I read through the first few pages of this forum, and couldn't find any detailed info on pushups, so I'm starting a thread

At this point in my workout routine, I'm not doing any elaborate weight training, instead focusing on getting more flexible and building stamina. I do pushups and crunches though, as a way of working on the muscles in my core and upper body without spending too much time on it. I've gound a lot of info here on working the core, but I'm still not sure if I'm getting the most out of pushups.

I had, for the past few weeks, been doing pushups every day, something which I'm beginning to realize is a bad idea, since the muscles should have 48 hours or so to heal after a workout. I'm curious though; in military boot camp, don't soldiers have to do craploads of pushups? several times a day?

I do what could be considered a straight-arm pushup, which means my arms go almost straight out, incorporating the triceps. I do the positive part of the pushup fairly quick, and do the negative part slow. I do three sets: the first at 35-40 reps or until failure, the second at 20-25 reps or until failure, and the third at 15-20 reps or until failure. If I do pushups like this every other day, is that a recipe for success? Or should I be doing, say, three sets of 20-25 reps or something like that?

very true, but in boot camp that is all you do (breakdown everything in your body). it's more to train your endurance more than anything else ( like strength size etc). after a while your muscles will be able to be worked more often without fatigue, because you forced them to work through it (or were forced lol).

you bet! those are good numbers too!! maybe switch it up once and a while, try the positive part slow, and the negative fast. it'll help keep you from hitting a wall. and i suggest maybe adding some pull ups.

I'd like to increase the number of pushups I can do also (not to mention the ease of individual pushups).

Can I do both at the same time? Will a routine similar to Boomdoggin's (pushups till failure, in three sets, every other day) just train my stamina, or can I forego resistance and expect to build both strength and endurance?

If I do have to add resistance to build strength (by elevating the feet or wearing a backpack), would it still be a good idea to do pushups to failure in 3 sets, every other day? And would I be able to train for endurance and strength in the same day?

Right now I can only do 29-31 regular pushups before muscle failure.

at least you have the right idea about what your going to get out of doing pushups. which is endurance. just keep at it, maby get someone to sit on your back, or a backpack full of rocks or whatever. you will get stronger but at a snals pace, unless your week enough that your own body weight gives you great strain after a short time. which is common, but the stronger you get the slower you will get stronger. does that make sence? so little resistence = more endurance benifits, heavy resistence = more strength benifits. so if your going strength then doing it till failure is a bad idea for optimal gains.

thanks guys