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Old 06-15-2005, 09:58 AM   #1 (permalink)
bryanc
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I know I could go searching and find the answer, but I'm wondering if someone already knows:

What is the effective weight (probably expressed as a percentage of body weight) of a push-up? It's obviously not 100% of your body weight. I've seen the figure of 60%, but am also wondering where that comes from. And, does the effective weight vary through the range of the push up, since the angle of your body changes through the range of motion (unless you have a moving vertical platform for your feet...) And how is the effective weight affected by doing decline (feet up on something) push ups?
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Old 06-15-2005, 10:03 AM   #2 (permalink)
Q.
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I asked the same basic question some time back and there were a lot of responses but nothing indicating that it had been studied. Hope you get some good replies because I was curious, too!
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Old 06-15-2005, 10:12 AM   #3 (permalink)
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I think the best advice is to get a scale...

Get down into a push-up position with your hands on the scale.

Read the number [img]smile.gif[/img]

Og.
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Old 06-15-2005, 11:18 AM   #4 (permalink)
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Yeah Og pretty much nailed it. Who could possibly be dumb enough to conduct a research on something like that (?)
You also can't use the same bw% for everyone because ratios between upperbody and lowerbody mass change from person to person.
Get on the scale, in a pushup position, read the number, then go down to a pushup, read the number again. The second will be higher.
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Old 06-15-2005, 10:40 PM   #5 (permalink)
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I think I have seen bill hartman quoting that it is around sixty five percent of your body weight. I hope I quoted him correctly. I have no idea how he came up with that number,but it sounds good correct to me.
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Old 06-15-2005, 10:53 PM   #6 (permalink)
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I weigh 160lbs.

I just got into push up postion and it read 130 lbs.

When doing a pushup, the needle was +/- 20 pounds at any given time.

Hope this helps.
 
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Old 06-15-2005, 11:05 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally posted by Ogedei:
I think the best advice is to get a scale...

Get down into a push-up position with your hands on the scale.

Read the number [img]smile.gif[/img]

Og.
Do it in the gym bathroom too!
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Old 06-17-2005, 12:49 PM   #8 (permalink)
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It's just shy of 2/3 body weight.

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Old 06-17-2005, 01:32 PM   #9 (permalink)
Bill Hartman
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Here's a reference...

J Strength Cond Res. 2005 Feb;19(1):146-51.

Dynamic and electromyographical analysis in variants of push-up exercise.

Gouvali MK, Boudolos K.

Sport Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Sport Medicine, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. mgouvali@phed.uoa.gr

The purpose of the study was to record dynamic and muscular modifications during push-up exercise variants (EV). Eight healthy men performed 6 EV of push-ups: normal, abducted, adducted, posterior, anterior, and on knees. Ground-reaction forces were recorded with a force plate while surface muscular activity with electrodes on triceps and pectoralis major. Significant differences (p < 0.05) existed for most vertical force variables but not for anteroposterior force and time variables. The initial load relative to body weight was 66.4% at the normal position, while only 52.9% at the on-knees EV. Muscle activity was less during the on-knees EV for both muscles. At the posterior EV, pectoralis major was activated higher than normal; however, triceps were activated lower than normal. Dynamic behavior and muscle activity were significantly altered between push-up EV. Instructions for push-up exercises should be followed carefully because dynamic and muscular challenge is altered when hands are differently positioned.

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Old 06-19-2005, 12:59 PM   #10 (permalink)
bryanc
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Sweet. That's what I was looking for. What's EV? And hands posterior to what? I have visions of some pretty weird pushups there...
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