From past experience with martial arts one way to increase the amount of push-ups you can do is by doing partials while alternating with different types of push-ups. This routine assumes that you are able to do 30 complete push-ups with out resting. By partials I mean restricting the range of motion to just under 1/2 of a complete rep. Always touch the floor with your chest (when possible) and come up almost half-way then back down. A sample routine would look like this
Week 1 & 2 Every other day
POSITION #1
Triangle push-ups (you should touch your thumbs to your xiphoid process
(lightly!) when trying to touch your chest to the ground)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
rest 90 seconds
POSITION #2
Move hands to shoulder length apart (the tips of your fingers should be
aligned with the tops of your sholders)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
rest 90 seconds
POSITION #3
Move your hands out until, during mid rep, your upper arms will be
perpendicular to your forearms. The hands should remain in the same
position relative to the shoulders (ie move them "out" in a straight
line)
5 partials
5 complete
7 partials
7 complete
Week 3 2 days on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
Week 4 & 5 1 on, 2 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 1 off
POSITION #1
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
rest 120 seconds
POSITION #2
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
rest 120 seconds
POSITION #3
7 partials
7 complete
12 partials
12 complete
Week 6 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
Until failure
Week 7 & 8 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 2 on; 1 off, 1 on;
1 off
POSITION #1
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #3
15 partials
15 complete
rest 90 seconds
40 complete
rest 240 seconds
Week 9 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
POSITION #1
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #2
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
POSITION #3
Until failure
rest 240 seconds
Week 10 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on
POSITION #2
100 complete
Do 100 push-ups in POSITION #2 at least twice a week for maintenance.
--
Robert C. Shouse