I am not an expert on human physiology. I am not even what I would call 'well-versed'.

I have no hard empirical evidence to back up my claims. I barely have anecdotal evidence.

Bear with me for a moment.

It's not enough to just do your exercises, even if you're consistently seeing gains

So you recently got into lifting weights, and you've seen some good gains. You're journaling your progress and have a workout plan that fits your needs. What's wrong with this picture? Nothing really, just the fact that what's working now isn't what will always work.

This is why you keep a journal/weightlifting log. It will tell you immediately when your current strategy hits a plateau. A recent history of consistent and significant gains is a massive red flag and almost always leads to a plateau of performance.

Why is this? To be perfectly honest, I have no freaking clue. However, I offer the following possiblities (assuming your plateau is not related to extenuating circumstances like an injury):

• physiological habituation

  • this is the simplest one to solve - simply start doing some new types of exercises and workouts - any power lifter can tell you that simply rotating bench/deadlift/squat you're not going to make new records

• your personal inability to muster enough willpower/gumption to move through the plateau

  • it's always hard to tell how much this is a factor; suffice to say that if your ass is well-kicked after each workout session, it's unlikely this is the issue

• improper resistance increases

  • I have done this one on many occasions - consistent and significant gains make me want to up the resistance/weight for an exercise when that weight increase is not entirely merited.

• your muscles are growing faster than the support systems

  • This is highly correlated with attempting to increase the resistance/weight on an exercise too fast. When you achieve new records your body will often require a 'consolidation' period. Remember, in order for muscles to grow bigger and become stronger you need increased blood flow (bigger, stronger heart), greater bone density (how fast do you think bones thicken up anyways?), and increased nervous system activation (your muscles are useless without nerves and a brain that really know how to tell them what to do).

• inappropriate rest periods between workouts

  • This is probably one of the trickiest issues to deal with. I have not come up with a satisfactory rule of thumb to address this. The important thing to remember is that your capacity for work almost always increases faster than your ability to recover from that same work.

• you're bored with your training

  • Just as your body habituates to new stresses, so does your brain and nervous system. Simultaneously, a lack of enthusiasm for strength training will result in sub-par performance and extended periods of plateau. Here are a few things I've found helpful to keep up interest in training:
    • get a training partner (this can backfire though; if your training partner loses interest it can infect you too)

    • learn new exercises and incorporate them into your routine
    • learn to be inspired by others: read interviews and biographies - it's much better when someone else has already made your mistakes for you! (this principle is applicable to all endeavors, not just strength training)

every person's body is different

One important thing to remember is that although you may be performing the same exercises with the same weights and in the same manner as someone else, you may not be receiving the same benefit.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach that is applicable. There just isn't.

When you perform an exercise you must be totally focused on that exercise and the way that your body is responding to it. If you are not focused on interpreting all of the interacting elements between the point you begin loading up the bar (or putting your push-up blocks in place) and eating your post work-out meal, you lose out on the most valuable information for your success.

What muscles are being activated during the exercise, and at what points are specific muscles activated in a maximal manner? How much time did you spend resting between sets? How long was your total workout and how much rest time have you had since your last workout? How long did you spend warming up? How is your routine going to help you achieve your goals? These are only a tiny portion of the questions that you could be asking yourself.

Gaining muscle is sometimes just as much a mental activity as a physical one. Simply having an effective routine is not enough; like everything else in life, change is the only constant and your ability to deal with change will determine your success.

"strong bench press weak pushups"

If this is you, bad news bears. This indicates to me that you lack strength in various stabilizer muscles that are needed to bring your bench press to new heights. Bench press does not work out the stabilizer muscles, back, and abdomen, but push-ups with good form will work a large portion of your body.

Although you lay on the bench, various stabilizer muscles are still needed for you to achieve maximum bench press poundage.

prescription: just do push-ups

trouble locking out the bench press

This indicates weak triceps, end of story.

prescription: diamond pushups - similar to close grip bench press, but for pushups! (put palms of hands on ground and touch the thumbs and index fingers of both hands together)

alternatively: handstand pushups (for the record I can only do them in poor form against a wall)

signs of a plateau on bench press

If you're hitting a plateau in your training, that's both a bad and a good thing in my opinion. It's good because it means you've hit your stride, and you can now handle a good bit more than you were used to before. However, it indicates complacency. It is very easy to become complacent in your strength-training activities.

prescription: CLAP-PUSHUPS! (push-ups in which you forcefully push yourself off the ground and clap your hands together before catching yourself)

Although Plyometric exercises shouldn't be performed by most people, if you're plateaued on the bench press (or any exercise) performing a plyometric version of that exercise (with appropriate resistance of course!) will help you break through the plateau. Explosive exercises increase the ability of your nervous system to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers, and they provide a new form of resistance curve that your muscles have to deal with.

The traditional method of breaking through a plateau is one that simply involves willpower - you force your way through it. Although this can be effective, it is often a woefully inefficient method. You have to remember that your body and mind are ridiculously lazy contraptions, and will only adapt when forced to do so. You can either force your body to change with sheer effort, or you can provide it with unexpected, changing conditions that force it to adapt.

Although strength training is about increasing the weight (resistance) you can work with, oftentimes you need to provide yourself with the path of least resistance.

difficulty with initial move off the chest

This is my main problem. This is large a function of weak pectoral muscles. If this were an article about how to simply increase your bench press by any means, I would recommend that you perform decline bench-presses or bench presses with an extra wide grip in order to increase the strength of your pectoral muscles.

However, I am writing about how to increase your bench press using only push ups, so that's cheating. Also, I do not currently have a bench in my apartment, nor would one fit, so I am in the same boat as anyone else that wants to increase their bench press with just push ups.

The way I have been approaching the problem lately is by performing wide-arm pushups where I focus only on the lower part of the push-up range, as this is the part of the motion that most intensely recruits the pectoral muscles.

In order to increase the workload (push-ups for the moderately physically fit are a relatively low-impact exercise) I elevate my hands on top of a couple pairs of two-by-fours. Increasing the range of motion of an exercise increases the force required to perform that exercise. Combined with a wide-grip pushup where I only focus on the on the specific range of motion that recruits the pectorals, this approach has been effective.

Specifically, the range of motion that I am discussing is where the widest angle the elbow forms while doing the push-up is not much greater than ninety-degrees, and using the extended range of motion that the two-by-fours (or books or whatever) allows for a very acute elbow angle to be achieved at the bottom of the motion (my nose is touching the floor at this point). Assuming you have maintained good form throughout the push-up, the pectoral muscles will be recruited in a very effective manner.

if you're too strong for any of these push-up tips...

Get someone to sit on you, purchase a weight vest to do push-ups with, or maybe even learn how to use resistance bands to increase the resistance that your push-ups provide.

good luck!

If you're interested in this article, also be sure to check out Increase your bench-press with just push-ups

The title of this entry is what someone typed into Google to get to my website approximately eleven minutes ago.

The short answer is: yes.

The long answer is: no more so than any other associated exercise.

All of the truly great weightlifting wisdom is regards to increasing your maximum for a given exercise comes from the power-lifters and strong-men of the world. The articles archives at the Westside-Barbell site offer a wealth of information on this topic. Interestingly, if you read deep into the power-lifter literature, you will find a deep core of Soviet strength training principles - but without the 'roids.

In reality, everything you really need to know about strength training was discovered long ago. If you want a huge power-to-weight ratio, become a male gymnast. Many of those exercises have been around for as long as we have. Past that point, if your goal is to get immensely strong, follow the principles laid down by classic strongmen. Steroid abuse and the marketing of fitness have led to a glut of misinformation surrounding a topic that was clearly understood in earlier 20th century literature.

so what about my bench press?

Well, what do you mean by bench-press? Your form will determine the maximal weight you will carry. There are also two main schools of bench-press form. The power-lifters advocate a whole-body approach that is actually quite complicated to learn. However, it allows for maximal lifts. The other is what you're likely familiar with - a form that focuses mainly on working the shoulder and chest structure.

Depending upon which form you choose to work on, different exercises will yield different performance boosts. Please note that if you choose to focus on the 'body-builder' type of bench press, you will not be able to achieve your true maximum.

Mainly this involves understanding what muscle groups are in play at particular points in the exercise; to what extent they are activated throughout the lift.

Westside barbell advocates a very nuts-and-bolts journaling methodology in order to improve your maximums. If your goal is to increase your maximums this is the only way to guarantee consistent and efficient results. They focus on one to three rep maximums in their bench press routines in order to get your form and nerves ready to handle the requirements.

However, they do not just do bench presses to increase their bench numbers - something implied by our savvy Google searcher - but rather they focus on the idea of General Physical Preparedness (GPP) and auxiliary exercises. I like to think of GPP as making your engine bigger - these are the exercises that will grow big, strong muscles. Think heavy-duty peasant laborer work.

Did you know that your lats are actually a very important muscle for doing bench press if you have good form? Weak triceps are also a frequent reason for missed maximums - have you ever just not been able to push the bar up the last couple inches to lockout? Obviously, doing bench presses over and over again is not going to fix this problem. You need to be doing skull crushers and bent-over rows.

Maybe your issue is that your left arm is weaker - maybe you should do some dumbbell presses. Maybe you just need to have more endurance because your training sessions aren't lasting long enough. Time to pull a couple hundred pound weight sled and work on your GPP. Maybe your forearms are just too weak and you need to use hammers to work on your grip strength.

and maybe push-ups will help you because...

1. your back and abs are too weak to support a good bench and pushups with good form firm you up
2. you do lots of push-up reps and thereby gain GPP
3. you do diamond pushups with elevated feet to work on your triceps
4. it hits your sweet spot for gains

Go forth and prosper.

I noticed someone got to this site by coming in from a Google query "jump stretch push ups". So I thought I'd write in a bit more detail about the important topic of adding resistance to push-ups.

work harder, not smarter

Like any exercise, there are a few basic things you can do to increase the amount of total work that you perform while doing the exercise.

• increase range of motion

• increase resistance
• increase acceleration
• decrease amount of rest

Each one of these items simply alters one variable in the classic physics equation Force = Mass x Acceleration . If your muscles can output more force, you are stronger. The reasons your muscles can output more force might be somewhat opaque, but that's no worry.

push-ups and the home gym

As far as I can tell, the venerable push-up is a forgotten and maligned exercise. However it is an essential exercise for a tiny home gym that lacks a bench. For the amount of space that it requires and the number of exercises that it enables, a flat bench is an awful addition to a home gym.

In addition, the bench-press is an extremely inferior exercise to the push-up. Bench-pressing takes most of your body pretty much out of the equation. To be sure, bench-pressing at the power-lifter level requires whole-body technique and effort, but I'd bet the guys at Westside Barbell would agree that bench-pressing is probably the last thing you need to be doing to get your bench-press up. They'd tell you to dumbbell press on top of a physical therapy ball first. They'd tell you to work your triceps to increase your lockout, and they'd probably get you doing some pull-ups or barbell rows to get your lats in action. Strength training is all about the whole system.

So how about ways to make push-ups more difficult and add resistance?

• elevate your feet on a chair
  • although this does increase resistance, it also changes the angle of the exercise - the more you elevate your feet the more it becomes similar to an incline bench-press
• place a weight plate on your back
  • obviously this has safety issues - I'd like to make a vest that can hold a plate or two securely
• buy a weight vest
  • I don't really recommend this due to cost, but a weight vest is an awesome item for a home gym - I wish I had one
• clap pushups (push very forcefully off the floor and clap your hands together before coming back down)
  • these beauties amount to plyometric exercises; do them sparingly unless you want to hurt yourself
• figure out a clever way to use a resistance band
  • I saw an example in the Jumpstretch literature I received with my bands, but it looks uncomfortable...
• one arm push-ups!
• one arm, one leg push-ups!
  • the one place I've seen these mentioned is in Pavel Tsatsouline's The Naked Warrior

Of course, don't even get me started on elevated, one-arm one-legged pushups with a weight vest. Or you can have someone sit on your back, but don't take that as a suggestion.

To see the first installment of this series, click here.

To be totally honest, I have no clue how much money I have spent on purchasing weight lifting and exercise equipment. Some of it has been gifts, but I thought I'd like to put down how much I think a good specification for a very minimal space would cost.

Do you have space for an olympic bar? Can you put a mat down?

This is the most important consideration. It separates the small space from the truly small space. I will lay out the core of any small space home gym solution.

• space to do pushups/pistols + elevated pushups (feet on chair)

• wall and space to perform handstand pushups
• two sturdy chairs or stools for dips
• resistance bands, but not wussy ones, more like the ones at Jump Stretch or there is another brand, Iron Woody
  • a simple starter resistance band set from Jump Stretch would be 1 mini band $12, 1 monster mini $16, and 1 light band $22 - if you are not a strong lifter, you probably don't even need the light band right away unless you want to use it for leg or back exercises (pairs of bands are very nice but not needed) $28 - $50
• olympic dumbells - anywhere from $15 + shipping (what I paid on ebay I think) to $83.91 (affiliate link)
  

• olympic plates - fifty cents to a dollar a pound at most sporting good stores, sometimes plates are on sale estimated $20-150
• if you have space for an olympic bar, I highly recommend getting a combo deal like this olympic bar and 300 lb weight set for $178.91 plus shipping
• physical therapy balls can be an excellent way to bring in new exercises - power lifters actually recommend doing various dumbbell exercises on top of a PT ball for increased hypertrophy and strength - here's an affiliate link to exercise balls that would be about $15 after shipping
• a pull-up bar is an excellent cost-effective solution and can be put in any space with a door this is a friend's pull-up bar that he recommends - GoFit Chin-Up Bar $18
• one important thing - if you do not have a long bar to do dead lifts with, you will have to devise many more resistance band exercises that target muscle groups located in your back

bottom line: small budget, full body workout

• requires space for pushups/pistols and handstand pushups
• already has suitable chairs/stools for dips
• pull-up bar $15 (I paid $14 at target for my crappy one)
• resistance bands - mini + monster mini from Jump Stretch $28
• olympic dumbbells + clamps/collars (we'll split the difference) ~$40
• sixty pounds of weight for said dumbbells ~$40
• exercise ball (makes some existing exercises harder like the dumbbell press, and adds new exercises) $15

Total: $138, which is less than half a year at most gyms

bottom line: most exercises for a strong lifter while maintaining high value

• space for bodyweight exercises (dips, pistols, pushups, handstand pushups)
• pull-up bar $15
• Olympic 300 lb. weight set $200
• thick rug or ideally a rubber mat to lift on (usually you already own a thick enough rug) ~$20
• Olympic Dumbells $40
• resistance bands - 1 light, 1 monster mini, 1 mini $50
• exercise ball $15
• curl bar $30 - I really like these for skullcrushers!

Total: $370 - a year's membership at a lot of gyms these days

It would be nice to have a bench included in this setup, but that requires a lot of space. Bench is also largely not needed if you have access to dumbbell presses, particularly on top of an exercise ball.

The only thing I would add to this setup if I had the space would be a power rack, which I would buy a a nice adjustable weight bench for. Of course, these items balloon the cost of the home gym by over 130 percent! They are worth it for the exercises (squats + bench) along with the safety factor they provide. They can also be used in conjunction with resistance bands for all sorts of power-lifter craziness.

To see the 2nd part of this series visit studio apartment home gym part 2: costs.

This one is for people that say they don't have enough space in their home for an exercise area. This is simply an issue of priorities. My home gym, as you can see, is not exactly large. With a little creativity though, here are a few exercises I can do safely in my tiny (<450 sq. feet) studio apartment:

• dips (using two chairs)
• dead lifts
• shrugs
• pistols
• overhead press
• skull crushers
• floor presses
• flys
• barbell rows
• handstand pushups (against a wall)
• curls
• cleans
• calf raises
• pull-ups and chin-ups! UPDATE 12/17/2007 - I now have a pull up bar!

The addition of resistance bands makes for almost limitless exercises; you're only limited by your imagination. One of my favorites is to emulate a cable machine by finding a good anchor point (my bed posts) for the resistance bands. Almost all weight machines are worthless, but cable machines are useful. Why should you have to have a giant machine to do it though, when you can buy some sweet resistance bands? I'm not talking wimpy bands here either; I have single bands that can provide >200 pounds of force.

I have found that almost every single important strength training exercise can be performed in a very small space with relatively inexpensive equipment. Half a year at most gyms here in Chicago would easily pay for a lot of nice stuff.

My personal regimen these days consists of three exercise groups.

The most important group is bodyweight exercises. I cannot stress this enough. Bodyweight exercises be performed almost anywhere. Push-ups (handstand, elevated, clap), pistols (one legged body weight squat, touch your thigh to your calf), and dips form the core of my bodyweight routine. I would like to add pull-ups to the mix, but I have yet to obtain a pull-up bar. Most of these exercises can have weight added to them easily if you have ambitions as a serious strength athlete.

The second group consists of the various freeweight exercises. I typically use the long bar for barbell rows, dead lifts, and hack squats. The dumbbells typically come into play for overhead presses and curls. Sometimes I use them to add weight to one-legged calf raises. A curl bar is also available for skull crushers. The only freeweight exercise I'd like to do that I cannot do safely is the regular squat (requires squat rack or power rack). This is unfortunate as it is an excellent exercise, but I make up for it with dead lifts, pistols, and hack squats.

The last exercise group consists of using the resistance bands. These are some of the best pieces of exercise equipment to own, and if I lost all my equipment these would be bought first. A totally comprehensive routine that would suit anyone except a power lifter could be put together using simply resistance bands, bodyweight exercises, and creativity.

Currently I am trying out grip exercising by emulating 'hammer' exercises. There is actually a weird old timey (turn of the 20th century) exercise routine that consisted of holding axes or sledge hammers at the very tips of their handles and then basically just moving your wrist around. I have performed this exercise with my dumbbell bars as 'hammers' and I have discovered it to be a brutal exercise, but in a good way.

One thing to note if you go the home gym route - safety first! If there are exercises you are not familiar with find or hire someone to teach you good form. I lucked out and happened to take weight training class in high school for my P.E. requirement. High school wrestling and football coaches wouldn't stay coaches for long if they didn't know how to keep their athletes safe. Perhaps I can take my own advice if I decide I need to start doing the Olympic lifts.

As an aside, a friend of mine recently found the CrossFit site. It seems like an excellent resource that embraces many of my same principles. Their workouts of the day are pretty interesting.