If youre new to training performing the push up with hands elevated on a 24 inch bench will allow you to lift even less than a knee push up at 41 percent of body weight. 70 inches 1778 m palm to shoulder length. Fortunately for fitness buffs the cooper institute found that you support 6916 percent of your body weight in the up position of a push up and 7504 percent in the down position. By having your feet on the floor in the standard push up position you lift 64 of your body weight. By elevating your hands to a surface 24 inches above floor level you reduce the intensity to lifting 41 of your body weight. Feet position can alter the intensity of the push ups too.
To illustrate an example the centers for disease control and preventions most recent stats as of 2016 put the average american males weight at 1955 pounds. I was quickly able to work up to adding 100 extra pounds to push ups. Adding weight to push ups can be a difficult task but ive come up with something new for you. In a regular push up you lift 64 percent of body weight whereas with a knee push up you lift 49 percent. This will actually change everything for you. Approximately 131 pounds of hisher bodyweight in the up position in the down position heshe would be lifting approximately 142 pounds.
A new study in the journal of strength and conditioning research identified the percent of body weight you lift with four varieties of the push up. The characteristics of an average 25 year old american male are. 23 inches 05842 m shoulder to hip length. 315 inches 0800 m. And it wasnt difficult at all. 2475 inches 062865 m hip to ankle length.