Can anyone do a proper nose to floor push up?

[MonsteraCheeseplant]

As I'm working from home I thought it would be productive to learn something new that I can practise in snippets throughout the day. I'd love to be able to do proper push ups. (No knees on the floor)

I can do 10-15 push ups but can't get lower to the floor than elbows bent to 90 degrees without collapsing completely! Honestly, I couldn't really manage it even having DH help me.

So, females only for obvious reasons, can you do proper push ups, going right down to the floor? If so, HOW did you manage it please!

Press ups are a bodyweight exercise which are improved by repetition and therefore strengthening the chest tricep and core muscles. Options to improve are incline press ups, knee press ups or hand release press ups. You can have your feet shoulder width apart if that helps. Always start by warming up the muscles to avoid injury and go from doing full form press up until fatigued. I would probably recommend the hand release press up because it will take you to the position youre after (nose to floor), you get a short respite through releasing the position, and then can work on the power move to get back to back after thst break. You can combine everything by the way, so you can do an incline knee hand release press up if you need to. But my top tip is always start with trying to do a full press up.

Yep. Not many anymore but can still do it (had to go check)
I've always had good upper body strength because I used to swim.

I'd start working on chest strength in general and core - try arms straight planks
It sounds like it might be flexibility if you're collapsing - could you try having your hands wider?
Are you trying with hands under shoulders and elbows going out at 90 degrees or are you trying for the full military press-up with elbows parallel to body?
Can you get your nose to floor if doing pressup from your knees? I'd just keep working on it and you'll get there eventually

Yes but only since I started doing Joe Wicks PE with the kids. Amazed at the difference it's made to my strength.

Wow lots of words I don't understand there. Thanks for replying though.

What is a hand release press up?

Panda I guess I've been doing the non military one. Is either one of those easier/better than the other?

Yes I can get my nose to the floor of I'm on my knees. I suppose I need to continue that and grade the difficulty up.

I did lots of small sets of incline push-ups, starting with wall push-ups, moving down to window sills, chest of drawers, coffee table, floor. Took about two weeks but now I can do 12-14 nose to floor/hand release push-ups with proper form. It's very satisfying.

Watch Antranik and do exactly what he says!

Hand release is when you lower yourself all the way down, raise your hands off the floor, and then push yourself back up.

Even when I was a very fit lean machine circuit and weight training gym bunny I could hardly do full press-ups. (Toes on ground) I could do plenty from my knees though.

Yes a hand release is when you complete the downward motion but then relax your body so you can lift your hands off of the floor, in effect giving a pause to the contraction with the aim of stopping the fatigue from coming so quickly

So military pressups are harder - they use more tricep strength.

I'd graduate it so maybe warm up with
5x knee pressup with nose to ground and get knees as far back as you can to still maintain nose to floor.
10 x pressups as deep as you can get from your normal stance (knees lifted as long as you can)

30 secs to 1min straight arm planks (pressup start pose)

Try to repeat each day (a few times if you want) and you'll probably be able to do a few reps full nose to ground then mix these with knee pressups to complete the set until you can do full sets of 10-15 of full pressups

I think there are some 30 day pressup challenge plans online too

I can. I couldn't for a while and worked and worked on my arms/chest before realising that I needed to engage/work my core more. Same with pull ups. I couldn't do them either until I realised I needed to be using my core more effectively.

I am currently working on improving my v diamond press ups (so in a downward dog type position with hands under the body and thumbs and pointy fingers touching).

Panda, I like that regime you have described there! I can do that. I'll throw the hand release technique in the mix too and a proper press up is surely only a matter of time!

Yes, I can do them. I did inclines press-ups off the stairs, going down when ten were easy. I found it easier to progess like that than from knees which is all or nothing. And negatives - just the downward motion - including with holds and different hand positions - strict form. I agree about core training.

Do negatives! On your toes not on your knees. Also add a bit of an incline to make the movement easier.

It's the pushing back up part that I struggle with the most though?

Yes I can and yes to all of the above!

I started on an incline and worked downwards. Plus negatives.

It took me a long time though, I struggle with my shoulder (and every joint in my body) mobility which hindered me a lot.

They got better in lockdown as I'm shopping less weightlifting. Keep practising, you'll get there

Doing not shopping.

How are they on an incline? Try 3rd stair down on your stairs if you have them and lower or higher from there.

Yes, everyone does, but by doing slow controlled negs, with holds and different hand positions and grips if you have a bar, and strict form, you build the strength. I got fast results doing that compared with doing full ones with dodgy form because I wasn't strong enough.

so eg do three holds on the way down, see how long you can count for - and then increase!

Someone on here recommended doing them on the stairs the other day, and its really working for me and I feel like I can transition slowly. I've never been able to do them

Yes but it took me a year to be able to do ten with good form.

Ok, it sounds weird to me that negative push ups could help but i'll take your word for it and try! I'll give it a go on the stairs too. Thanks!

How long do you think it'll take? inwood amazing persistence!

If you have your upper arms out like a T from your shoulders, you should not go any lower than 90degrees. The full all the way down press ups, you fold your arms parallel to your torso and this uses more triceps than pectorals.

Did some this evening. Don't think I could with a military press up but I'll have a go tomorrow.

Thanks for posting the image @nbee84. I'd love to be able to achieve that!

As mentioned previously, it's a combination of upper body and core strength. I've been doing body pump (plus other classes) for a few years now and I started out with box press ups, knee press ups, bench press ups before being able to progress to toes with a bench, then down to the floor. Keep at it and you'll get there!
I'm not sure that my form is spot on but I'm pleased with my progress.