Anyone gone from half press ups to full press ups?

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Has anyone gone from doing the half press ups (if that's what they're called) to full press ups? By half press ups I mean the ones where you're supporting yourself with your knees. I've never in my life been able to do a full press up and am just wondering if I ever will

Is it possible? Or is it something that I'm just destined to struggle with forever??

I learnt how to do full press ups in my mid 20's (pre kids) at martial arts. I did yoga too though which possibly helped my stability. I can still do them in my 40's, muscle memory and technique probably come into play.

I'm sure it's possible to improve if you work out. Even if you can only do half of one maybe you can aim to do one after a couple of weeks occasional practice.

I went to the gym three times a week for a year and still can't do a proper push up. My legs were awesome though.

I'm sure there's a thread on here somewhere about doing that? Can't think what to search for though.

If you seriously want to do it, I would start with

1. ramping up the anount of knee push-ups you can do
2. starting to do full pushups with poor form - ie only bending your elbows as far as you can get back from! - and then working on getting better

Suspect you'd have to do it every day, maybe every other day.

Am currently working on chin-ups via a similar route.

Thanks for your replies. Yes, I guess it's just practice but god, it's hard. Boulevard - I'm also working on chin ups, via the assisted machine at the gym. I can see improvement again, can't imagine EVER being able to do one without assistance. Never say never, I guess! Good luck

In a year I've gone from;

push ups with knees under my hips
push ups on my knees with a straight back
push ups on my toes with my hands on a step

to (finally, in the last few weeks) full push ups

I'm slowly building up how many and at the moment in a class I will do 15 - 20 full ones before dropping my knees.

I think trying push ups with your hands on the step is what helped me.

Even half push ups are a nuisance for me , I think I could improve the arm strength but it feels like someone is taking my bladder in their hands and squeezing hard whenever im in the down position, anyone else?? I do feel like this ones just me

I think doing a plank helps as well.

Good point Jelly - I've been doing planks this past year and like the press ups have had to start at beginner level and slowly progress to full planks.

Planks and other chest / arm building exercises help.

I once had a trainer who said that if I only did 1 full press up, that was better than 50 half press ups. Not sure I agree with him, but concentrating on just doing one did help me to finally get there. I'll do about 20 or so before dropping down these days.

I'd say you definitely need to work on your core to achieve this.

I did, and I can now do 13! Which is a strange number but I just seem to be stuck at it.
My next aim is pull ups on a bar, can currently do 2!

Try doing elevated push ups if you can't yet done do a f full one on the floor. Put your hands on a stair or chair to make it easier. Pu Put your feet up to make a it harde harder.

Good luck!

Yes to elevating your hands.

Doing press ups on your knees doesn't actually engage your whole body, and a full press up uses the whole body - so it's hard to progress with knees on floor. With hands up it's easier but your muscles learn the right work better - everything apart from your arms should be locked out, especially knees/thighs and abs.

Putting your hands a little wider than shoulder width makes them easier too.
As others said hands on a step helps and doing planks. I think a few real press-ups feels much more like exercise than loads of knee ones.

Try putting your hands much wider- I can do loads with hands wide, hardly any with hands under shoulders, but am working on it!

Can't remember what theyre called but I progressed to full push ups by starting on a raised surface. So for instance ,start with your feet on the floor and your hands on a chair or work surface (the weaker you are the higher the surface) and do your push up. Then ,lower the surface overtime until you're on the floor. Just started off by only being able to do push ups from the knee and never progress to full so tried it this way and if took me about a week to do one on the floor. I would then add one each session until I was at 20. I stopped after that but I know I could do it again if I wanted to.

A great way to build up to full press ups is to lie flat on the floor and push up with your body in a straight line to an extended plank position (arms straight). That's the top position of a press up. Let yourself down to the floor again with no resistance and do it again 😉. I'm a PT and it has never failed with a client yet!

Hands elevated on something (bench etc) is great too.

I have been working on this for a while and can now do 1 full push up! Doing push ups with hands elevated on a step and working on plank is what's worked for me. Now need to do a bit of work on increasing reps!

I can do than and I was never, ever fit. The biggest early benefit of push-ups comes from keeping your body straight, like in a plank, so do the version or part-version that you can do with a straight body line.

The prep for being able to do push-ups - drills - are things you do 3-5 times at first, work up to 10, always try to do 3 sets (or more) 3 of the 3-10 reps. They include: starting at the top position and going down in a controlled way (you can try making the downward part slower, counting to 5 or even 10); or starting flat on the floor and pushing up just a couple of inches, keeping your body straight.

Trying with your hands raised, eg on a gym bench or a coffee table, is really good practice too and you will get stronger. Don't use a sofa - it will be harder to do and not great for your back.

I have but I am very stong and do circuits 3 times per week with lots of weights. In fact it is more tricep dips that are my nemesis

thought i could do push ups till i read this and googled them, guess my form is terrible! Just tried and i could do 2 properly but doing them badly has improved my arm strength lots

lolarosea doing them badly has improved my arm strength lots haha, me too. Beware - now it's clear I can do 5-6 with decent form but after that I'm stopping at a higher position, my trainer has instituted the "small tin of beans/tomatoes" rule where I have to touch the teeny fucker with my chest each time. There are drips of sweat on the mat from the start of the second set.

It's really worth trying with hands on a bench (or something higher to begin with - can you put a weightlifting bar on props in a squat cage?). Do keep going at any level, though - it's brilliant to get a good one, or several, and your back and core get much stronger too.