P90X/P90X2 Push-Up Tips

When I first started P90X I was no where near being able to keep up with the people in the video who were doing 30+ pushups per set. But by doing a few simple thing I was able to increase my reps and surpass my own expectations of what I was capable of when it came to push-ups. I wanted to share with you a few tips on what I did to get better and defeat the discouragement of not being able to do push-ups as well as I wanted.

 

P90X Push-up Tip #1 – Form

There is no point in doing something wrong if you want to get better at something. Whats the benefit to getting better at doing something wrong? None! That is why your form is so important when doing push-ups. The most common mistake people make when doing push-ups is letting their butt drop during the move. If you drop your butt down then you dont have full range of motion on the move and you also put some heavy strain on the lower back, making it much easier to injure yourself. So be sure you tighten up your stomach muscles, flex the butt cheeks and focus on making your body into a straight line. So what if you can only do 3 or 4, and so what if you cant go down all the way. That will come in time, but when you focus on having good form you will begin to strengthen the proper muscles for doing push-ups the right way! This lead me into tip #2.

 

P90X Push-up Tip #2 – Reps

Something that I did to help me get my reps up was put a number in my head like 20 reps and hit that target every single time. I know what you are thinking…”But I cant even get 10!” And thats okay. What you need to do is push out as many reps as possible in the regular form (on your feet), then when you can no longer do them in the standard position, you finish out the set doing push-ups on your knees. This is exactly the same concept I explain in my pull-up tips. Do the move in the standard, un-modified position; and when you max out in that position, hit your goal reps by dropping to your knees. You modify the move to reach your goal. You do this consistently and you will notice huge gains in your push-up capabilities.

 

P90X Push-up Tip #3 – Difficulty

When you apply Tips #1 & #2, over time you will notice that just doing the normal style push-up is not as intense as you need to continue making gains. The solution is to increase the difficulty. Just like Tony says in the video “you raise the leg, you increase the intensity, more intensity get better results”. There a many ways to raise the intensity level. My favorite way is to add weight. This can be done with a weighted vest or even just a back pack with weight in it. Extreme caution when using a back pack though — With added weight in the center of your back, then tendency is for your back to bough and your form to slip. You need to focus on form even more so if you plan to use weight in a back pack.

 

P90X Push-up Tip #3 – Mind Games

Half the battle of doing any move in P90X is getting out of your head about it. Your body is telling your mind that you cant, but your will has got to be stronger than the mind. You CAN do things that your body doesnt like. You CAN push past the pain and focus on your desired results. Its a matter of you disconnecting from those thoughts of “I cant” and turning them into “I CAN!” and “I WILL!” You would be surprised at how much better your results could be if you simply align your mind with the philosophy of “can and will” vs. “cant and I suck”. Dont let the body tell your mind what it wants when it comes to getting results. You tell your body what your mind wants!!!

 

P90X2 Push-up Tip #4 – Core

P90X2 push ups are far more advanced in the way of needing incredible core strength and balance compared to P90X. So my solution to get better at push-ups in P90X2 is to focus on the intended muscle group being worked out. Push-ups are great to build up strength in the chest, but with P90X2, doing those push-ups on medicine balls changes everything. You are no longer just focusing on the chest. Far more focus needs to be placed on the core muscles. Before you can do these push-ups, you need to focus on finding that balance that allows you to do the move. That balance is provided by your core strength. I actually draw my entire focus to my core when doing athletic style push-ups in P90X2 and let the thoughts of actually doing the push-up move come as a secondary thought and action. If you do that, then you will see big gains in your form with these higher level difficulty push-ups.

 

P90X/P90X2 Push-Up Tips – Video

I wanted to combine all these tips in a short video that you can come back to when you need a reminder of how to get better at push-ups during your P90x/P90X2 journey. I even have a little fun smashing my face at the end. Obviously  I didnt listen to Tony’s tip of the day “dont smash your face!”

 

If you have any questions, you can submit it as a comment in the space below. Let me know if these P90X/P90X2 Push-Up Tips were helpful! And if this article was helpful, be sure you share and like it!