a big difference.

    Thanks again!

    V.

  6. Oh yeah – I’ve heard the same thing about running with weights. I have done shadow-boxing with weights which is really cool, but I was told no running with them, it would be too hard on my joints.

    V.

  7. Running with weights? Craziness. Leave the weights and focus on the other muscles that running will fatigue (as in every last one in your body…)
    But hey! I’ve you’ve got rockin biceps because of it, more power to ya, I couldn’t do it!

  8. Running with weights is not a very good idea. If you want to, you can wear a weighted vest. You could probably keep the vest on for the push ups also. Or you could just put a few cinder blocks on your back. Maybe do the push ups under your car, who needs a jack? Let the air out of the tires if it gets too easy. Start with the compact and work your way up to the SUV…somebody stop me!

  9. Well, I have a question for you… One of my major fitness goals right now is to work on “boy” pushups. When I was in the Navy, they’d never let us do “girl” pushups–they said that the only way to get strong enough for full pushups was to do full pushups, and that bent-knee pushups changed the angle and worked different muscles. So I just do as many wobbly halfway-down “full” pushups as I can… thoughts?

  11. See, I can do “real” push ups no problem, and have been for years. My problem is that, the next day my carpal tunnel flares up and I lose strength and dexterity in my hands. My wrists don’t hurt while I do the push ups or when I do yoga.

    Maybe I’ll give the Perfect Pushup things a try and see if it helps. Or I’ll just start wearing my wrist braces at night like I should. Either way, I won’t be giving up the push ups, because I love them!

  12. Gena, I’m pondering your comment and going to see what I come up with/what info I can dig up.

    Anyone use the Perfect Pushup and can tell us how they are?

    Jen? I’d say YES.
    IMO start with as few as you need to do (one Perfect Pushup (ha ha) is far better than 5 crappy ones when you might injure yourself) and go from there.

    Focus on abs tight, exhale as you UP and inhale as you slowly lower and mentally FOCUS on feeling your chest/tris working.

    M.

  14. I’m constantly impressed by your ability to describe a physical exercise with only the power of your words – and by the instant mental picture I get. thanks so much!

    Push-ups, here I come!

  15. I have had wrist pain while doing pushups and reverse crunches. One of my gym’s female coaches suggested that I slightly turn my hands out: when my hands are down, the thumbs are points forward instead of in.

    No pain no more.

    But I’m going to be concentrating on that “roots” thing.

  16. I sometimes have to spread my fingers but I have noticed if I put the pressure on my palms it helps.

    I also have wrist exercises that I do at least once a week.

  17. I’ve done the finger tip thing everyone is describing and yes, it helps. I’ll try the other wrist stretch you suggested.

  18. thanks Shelley for your kind words.
    Debra? Id never heard the slightly turning hands out idea but I gave it a shot and it TOTALLY WORKS.

    M.

  20. Wow, there’s a lot of information here about push-ups. As soon as the Bag Lady graduates to floor push-ups, she’s going to try to remember all of this. In the meantime, she is faithfully doing her wall-ups (like, 2 days in a row!!!!).

    She finally (after a year on the waiting list) has her appointment with the back specialist tomorrow…woohoo. Very excited to find out if there’s anything that can be done. (crossing fingers, toes, legs, eyes…)

  21. Not the Perfect Pushup product, but you can just hold dumbells and do pushups on them. Takes pressure of wrists but hands can get sore.

  22. I agree, running with weights is dangerous. (unless your weights are your kids in the stroller,….which I guess can still be dangerous!)

    I hold on to dumbbells when I am doing push ups. It is better on my wrists and let’s me throw in a row every now and then. Good fun!

  23. I’ve used the perfect pushup things!! They definitely made the pushups harder. I don’t know about it being easier on the wrists though. I have carpal tunnel syndrome (what? spend too much time on the computer?? Naw.) and while I def. agree with the other posters suggestions (starfish fingers, weight on the middle of the hands etc.) I would add one more: This will sound weird but my physical therapist got my wrist & forearm pain to ease up by getting my shoulders to relax. A good shoulder massage or even a therapist/chiropractor can show you where to push and then focus on keeping your shoulders away from your ears when you push up. I also stretch my wrists before and after working out, esp. when i do weights. Good luck!

  24. Mizfit, I have very week wrists and i do push ups like on a counter top with my feet on the floor (does that makes sense?). I find this easier on the wrists but is this really in the “push up” family or am i kidding myself?

  25. Oooo! Dumbbells! Cheaper than the Perfect Pushups, and I already have them! I’ll give that a try tomorrow and see if my wrists are sore.

  26. first? DAMN I LOVE YOU GUYS.
    Together the Bumbling Band hath ALL the answers.
    we should run for president.

    Waif? here’s my .02

    yes.

    when you do these (and we’re working toward getting you on the floor bent knee’d. let me know if any of the viewermailtips/comment tips help!) go slowly and REALLY WORK at that mind muscle connection (i cant stress this enough)

    FOCUS on feeling your chest muscles contract as you press…focus on your breathing….get that form perfect as you work toward increasing number and then switching position.

    M.

  27. I was gonna suggest doing the push ups with dumbbells, but was already said! I have never tried them this way, but now that Workout Mommy talked about adding in a row..sounds like a challenge to me!

  28. yeah- running with weights, not a good idea. weighted vests are great but the hurt my shoulders after a while.

    Aside form strengthening your wrists if you take a water noodle and cut it down the middle so it has a flat side and put your palms on it to do the pushups it decreases the angle of your wrist and stops the pain. also you can grip dumbbels to keep your wrists straight while you do them as well. thats what i do for my clients with wrist problems.

  29. I have never ran with weights in my entire athletic career. I don’t recommend it. I would like to see your article! I can’t wait to be healthy enough to try the circuit I just made up.

    And I LOVE my perfect push ups! They do help with wrist pain!

    Jay

  30. Thanks so much for all the info, the answer was so in depth both my husband and I were on the floor trying it all. Much better. I don’t feel as bad or girlie doing knee push-ups, thanks mizfit!

    P.S.-I run with small weights primarily for long run prep when I run with jugs of water. I ran with a camelbak but it was not comfortable at all so I’m training to carry my water in other ways.

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