12U pushups what is reasonable

[GunnerShotgun]

My 12U DD can do 63 pushups on her fingertips (one handed so she can text with the other) in a minute.

We live in Texas and her change-up was clocked at 61 MPH.

 

[chinamigarden]

Well have her keep working at it and I am sure she will make all stars next year

 

[Lozza]

When people say push ups, what push ups are you referring to? The proper ones that are extremely effective or the ones women usually get saddled doing and are a waste of time? (Ie from the knees)

 

[quincy]

I would assume regular pushups, like you said what is the point of the ones from the knees.

 

[fastpitch91]

well we did a first run to see what we would find, we had between 5 and 55 (?? yea I know but she is an athletic beast) and some pretty wide variations in "depth" how far down the girls dropped to the ground.

so we are going to test next time with a glove with a ball in it under their chest and they have to touch it to get credit. that will bring the numbers down some for sure.

 

[fastpitch91]

real pushups

 

[Lozza]

I would assume regular pushups, like you said what is the point of the ones from the knees.

I've grown up being given 'easier' 'female friendly' exercises. I hate watching young girls be limited by coaches not understanding that women can do the same exercises as men. We might not be able to go as high weight wise or do as many (in the case of push ups) but if you teach little girls the 'girlie' push ups, the chances of them ever doing full ones are smaller.

Fastpitch91 VERY glad to hear that. As you might be able to tell its my personal bug bear.

 

[austinwass]

There's definitely a wide range of pushup styles out there and lack of range of motion and/or upper body strength/stability in the scaps and shoulders can play a big role in which style pushup an athlete chooses.

Athletes who are generally weaker in the upper extremities will drop the hips and just bend the elbows during a pushups. Usually the head drops down too. Other athletes will let the elbows flare out because their shoulder stabilizers and serratus anterior are super weak or they don't know how to control their scaps or bring their scaps together... and then solely rely on their pectoralis (chest musculature) to do the work and then you get this funky, awkward pushup motion.

The safest way and most effective way to do pushups are pushups that keep the elbows closer to the body protecting the anterior shoulder capsule. This will also activate the serratus anterior musculature which is a big scap stabilizer which also controls this pushup movement.

The article below shows how a band can help with the pushup motion. Using a small band around the triceps will allow the elbows to stay close and also helps assist the body back up to the start position. Hope this helps!


Exercise of the Week: Assisted Band Pushups

 

[softballphreak]

Dump the push ups! Do burpees! If you were restricted to just one conditioning exercise it would be burpees! Google it!

 

[gilbo]

Dump the push ups! Do burpees! If you were restricted to just one conditioning exercise it would be burpees! Google it!

another vote for BURPEES