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Is this overtraining?

popnfresh said:
Oh just an update since this got dredged up.

I did my pushup program for about a month and a half, and now my single set max is about 20 pushups higher then it was before. I've taken a break from it for now just to give my body rest and am focusing more on pullups and chinups. I've been doing some pullups with a 25lb dumbell between my legs and it's quite challenging and fun. Volume seems to be key on most of these types of movements...
Congrats on the improvement. But what do you do if you can't even do one pullup??
AEC Kapp said:
Would you kindly forward that advice? I could sure use it.
Done.
 
AlphaQup said:
Man your pullups are killer. I've been lifting for a few years with free weights. Pushups are pretty easy to me but pullups..I can't even do one.

My pullups are at 12 these days.  I think with pullups every pound of bodyweight counts, I am lifting weights too and bulked up to 200#.  When I was younger I was smoker and superslim so I am questioning if pullups is true measure of anything.  If you cannot do even one then I think all you need is to cut some 10-15# - very doable.  You may be surprised with results.  Same with running speed and indurance, as you drop bodyweight you run faster and faster while your strength goes down the toilets.  That's why I personally not very concerned about my time on 1.5 miles anymore.
 
AlphaQup said:
Congrats on the improvement. But what do you do if you can't even do one pullup?? Done.

Weight to muscle ratio must have alot to do with it. I have never not been able to do a pullup or chin up since I can remember even into childhood.

I've seen alot of bigger or weaker guys start off by doing sort of half chin ups...take it for whats it worth I'm small and lean 5'8 165...you might be alot better at other things then me. I'd start running if you don't already, swimming is great also as is biking.
 
One way of getting into doing chinups, for those who have a hard time completing even one repetition, is to start off with only negatives. Get a chair, bench or whatever and begin at the top (chin above bar) position. Negative strength is was greater than positive strength. After a few weeks of negative only training (given good rest and nutrition), one's strength to do a complete chinup should be there. To make things even move interesting and to cause further inroads into one's muscles, use a weight belt (with chain) and put on plates to add resistance (in 5 per cent increments when strength goes up - while somewhat arbitrary - above 12 rep set). Greater strength = more weight/reps = more rest required to allow for adaptation. Read Arthur Jones and Dr. Ellington Darden for more info on recovery ability and strength training.
 
True. Chinups are one of the top exercise to build biceps as well (not to mention the entire back because of the complete range of motion for the lats - unlike the wide pullups/pulldowns).
 
Every other week I do my week's workouts with weighted pullups using a 25lb dumbell between my legs as I do them. Pretty effective.
 
Soldier1stTradesman2nd said:
One way of getting into doing chinups, for those who have a hard time completing even one repetition, is to start off with only negatives. Get a chair, bench or whatever and begin at the top (chin above bar) position. .

another method is jumping.  Bar must be low enough so you can jump and with a bit of work do one chin, sort of taking-over from half way up, maintaining momentum.  From top down its nothing but negative rep.
 
Reading your post and vaguely going over some of what people have said, they are right you need to balance it out work out your back muscles the same. if you have access do pull-ups.

What your are ultimately doing is endurance, you should also go for strength instead of limiting yourself at 50. Push to your max reps every once in a while never do the same amount of reps over and over try to keep your body guessing or else it will be more difficult to pass 50, that is if you want to pass 50.
 
"My pullups are at 12 these days.  I think with pullups every pound of bodyweight counts, I am lifting weights too and bulked up to 200#.  When I was younger I was smoker and superslim so I am questioning if pullups is true measure of anything.  If you cannot do even one then I think all you need is to cut some 10-15# - very doable.  You may be surprised with results.  Same with running speed and indurance, as you drop bodyweight you run faster and faster while your strength goes down the toilets.  That's why I personally not very concerned about my time on 1.5 miles anymore."(Weiss, army.ca)

The way I understand it, pull-ups are a function of complete body fitness.  If you are strong through the abdominals, your ability to stabilize your body and move through the range of motion smoothly should go up.  That means you need less energy to perform your reps and lets your back and arms do the work they should be doing.  Your back is a massive player in this motion, it hits your traps, your lats, your deltoids, and your pec's. 

The final pull to get your head over the bar can be helped along by having strong biceps that pull you that last little bit.

If you are having trouble performing one rep, negative training is one good place to start.  Or you can go for fitness and use the machines in your gym to build that fitness (the ability to perform an action in large numbers) in all the muscles you need to use. 

Use the pull down machines and build your lat pulldown weights to hit your lats and traps.  Seated cable rows to hit your chest and back. Shoulder raises/french press to hit your triceps, deltoids, and smaller rotator cuff movers.  Captains chair/Dips for the abdominals and other stabilizers.

Regardless of weight, as your fitness goes up your ability to perform will go up as long as you don't injure yourself.  Before anyone gets bent out of shape yes, your weight will/should fluctuate unless your already highly trained.  Just like running if you focus on cardio and not on strength then strength will go down and vice versa.  If you focus on hypertrophic strength training (meant to only grow big oxygen hungry muscles) with high weights and low reps your cardio will go down the toilet.  Balance and knowing what end goal you are aimed for is the important thing.

Push-ups hit alot of the same muscle groups as pull-ups only to a lesser degree and can help increase your overall body fitness.  As a result push-ups and pull-ups complement each other well.  Just like the push-up the pull-up is a combination of a lot of strengths coming together at one time.  A kinetic chain where every little step counts and adds up. 

Popnfrsh it was good to see you are taking a training break to let your muscles recover and to focus on other important fitness areas.  If you saw improvement in your peak reps you must be doing something right.  If you go to a gym with a fitness trainer on staff you should ask them to help you design a program for strength/endurance not hypertrophy, they should be able to help you improve in a lot of areas at once.  Good luck with your training. 

By the way, what is the total number of push ups you can do in a day now?



 
I reached my goal of 1000. Max reps are up about 20 since when I started this.

DISCLAIMER TRY AT YOUR OWN RISK, THIS IS NOT HEALTHY LONG TERM IN MY OPINION, SO ONCE YOU SEE SOME GAINS, SWITCH TO SOMETHING ELSE FOR A WHILE.

Civy gym membership is up in a few days, so I'm going to refocus on pushups/pullups/situps/sqauts and rucking for the little bit I have till Battle School. Tryed some crossfit workouts, pretty good for this sort of thing. Faster paced then what I'm used to, but similar in composition.
 
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