Doing Pushups to get BIG!!

[mongoose]

I read that if I was to do between 300-400 push-ups, 3 times weekly my arms and chest should increase significantly. Has anyone tried this and what were your results (can I get big doing pushups?)

This includes eating alot too.

 

[CaliforniaKing]

I've never really done a big pushup routine, but I believe that many pushups are only done for muscle endurance, and will not get you big at all compared to a bulking routine.

 

[FlyGuy]

If you're scrawny, you'll definitely gain some muscle. But you won't gain as MUCH muscle as you would training with free weights. Also, you'll peak out much quicker IOW you'll stop gaining muscle after a month or two.

 

[Lt dan]

a vietnam vet told a friend of mine who was abotu to enter the army ranger program to do 1000 a day.

 

[Jay26]

If you just want to look bigger just do free weights at the gym, lot less work, better results probably (don't know, never done 400 pushups, but I'm guessing you'd get stronger rather than bigger).

 

[mongoose]

I 340 did last night

That is alot of work. I'll probably resume this for awhile and then buy another bench and a 7' bar and start with the free weights again.

Another question? I'm 5'11" 185 lbs and my real goal is to get my arms bigger. Right now I'm measuring 14.5" (without flexing), which I think is way thin. What do you guys think someone of my size arm measurements should be (something not too big nor too small).

 

[Metaphor]

Well I'm 5'9 150 with a 13.5 unflexed 15.5 flexed. So I think you're doing pretty good. By the way..what part of Cleveland? I'm over by Akron.

 

[Templeton]

Originally posted by mongoose
I read that if I was to do between 300-400 push-ups, 3 times weekly my arms and chest should increase significantly. Has anyone tried this and what were your results (can I get big doing pushups?)

This includes eating alot too.

Can't think of anything more mind numbingly boring. But who am I? Knock yourself out.

 

[mongoose]

pushups

It's not that boring, I do them different ways. It only takes about 35 minutes. I use a deck of cards. I take the aces and the jokers out.

I believe doing pushups sort of puts your mind past a certain threshold. After awhile you no longer want to do anymore (you gotta keep pushing yourself). I think that strategy applies to anything in life. I feel real good though.

Anybody ever take Tai-Chi. I'm thinking about starting that, but I want to take combat Tai-Chi.

I'm up in Shaker.

mongoosemovies.com

 

[FlyGuy]

Combat Tai Chi!? Doesn't even sound like Tai Chi to me If you want to learn a COMBAT martial art as opposed to an INTERNAL art like Tai Chi I would suggest one of the other "hard" styles like Karate, Ju Jitsu, Kung Fu (has hard and soft elements), etc.

Either way I'm sure it'll benefit you. I love martial arts, it is hands down my favorite calorie burner.

 

[prosemont]

Originally posted by FlyGuy
Combat Tai Chi!? Doesn't even sound like Tai Chi to me If you want to learn a COMBAT martial art as opposed to an INTERNAL art like Tai Chi I would suggest one of the other "hard" styles like Karate, Ju Jitsu, Kung Fu (has hard and soft elements), etc.

Either way I'm sure it'll benefit you. I love martial arts, it is hands down my favorite calorie burner.

Actually, I think there is a self-defense type of Tai Chi that more closely resembles Kung Fu than the Tai Chi that most people think of.

I think it's called Tai Chi Gong or Chuan, but I could be wrong.

 

[Ian1983]

Yeah, its called Tai Chi Tuan (not sure about that sp, begins with a t anyways) or Tai Chi Chuan, it depends on the translation I think. Its encomposses both hard and soft forms and is more geared toward self defense and competition (there was a article about a guy who did it in MAI a while back).
Doing a lot of press ups will give you good strength and definition, but no mass as you'll be mainly working the slow twitch muscle fibres (ie endurance).
Just vary where your hands are for the work load to be mainly tri's and pecs, and throw in some 1 handeds aswell.
Make sure you do the legs (hindus if your a BW kinda guy), and core muscles.

Have fun

 

[FlyGuy]

Don't mind me... I'm just a purist. IMO there are more efficient styles if you want to learn self defense.

 

[WORKEROUTER]

Pushups are an excellent "warmup," as I like to call them. If you are trying to get big, though, you need HEAVY exercises, and also variety.


I dont know where you read that doing 300 pushups will turn u into the The Hulk, but most likely from some garbage web site out there.

My advice--get a routine, go to a gym, and start doing real exercises if you want to get "big."

 

[Jinn]

I haven't done regular push ups in a long time. But I've been doing concentrated and weighted push ups for a good while and the results have been quite impressive. Those exercises will make you pretty big (although if you want to get HUGE there are more efficient ways to do it). However, doing these will make you stronger than your bulk says that you are.

 

[Tareef]

Actually all tai chi is tai chi chuan Or grand ultimate fist in english.

And yes it was actually used in combat. Has any one ever heard of the Wutang clan? These were the basic warlords of China. They had four systems, one of which is no longer in circulation.

Tai chi chuan
Hsing I
Pagua
And wutang sword(no longer in circulation)

The three that are in circulation are all internal styles all were used in combat.

Now if you're looking for combat tai chi I would suggest you take up chen style tai chi.

Any one who has ever had the privellage to spar a real tai chi master would know that it's no walk in the park. A true master would use your own strength against you. So basically you would be hitting your self. You throw a hard punch the tai chi master side steps and sticks out a seemingly harmless fist. And you find your ribs are now broken.

I Use this analogy, A car vs a brick wall it doesn't matter how fast a car may come it's still going to be destroyed by the wall. Even if it manages to break through to the other side, it is going to be totalled. Tai chi is likened to the brick wall. Immovable yet flowing thus a perfect taoist paradox into itself.

 

[jaye]

And yes it was actually used in combat. Has any one ever heard of the Wutang clan? These were the basic warlords of China. They had four systems, one of which is no longer in circulation.

It's phonetically pronounced Wu Dang, and it was an order of Taoist (or Daoist) monks, not a "clan."

They weren't warlords, the Wu Dang was one of the most renowned and well-respected Daoist orders in China, for many centuries. There was somewhat of a rivalry between Shaolin and Wu Dang, i.e. the on-going rivalry in China between Daoism and Buddhism. Shaolin was naturally the strongest of the Buddhist establishments, and Wu Dang the strongest of the Daoist.

Tai Chi is mostly practiced today in China not as a fighting style, but as an exercise for, well, older folks. If you've ever been to a Chinese park early in the morning, you know what I'm talking about. It helps people age better, believe some. My grandparents practice it, my grandfather is quite good.

However, it did start as a comabt technique... it emphasized smooth, fluid motions, a corrollary of the Ying Yang doctrine, using "soft" against "hard." I haven't met a serious Tai Chi master who has mastered the art to the point of being able to use it in combat effectively. It is a very complex technique.

 

[mongoose]

push up question

This thread is pretty informative. It just started from a pushup question.

What are concentrated pushups. For the weighted pushups do you use one of those vests.

I found a Tai Chi instructor who teaches Wu Style TC. Anybody familiar with that. He gets into the self defense aspects too.

mongoosemovies.com

 

[FlyGuy]

I never said Tai Chi couldn't be used in combat, but it takes years to get to the point where you can actually USE it in an actual combat situation. Its just very complex concerning technique and application, as opposed to something like Karate which is rather straightforward. Unless you want to seriously get into it I think there are better martial art styles for self defense that are quicker to learn.

 

[mongoose]

What martial art would you recommend. I was also looking into Krav Mega (I think that's spelled right).