I haven't yet been successful at getting to 20 full pushups (from toes). It's a number that I've always set in my mind that I want to reach as a base line. When I start to reach that number, I generally end up hurting myself (shoulders) and launch myself back to square one in trying to build that number up again.
At Saturday's class, when challenged with doing as many as we could...I didn't want to end up back at that point. Not right at the start of the new year!! So during these reps, I kept myself VERY mindful of only doing true full proper pushups. I didn't want to sacrifice hurting myself for the sake of squeaking out a couple more with bad form. When I speak of "true full proper" pushups I mean; a straight body, fully up and down, not rushing, even distribution on both sides, etc. I ended up being able to do 13 of these.
What surprised me, the next day, was how sore I was!! My shoulders, upper back and triceps were aching...after just one set of 13!!! BUT....what I was also surprised, and pleased with, was that this was NOT injury. This was soreness from hard work. It was good positive feedback and an indicator that I was successful in maintaining proper form. I stayed true to a "perfect" pushup and worked the right parts of my body...what a pushup is intended to work, rather than ending up with yet another injury through ego of trying to achieve a certain number.
To date, the majority of my pushup numbers are modifications. I don't see this changing. But what I AM going to change is my view of what a full pushup is, and stay true to that. I will worry less about the number I am doing from my toes, and more about perfecting my form. For instance, I could feel in that last rep on Saturday that I was starting to curve my body on lifting. When I attempted to correct that, that's when I hit my max and dropped. I could have continued with a few more, if I had sacrificed that form...but again, I knew what was in store if I did. It's not just about being on my toes. There's alot more to it.
I know this all seems obvious. But as with many things, a slight shift in perspective is all it takes to make a huge difference.
