CyclePower Pups: the new, combined thread

[emily_in_nc]

I had to ease off some as my old shoulder injury (from a mountain bike fall) started bothering me again. I spoke to my Pilates instructor about it, and she thinks it's my rotator cuff. Here I thought the rotator cuff was on the back of the shoulder! She told me to cut back on pups and when I do them, not to go down as far. So, I'm just doing 20 full pups a few times a week, and I'm good with that for now. I may never make it to 100, but I've gotten way stronger than when I started and could barely eke out 9, and my arms look much better too!

[Veronica]

I'm not doing the challenge... but I wanted to share my very fun workout from today...

In between doing pull ups, my trainer had me doing push ups. I like push ups so much more than pull ups... These were special push ups though. Instead of just having my hands flat on the floor, I was holding onto 8 pound dumbbells. In between each push up I had to lift the dumbbell out to the side and twist up, alternating sides between push ups.. Three sets of 16 of those along with three sets of of pull ups. OUCH!

Veronica

PS There was more torture after that...

[aka_kim]

I finally completed Week 6 today! I suppose I cheated because I did the three days over an 8 day period, but I don't care. For the remainder of the week I'll repeat days 1 and 2 from W6, and then next week go back to Week 1 doing full pups! Yay! I'm both very happy to have made it through the program even if I may never do 100 pups in a row, and to finally be strong enough to do real pups (like everyone else ).

[michelem]

I've been stuck at Week 5 Day 2, 3rd column for quite some time now. I just can't seem to eek out the minimum max of 45 after completing the preceding 4 sets. Tonight I had to get to the 45 by doing 36 (rest at top) + 6 (rest again at top) + 3 (barely). Also, I'm only doing the pups about once a week now. Maybe I'd progress faster if I did them more often! Or maybe I should just drop down to knee pups when I fatigue . . .

[OakLeaf]

Veronica, T-pups with 8# , that is some core strength, and a great way to work the shoulder stabilizers. And pull-ups too, I've been totally neglecting mine ... partly out of frustration that I've been stuck at 5 for the first set and 1-2 for a second "set" for like two years.

Maybe I need to start doing pull-ups similarly to this push-up plan - I bet I could do three sets of two and then a max out (of another one or two ) I hardly even watch TV, but every time DH has it on and one of those commercials for chin bars comes on, I start wanting one for home even though all my lazy self really needs to do is throw a rope over a joist in the garage.

Emily, yeah, pups can be hard on the rotator cuff, especially if you're doing them with a wide stance - are you doing them narrow, Pilates-style? You're right the bellies of the rotator cuff muscles are along the scapula, but they have their insertion on the head of the humerus - that's what allows them to rotate the arm, and it's why there's no bone-to-bone attachment in the shoulder socket. Here's the best illustration of that that I've seen. The shoulder is a wacky joint, really, crazier than the knee even - be careful with it.

Kim, way to go! And you are not the only one doing knee pups. Completing the program with ANY type of pups is a real accomplishment.

PedalWench, holding dumbbells is probably the simplest way to keep your wrists straight - knuckle pups are fine if they don't hurt your knuckles - but check it out with your PT. If it was me I don't think I'd do any pups until I was out of the brace. Any way you do them you still have to stabilize the forearms, and that means the tendons are going to be acting on your wrist bones. Knuckle pups actually seem to work the forearms harder than with your hands flat, I think. And with pull-ups, you're using the forearm muscles for grip... plus your weight is going to want to stretch the wrist joints... I'd definitely check it out. Might be a good time to start practicing those one-handed pups on the wall.

Michele, maybe you might try backing off to week 4 before you try to go forward again. That's worked for several of us. And yeah... three times a week is pretty much the minimum to make much progress at anything.

[Kimmyt]

Me and my fiance just reached the end of week 2 for this. We have almost doubled our total pushups since then! 100 doesn't seem so far away now that we're almost at the half way mark!

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, yeah, pups can be hard on the rotator cuff, especially if you're doing them with a wide stance - are you doing them narrow, Pilates-style? You're right the bellies of the rotator cuff muscles are along the scapula, but they have their insertion on the head of the humerus - that's what allows them to rotate the arm, and it's why there's no bone-to-bone attachment in the shoulder socket. Here's the best illustration of that that I've seen. The shoulder is a wacky joint, really, crazier than the knee even - be careful with it.

In Pilates class I do pups with a narrow stance as instructed (VERY VERY HARD!!!), but at home and when I started doing the 100 pups challenge, I do them with a wide stance. I'll check out the link. Thanks for your feedback!

[Pedal Wench]

PedalWench, holding dumbbells is probably the simplest way to keep your wrists straight - knuckle pups are fine if they don't hurt your knuckles - but check it out with your PT. If it was me I don't think I'd do any pups until I was out of the brace. Any way you do them you still have to stabilize the forearms, and that means the tendons are going to be acting on your wrist bones. Knuckle pups actually seem to work the forearms harder than with your hands flat, I think. And with pull-ups, you're using the forearm muscles for grip... plus your weight is going to want to stretch the wrist joints... I'd definitely check it out. Might be a good time to start practicing those one-handed pups on the wall.

Doc said no way to pups, but start PT tomorrow. He's not thrilled that I'm training for a 24-hour race either, but as long as I train with the brace on, he said i can try. But pups are definitely out, in any form, because I would still be trying to stabilize with the wrist, just like you said!

[yellow]

OK, who is still playing??

I went way back down and almost started all over again and am back at the end of week 4. I had to drop down to C2 earlier this time around and am generally feeling much wimpier. W-T-F??

I'm considering diving wholly into Crossfit this winter. If I do that, then I'll probably dump the pups. We'll see; Crossfit might not work for me right now given my back "issues". I'm hopeful that it might actually help with some of the issues.

In the meantime, I'm going to keep on the pups. But I've given up the illusion that I might someday be able to do 100 in a row. I just have too many other things that I need energy for!!!!!

[Grog]

I keep doing a few push ups every week, usually two days of about 30. It just kills me. I don't understand this exercise. I'm not even working all that hard, 30 push ups is nothing, and the next day I feel so limp and tired and weak. Really weird.

So this morning I did three sets of 5. Whatever.

I'm not making 100 by my the new year, I can say so much.

[aka_kim]

I'm still playing!

I started from week 1 (C1) doing full pups a few weeks ago (I did ball pups the first time through the program). I'm actually repeating days this time instead of weeks (so far), whether I need to or not, just to try to avoid some of the problems I had last time around.

[Bruno28]

I think this is a great programme. I just started week 4 (in the feeble 1st column) doing half push ups. But when I started I couldn't do anything more than wall push ups so I feel I've made great strides.

My aim is to finish the programme on half push ups then progress to full push ups. I really feel I've gained strength and fitness and it is a really easy programme to follow - with measurable progress - so it's kept me going.

I recommend it to the easily discouraged

The next day you really feel like you've had a good work out.

[Bruno28]

After my 'it's a breeze' boastfulness I have hit the wall that is day 1 week 5

[yellow]

OK, I just finished week 6 for the third or fourth time this week. Felt better this time around, I think mostly because I stuck to the schedule. It seems that if I miss just one day I pay for it later.

I'll probably just stay at week 6 through the end of the year and maybe try a test in the last days of 2008. It looks like I will be starting Crossfit in January, so I suspect I won't be in any condition to also do pushups.

Bruno, weeks 4-5-6 are tough, tough, tough. Keep at it!!!

[aka_kim]

Did this program really start at the beginning of September!?

I'm in week 3 now, doing my slow ramble through the program for the second time.

Yellow, I'm cheering you on for 100 pups straight through - if anyone can do it, you can!