Better pushups for the Army

[salp]

Hi, this is my first post, so I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Salvatore and I'm currently involved in the ROTC program at my college. Almost 2 months ago I came to the decision to join the Army ROTC and I've been training to my fullest since to be able to pass the physical fitness test.

The standards are:

2 mile run 15:54
2 min pushups 42
2 min sitsups 53

A little bit about my physical strength:

I've never been too strong. I've always struggled doing push ups and sit ups. I've been, for the most part, skinny and weak. When I started exercising nearly 2 months ago, I could do only 10 sit ups, 0 push ups, and run the two mile in 22+ mins. Now I almost have my sit ups down(i'm maxing out at 48 now), and I'm within 30 seconds of my 2 mile run standard. But My push ups are still struggling and I'm worried about getting a scholarship from the ROTC.


My Problem:
I had to do girly push ups to start out with. Working my way up from 5 girl push ups, then 10, then 15, and I eventually was able to do 5 real push ups with good form. After almost 2 months though, I'm only up to about 15 push ups. I've been lifting my chest, shoulders, and triceps everyday after my push ups(on chest day). I do 5 sets of push ups prior to my workout.

I'm almost thinking that lifting hard after my push ups in the morning may be effecting my overall push up gains. The exact opposite the reason that I do lift after my push ups.

My lift today for example was:

pushups 12 x 5
dumbell press 40x2 x 8 x 4
inclined dumbell press 35x2 x 8 x 4
dumbell flys 20x2 x 8 x 4
tricep pulldowns 45 x 8 x 4
military press 40 x 8 x 4
dumbell extensions 35 x 8 x4
lateral raises 10x2 x 8 x 4
front raises 20 x 8 x 4
crossover flys 40x2 x 8 x 4

Then I will take 2 days off from my chest. I'll do back + biceps tomorrow, then run on the next day.

I've been getting a good nutritional diet also. I've cut a ton of fat from it, and I'm ingesting around 200g of protein a day. I've seen real good gains in my muscle mass and my strength in the gym, but I feel like my push ups are struggling for no reason.

my lift by itself would be a decent lift for someone like me I'd imagine. I could do more with most of the exercises I think, but my push ups tax my muscles before I make it to the gym.

My question is: does it help or harm my overall goal of being able to do my push up standards by lifting after my push ups?

And is there anyone that could give me some advice that would help me in my goal?

Thank you.

 

[strictly poontang]

If it were me, I'd concentrate on a good diet and do an all-around workout routine. Pretty much what you'll do in the miltary. Lots of pushups, situps, pull-ups (dead hang, no kipping) and run. Nothing you can really do is going to increase your ability to do these events other than doing them.
2.5 mile run 3 days per week for time
3 days a week, wind sprints with calistnetics (20 yd sprint/20 quick situps , 40 yd sprint/20 quick pushups, 60 yd sprint/20 situps, 80 yd sprint, 20 pushups, 100 yd sprint, 20 situps then work back down to 20 yd sprint) Adjust your reps according to ability, up or down. Change up every now and then and do flutter-kicks instead of situps or leg raises.

Everything you need to do to prepare you can do outside of gym and without weights. Military training is more about muscle endurance and cardiovascular strength than anything else. The advice I'm giving is based upon what I felt would have been beneficial to me before enlisting in 93. I was able to pass the fit test w/o preparing for it, but if I had to go thru it again, the above rouine would be what I would be doing to prepare.

 

[fortunatesun]

Getting stronger should only help you reach your goal. (As long as you're not making maximal, i.e. very low rep, lifts, which you're not.

There's a technique called Greasing The Groove that many people find useful in building up reps for bodyweight exercises:

Perform lot's of submaximal sets throughout the day. Take 40%-60% of your best effort, which for you would be between 6 and 9, and do a set every hour. In a 14 hr. day you've done between 84 and 126 pushups. You've increased your daily volume by making each set less fatiguing. Do an all out set every week or 2 to adjust the %.

 

[joshuasmith93]

Man what has really helped my pushups before was the card deck workout 1 time a week. Get a deck of cards and what ever number you land on is that many pushups. Aces are 15 and 5 and under are 5. 6-10 are the number you land on exactly. and jacks kings and queens are 10. Total it is 415 pushups. The most I have ever done was the whole deck twice.