Fitness & Exercise

[pmarachi]

Cheers for the replies

New question: Is there a way to look at how a push-up translates into a bench press? For example, if I weight 11st, is doing push ups like bench pressing, something like 8st?

I don't think it works that way really.  The push up, when done right puts stresses on almost all of your upper body, while bench work really focuses on the chest 1st and tris 2nd. 

One cool thing you can do with your push up bar if your goal is to get the heavy bench type of pump would be to change your resistence a little bit.  For instance, use a chair and put your feet up, and slowly make that gravity point harder which will work you in slightly different areas, but as you fight gravity, it adds resistence, which is like weight.

At my gym some people put weights on their back, but I always think this looks weird and I don't really see how it helps with the distribution of the weight not being perfect and all of that.

push ups, dips and pull ups are the best thing you cant do for that upper body.  Better than any weight training. 
I just had my shoulder replaced  (yeah, at 30...) and am doing physical therapy.  I can't wait to get back to it!

[avfcpg]

As above really. There's no real direct comparison as press up's engage the core as well as chest, triceps etc....although you can say you are pushing up your body weight...if you can't get to a gym, try lying on your back and bench pressing the wife !!

As for press up's...try varying them. Feet elevated / Hands on floor....Hands elevated / feet on floor....and normal ones. Keeps the body guessing and working different chest areas.

And if you are really into your press ups try this
http://hundredpushups.com/

[eric woolban woolban]

I managed 25 push-ups in my initial test.

[Comrade Blitz]

I'm doing sets 3 days per week at the moment using my "gay-guy" grips (shown on page one of this thread):

Set 1: 20
Set 2: 20
Set 3: 12
Set 4:   8

I'l keep an eye on the hundredpushups chart to guide me on increasing my sets and reps.