Tuesday 8 September 2009

Grrrr push ups

I have the upper body strength of a Beano comic softie. I keep seeing recommendations for the 100 Push-Ups programme, basically it gets you through to doing 100 push-ups in 6 weeks. I had a go at the initial test the other day, it requests you do as many good-form push ups as you can. I managed one, and to be honest I don't think it met the "good-form" criteria. The programme recommends puny creatures like me start off doing push-ups with knees on the ground, seems reasonable. I started in earnest today. I'll let you know in 6 weeks how I'm doing. The reason for my desire for upper body strength, partly to keep old ladyesque flabby arms at bay and I want to start climbing/bouldering, I blame Pedalling Polarcherry with all her talk of bouldering in Font, making me think ooooh, I want to do that.

15 comments:

Red Bike said...

You just need to do more rides that involve carrying your bike for extended periods of time.

These rides (walks/climbs) always make my arms ache for days after; so they must be doing something!

Red Bike said...

BTW, Loving the Grrr bit.

Is that what you're suppost to say while doing them?

Julbags said...

Just climb, it'll be your grip strength that'll fail first rather than upper body strength per se. My forearms are still Popeye like even though I haven't climbed for such a long time.

I used to be able to knock out loads of press ups when I did Tae Kwon Do in my early twenties. Now I'd be lucky if I managed one not on my knees.

Julbags said...

It would be good if there was somewhere decent to go bouldering around here (indoors or out), let me know if you hear of anywhere, might dust off my shoes. Though I struggle to fit all the running and biking in anyway, that's why climbing dropped off.

Pedalling Polarcherry said...

if it helps, I can only do about 10 push ups in one go :)
i need to do 100 sit ups, my overhangs are shocking due to poor body tension.

give me a shout if you want to go bouldering one weekend in the Peak. I know every area just about! It's all I did before biking....

Pedalling Polarcherry said...

ps. where do you live?
i'll have a look in my bouldering guides for venues.

jumbly said...

Julbags - looks like P-Polarcherry is the one to ask for locations.

P-Polarcherry - yeah it's be great to go out sometime if you have the patience for a puny beginner. I live near Chorley, a bit of googling leads me to believe there are bouldering spots at Anglezarke, but I'd rather go out with someone else the first few times before heading off solo. Any recommendations for shoes?

Pedalling Polarcherry said...

ahh thats my bf's old haunt! i'll double check with him tonight but bouldering wise i've been to brownstones and thorn crag round there.
Thorn is one of my absolute favourite bouldering venues. very remote and peaceful http://www.lakesbloc.co.uk/sei/s/1284/r+r%20thorn%20crag%20routes.pdf

anglezarke, wiltons etc are routing mainly i think. i'll check our lancashire guide book.....

if your free 18th sept weekend, im home alone and happily take you bouldering in teh peak and for a ride. you;ll have to put up with a slow biker though :)

shoe wise - you need to try lots on. personally i love 5:10's as i find the rubber stickier than the others and velcro is a bonus so i like anasazi's ( mens not womens )

Pedalling Polarcherry said...

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/map/#main

check this out.

Julbags said...

I've climbed in Anglezarke, it is mainly routes and being quarry its also steep (and midge infested). I have heard of Brownstones now thinking about it though I think I would need someone who knows what they are doing.

The bouldering walls at the local leisure centre all seem to be on overhangs so are really hard.

Shoes are very personal, I also have 5.10s but not the Anasazi, the Sapphire women's ones I think they are. Less "pointy" than the Anasazi. Outdoor Action in Blackburn have always been helpful when I've been looking for shoes.

M&J said...

How about the handstand? (against the wall!).

Recommended in a great book I've just got on joint strengthening exercises, Sarah Key (a physio) says:

"the ultimate for shoulder strengthening and infinitely preferable to using weights. Also strengthens the arms in an upwards direction - when you are able to lengthen your body skywards while you are up, you capture the superlative achievement of both strengthening and defying gravity from the opposite direction".

The biggest appeal: it's a fun thing to do. I can see the improvement in tone after only a few days (including strengthening my wrist around an old injury).

Just a thought for a bit of variety and maybe to avoid an overuse injury from all those press-ups...

kate said...

jo, that's a brilliant idea!!!

jane's been talking about this, think we might have a go in house too. have you read the posts on fra?

Red Bike said...

Kate: Please have your camera at the ready for this!

jumbly said...

P-Polarcherry - I'm running a half marathon on the 19th, I'm free on the 20th, but how much use I'll be is another question.

Jo - Hmmm, handstands. I think I might have to look into this a bit more.

Tina Mammoser said...

Just caught this old post- thanks for the link! The 100 push-ups looks good. :) And I'm also feeling good because I know I can do more pushups than you apparently, heh. Though I've been restrained to wall ones for a few months due to shoulder tendonitis. Time to try normal ones again I think!