45 vs. 30 degree pushups

[citymouse]

Hi everyone. Quick question. Standard weight bench for push ups....is that 45 degrees or 30 degrees? If 45, then what do you use for 30 degrees? Thanks!

[maggieandmommy]

How low can the bar on the Smith Machine at your gym go? That's what I use. I'm bad with angles, so I just go with body parts--I started with the bar at my waist, then moved down to mid-thigh, and now I'm down to knee-height. lol

Maybe you could use a step (like an aerobics step) with (or without) risers to get to the right height.

[Chris Correia]

Originally Posted by citymouse

Hi everyone. Quick question. Standard weight bench for push ups....is that 45 degrees or 30 degrees? If 45, then what do you use for 30 degrees? Thanks!

My self-check on my kitchen island stool would lead me to say that it would be 30 degrees on the standard bench. But, I don't know the criteria Alwyn uses to identify the angle. Is it the torso angle when arms are extended or at the bottom of the movement? I assume the former. But I'd be 30 degrees on a standard bench in any case, I think.

For 45 degrees, you use something higher.

[JustKim]

I asked hubby who uses angles at work everyday and he said that our bench is about 30 degrees.

[Chris Correia]

Originally Posted by JustKim

I asked hubby who uses angles at work everyday and he said that our bench is about 30 degrees.

Didn't I just say that?

Since when does a woman listen to her own man?

And we ALL use angles every day. Some just don't pay attention.

[Kimble]

I'm working out at home and I use the kitchen counter top (about waist height) for 45 degrees, and the sofa for 30! Works fine!

[frogguruami]

I try to simplify the whole process and log my push ups as hip height or knee height. I figure hip is close to 45 and knee is close to 30. My problem is I need somewhere in between.

[Cynthia]

I don't know the answer to your question, but when I was progressing to "military-style" pushups, I just moved the rung of the Smith machine bar down every workout until I could do them on the floor. I think I started at the 6th rung up from the bottom and within 3 weeks was doing them on the floor.

Good luck!

[LisaS]

if you get to the last rung on the squat rack/smith and it is still too difficult on the floor, you can always use the last rung & "raise the floor" by putting your feet up on a plate or reebok riser. It will let you split the difference and reduce the angle for that last portion.

[citymouse]

Ok, I am not familiar with using a smith machine to do push ups. How exactly does that work??? I'm currently doing them using a standard weight bench.

[missjane]

Just put your hands on the bar and do them. Keep lowering the bar until you are doing them on the floor.