I Hate “Girl” Push-Ups
Oh, where to begin. I’m in a bit of a conundrum here. On one hand, I’m not going to lie. I’ve watched that video at least 37 times this morning (for obvious reasons), and I’m contemplating calling in to work today. On the other, those have got to be some of the worst looking push-ups I have ever seen. I think all ten of those “reps” amounted to one actual push-up. Then again I wasn’t really counting past cleavage.
I hate the term “girl push-ups,” and I hate any trainer who has their female clients do them. I think it’s completely asinine to separate push-ups into two categories of “girl push-ups” and “regular push-ups.” The last thing I want to do when starting with a new female client is to establish a mentality that because she’s a girl, she can’t do something. If anything that just strikes me as very condescending.
Nonetheless, I think a great starting point would be to perform elevated push-ups from either a bench or power rack with adjustable pins.
Here, we can limit the range of motion, albeit still reap all the benefits of the push-up (upper body strength, lumbo-pelvic coordination, core strength/stability, scapular stability, etc). Obviously as one becomes more proficient, you would just move the pins down towards the floor, and before you know it, they’re performing push-ups from the floor with chains across their back.
All in all, it just really frustrates me when I see or hear women give in to the mentality that they’re these delicate creatures who can’t lift like the boys. This is why I like sites such as stumptuous.com and figureathlete.com. Both sites have superb info in regards to how women should be training (hint: lift some freakin weights). Not to mention, as compared to the crap I come across in publications such as Oxygen Magazine, I’m much less inclined to want punch a hole through my computer screen.
EDIT: It’s come to my attention that Jennifer Love Hewitt really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really should consider hiring me as her trainer/boyfriend. Just throwing it out there. I mean Jesus, she once dated John Mayer for crying out loud. What does he have that I don’t have? You know, besides money, fame, and the ability to not drive a Hyundai Elantra? I have a six pack. That’s gotta count for something dammit!
