Thursday, October 12, 2023

Try, Try Again

I started something new with my pushups.  

I've been doing modified wall/inclined versions for so long that they were simply no longer providing the benefits that pushups should.  It was just a number obligation, and not a means to actually help me improve my strength.  💡 Hoop vs tool.

So I came up with a new plan.  I decided that I was going to do a more "time based" approach so that I could slowly start to build up to full pushups....while still fulfilling the spirit of the requirement.

Using 1-2 minute increments, I would do as many full pushups as I could, then I'd continue with as many as I could from my knees, then I would hold plank for the remainder.  Pretty much what Sihing Csillag has suggested we do in class in the past.

This went well for a bit....and then, like every other time before, I hurt my shoulder.  This seems to happen every single time I attempt to build my full pushups.  And I always get really frustrated by this.

BUT...this time, I took a minute to think about why this keeps happening and what I can do about it.

My mindset is always to push myself as far as I can.  Meaning my last possible full pushup is VERY strained and VERY unbalanced...and probably VERY unsafe.  And that's where I'm going wrong.  I need to stop before I get to the point of over-straining....before I reach the potential for injury.  I know...duh right?

Anyways....I'm going to allow this shoulder to heal...with modified pushups once again (out of necessity though!).  But then I'm going to give my new plan another shot, adjusting my mindset to do as many as I can while remaining strong and in control.  As soon as I start to feel as though I'm no longer in control, that will be my cue.  With this method, I'm going to have to be okay with building my reps very slowly...but also (hopefully) without constant injury.  

I have a very strong desire to get better at pushups and with the changes to the IHC and Black Belt grading year, I want to be ready to properly fulfill that requirement when the time comes.


IHC Numbers To Date
Pushups = 27614
Situps = 27719
Kwan Dao = 571
Tai Chi Short = 667
Sparring = 549
Km's = 1073
AOKs = 690

1 comment:

  1. Might be worth it to take a look at your form again too, and see if you’re not recruiting other muscles to help you that could be leading to strain.

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