Push ups and muscles.
 

Having a low bone density problem, I was suffering from terrible
back pain.

I heard that push-ups are a great exercise for strengthening bones.
But at the same time, I've also heard that push-ups build muscles!
The more you do, the more muscles will be build up.

Now, I don't want the muscles of Hulk Hogan. It doesn't look nice.

Well, is it true that you'll be building more and more muscles, the
more you do push-ups?
I wish to do push-ups throughout my life but now I am a bit apprehensive.

Besides, I've heard that once we quit this sort of exercise after a
few months, we will become fatter than before?

Maybe running is better for you

push-ups do not build muscles, I mean your hands will not grow in diameter

Don't worry, Ani. I don't think you'll end up like this from a few pushups a day. :)

I'll be serious for a moment. Calcium deficiency. Get some multivitamin and mineral tablets.

Well, not according to Wikipedia (this also matches what I remember learning in high school gym class):
Therefore the more push-ups you (can) do, the less effect they'll have on your muscle size.

I guess if you do a significant amount of exercise you might start eating more. Then if you stop exercising but don't eat less...

For years, I was working out, doing pushups and many other exercises until a trainer pointed out to me that the rate of my workout, while improving strength, was also causing my muscles to atrophy because I was running out of energy the muscles needed. That made sense at last because all that time and I built up so little muscle, good tone, but not much mass. So, it depends on how you're working out.

Back pain- dont do many, if any, pushups. They are NOT good if you've got back problems.

*edit- low impact, low back loading exercises are what you want to do to help with back pain- cycling and swimming are the best IMO.

Yoga and/or pilates would probably help as well.

You wont, unless you do hours of training every day. Even if your were male, you'd probably also need some steroids to look like Hulk Hogan-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUrNrB8jl84

Sort of. I dont 100% agree with ntubskis wiki info, here is my version-

High weight, low repetitions- builds 'bulky' muscle. (eg lifting 50KG x 5)
Low weight, high repetitions- builds 'dense' muscle. (eg lifting 5KG x 50)

Both will increase your overall strength, and will have some effect of your muscle.....even if you do huge numbers of repetitions with very low weight.

But you dont want bulky muscle, you want dense muscle. IMO even guys look a bit silly when they are overly bulked, and it doesnt look good on women. Its possible for women to have dense muscle, be quite strong and very fit, and look great. Since women have much low testosterone levels, that outcome is almost 'standard', to get bulky requires a more targeted approach (specific exercises, sets, tempos and probably steroids in most cases)

Even some of the professional female fighters (eg MMA) are not huge women with muscles like an a̶c̶t̶o̶r̶ ....err....'wrestler'. Eg, Gina Carano-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gina_Carano

Again, sort of.

Do more exercise, and you'll need more food. Well, unless you're living in a western country (particularly the english speaking bits of the western world) and eat the 'average diet', then you wouldnt need any more food.

Get used to eating more, then when you stop exercising your appetite is still the same as it was when you were doing the exercise.

Similar calorie intake + lower exercise = weight gain.

Women don't become muscle-bound hulks from eating normally and doing regular exercise. They just end up looking... better! :D The same is largely true for men too.

You shouldn't have said that, they'll rip you to shreds very soon. Those multivits are dangerous things, can kill a man real quick. You gave poor Anisha a death sentence. RIP Anisha...

Exactly. (Except for women with abnormally high testosterone levels.)

Pushups are fine. Review some videos online (on credible sites) that demonstrate proper form, and/or have a knowledgeable friend observe while you're doing them.

Planks may be a better starting point for now, though. Build up your core strength so that you're starting with a stable foundation. (Same thing, see online vids for proper form.)

If your back pain worsens, see a doc...

Er, Any muscle, used repeatedly, will get bigger. Its kind of a biological thing. As long as you are eating enough calories including a reasonable amount of protein, you will get stronger and build muscle.

Push ups will only work one set of muscles, you need to do a range or different exercises to utilise all of your muscles.

Swimming is a very good place to start. Its low impact on joints unlike running, it works your whole body, it builds cardio vascular fitness as well as muscle, and if you are currently suffering from back pain it allows exercise while supporting your body weight.

You need to be careful to only do as much as YOU can currently manage, you want to exercise, NOT hurt yourself. The vast majority of people who have to stop comming to the gym do so because they have overdone it.

:confused: Why are you asking the LQ community a question better answered by health and fitness experts? If you actually trust your LQ friends the most, that's great, but posing the question here is still like asking experts on muscles about a Linux problem.

newbiesforever has a point. I mean:

What did we say about taking medical advice from a Linux forum?

Ah, yes, I remember that thread. :)

That thread was a response to an earlier thread. I'm under the impression that that earlier thread was also started by Anisha, but I'm not going to go looking for it to confirm.

EDIT: Yep.

Moderate exercise will not cause you or anyone else to bulk up. And women do not bulk up the way men do in any event.

The Hulk Hogans of this world work out all day almost every day.

You can see some examples of what that means here:

http://www.collegebodybuilding.net/b...groutines.html

See a professional and get information from experts that will help you :doh:. Asking for information on a site like this from people you do not know from a bar of soap is a recipe for a thread to turn to mush, as has already started before I even got here with the typical conspracy theories and dragging up ancient history :tisk:. Good to see the usual recidivist offenders are keeping up their typical modus operandi ;)

I agree with TeXMeX here, Brian, you really shouldn't have said that. Now,
don't dare to mention the word "salt" here! Who knows, they might be monitoring
this thread and waiting for someone to talk about salt so that they can rip
him up all over again!

:rolleyes: ;) ;)

Not sure what people consider a "medical" advice!
I didn't ask any advice on injections and pills. Did I?
In the other thread linked by Dugan, all I asked was the doctor's "name".

Now if someone wants to talk about salts and medicines, that's not my fault.

Besides, this is what I actually asked here:
Is this sort of question going to kill me or anyone else?
LQ is surrounded by men, and men usually do push-ups, so I thought people might be
knowing something about it here.
Though I appreciate the concern, but I do think that there isn't any need for people
to start nitpicking. :)
I am NOT going to take anyone advice here "for granted" for sure. I do research always
before dealing with my body issues.

Saying it again:

I haven't done pushups since high school. It doesn't matter for me, I prefer aerobic exercise. Anyway, Anisha Kaul has mail.

I did read an article where women (I make a huge assumption that you are female) can increase bone density by running. These studies are never very good. The ladies that run may be health nuts and eat well, and get rest and also do exercise.

When I was a kid a guy named Jack La Lane would be on tv and do simple exercises. One of them was a deal with a chair. One would put their chest on the chair and lift either or both legs. I have found that and a similar exercise to be the best for my back. The next was a deal where you layed down on the floor on belly. Then lifted legs and arms and wiggled them in opposite motion for a 10 count. Then relax. Do that 4 or 5 time every few days and see if it helps your back.

As with all this, consult a doctor who can decide if you are healthy enough.

Did you decide this was true using "common sense" or confirm it with experiment?

Er, no I read some books and did some exams on biology when I was younger. Plus I have since done a lot of weight trainging myself and have never found a muscle that wouldn't grow.

Never occured to me that someone might not know this really. Muscle tissue is muscle tissue. There are a few subdivisions of muscle types but they all respond to being exercised in the same way. i.e. exercise = muscle damage = healing and size increase.

Go look at some body building web sites. They may be strange obsessive people but you cannot deny that they know whereof they speak.

I guess the question is more about the exercise than the muscle tissue. What do you think about the claim that more than 20 reps won't increase muscle size? I suppose the explanation would be that such low intensity exercise doesn't cause muscle damage?

As per your earlier post, its probably the scooter driving that you do.

Calcium supplements under a doctor's prescription coupled with gentle yoga should do.

OK

Why on earth not?

Its a reasonable suggestion, even if (at least IMO and from what I've heard from medical sources) multivitamin and mineral tablets alone wont solve the problem, and low bone density isn't always conencted to a calcium deficiency.

From personal experience.

One example is I'm an x-screenprinter. When I started I would do maybe 2000-3000 reps with very low weight loadings and pick up 10-15KG 100+ times a day. I put on muscle, and so did everybody elseI know who did the same job.

You didn't get the sarcasm it seems, you were a part of the previous thread! Remember the salt iodine issue? ;)

P.S
I'll follow up the remaining posts tomorrow.

Never mind... it's not worth the aggravation.

AFAIK, you're a male. (I know you weren't replying to me.)

I will stand by what I originally said. Anisha (a chick) is not going to bulk out into a bodybuilder by doing pushups.

I remember that little word-war was over iodine, not salt......

*checks in pants* Yep, male.

I wasnt ever saying that doing some pushups will bulk Anisha up. Check post #8.

This could be the worst place to ask for health and exercise advice ... ha ha.

I do know something about back pain and exercise will make a world of difference.

Its all about core strength. Build up the core and the rest falls into place. Situps, stretches, and pushups will do a lot for you if done properly. Walking and building up to some running(done properly) will make a new man or woman out of you.

There are loads of websites that will give you descriptions of exercises and stretches that will help your condition.

A physiotherapist helped me overcome an extremely painful injury several years ago by stretches and exercise, when doctors gave up on me.

Remember "moderation".

Thanks for the concern.

History:
For past 5 months I was suffering from back pain, and the important point
is that the back pain occurred only at night when I used to go to sleep!
I used to get cramps, daily. Then finally I went to the orthopedic doctor
who X-rayed my back and confirmed the problem to be the low bone density.

He prescribed the tabled "BON K2". This tablet has worked "magic". The back
pain is all gone now. I am perfectly fine in today's date.

But I am worried that once I stop taking this tablet, the back pain will
re-occur, so I thought of doing some exercise which could increase the
bone density.

I was thinking of purchasing a fancy cycle, lately. I googled "cycling low
bone density", and decided to back off. I haven't verified these claims but
if there is a slightest doubt, I think I should back off.

That's quite a relief. I had googled w.r.t the push-ups exercise, and found
majority of people talking about 50-100 pushups a day. They claimed of gaining
muscular body within 3 months. That scared me, so I thought of confirming.
Currently I can do only 21 pushups in the sets of 3. I can't even touch the
ground right now (when I bow down during pushups), but then I think it depends
on the strength, the person currently has!

Eh? Are weights to be used? Wow - didn't know that. Will consult the doctor
about the weights and the sore back combination. Besides, I don't go to gym.
What kind of weights did you use at home?

That's a very good news for me. My weight has been 52 KG (at height 5 foot 5
inches) for past 7 years!! Weight gaining seems to be an impossible task for
me. But then, my appetite has never been good too.

Indeed, will keep this in mind.

That's expensive, and secondly swimming pools aren't easily found where I live. :)

That scooter drove me crazy!
Delhi monsoons! Water filled up on roads up to knee level, and then pits to
fall in! I have currently deserted the scooter. I used to become "extremely"
tired after the daily 2 hours scooter drive. I am feeling better now.

Of course, my fault, that non-so-little word war was on "iodine", not salt.

Thanks for the concern.
I haven't been called a "chick" before. Don't know whether to get delighted or
appalled on this reference. :) :)

For the nth time - I am *not* under any impression that LQers are Gods or doctors.
Don't you ever talk to your friends about anything else than computers!

Sometimes it's just too much radiation from the monitor that causes Calcium deficiency. I haven't studied this so please don't ask me for a proof :)

Anyway if you're still using a CRT monitor, you'd better replace it with an LCD soon.

Also, I think too much sitting in front of the computer and less standing/walking could also be a factor. Well I'm not really the one to say these things but just in case the information or idea would also help you :)

"For the nth time - I am *not* under any impression that LQers are Gods or doctors.
Don't you ever talk to your friends about anything else than computers!"

I was making a joke, hence the "ha ha". Everyone has this stereotype about computer nerds being skinny little people with big glasses.

It is. :D

That describes me perfectly. SKINNY GEEKS UNITE!

Like so many things it isn't either/or. More reps with less weight tends to produce improvements in stamina more than size, you will still get some size increase tho. More weight less reps tends towards more size. More weight more reps tends to be self limiting as you tend to end up injuring yourself. Weight training depends on a controlled damage/repair cycle. Too much damage is not helpful.

And it differs per person. A training buddy of mine is up the gym 6 days a week, and he's not that much stronger than me. Another mate who plays rugby doesn't weight train at all but is just naturally nearly as strong as me, and I weight train sporadically - twice a week when I'm focusing on it.

Besides, what kind of surface do you prefer for these pushups?
I do them on cemented floor and my hands hurt!
I tried placing towel under my hands but the towel kept slowly slipping!

:mad:

If you're really serious about push-ups, you could start with higher angles first just like against chairs or tables.

Anyway, personally I dislike pushups. Building muscles tend to give you strength but it slows you down. All I care about is SPEED, and strength is nothing (boring).

Reminds me of gamers who rely on their character's strength and defense instead of the ability to manipulate skills with their own gaming skills.

What makes you say that? Has this been proved?
Just curious to know..

Ahh.. Not always, but it happens. I haven't proven it. Just my intuition or common sense, and some examples.

Yeah because Usain Bolt's muscles are purely for show.......

Get a yoga mat maybe.

Obvious. But you don't get the point. Some athletes are pretty fast by their default composition, but some when they try to bulk up becomes slower, or loses stamina, especially by training the way of strength like push-ups and barbells, etc.

Dear gawds, a synthetic vitamin D analog.

Good to hear its helped, though IMO if you need a synthetic vitamin D analog there is quite likely to be something more serious happening.

Dont believe google search results without looking into things a bit deeper than that...

You dont need, or possibly even want a 'fancy' bike. Its just a tool, not a fashion statement...and nicer bikes are always more prone to being stollen.

When you get the hang of normal pushups, try hindu pushups. :D

You can use weights when doing pushups....I wouldnt recommend it. Its unnecessary. Leaving out complex maths that dont matter much, if you weight 52KG than when you do a pushup you are lifting 52KG.

I only brought up weights in reply to ntubski.

Err...no, its not really good news. IMO anyway.

You're in the normal weight range. Maybe the low end of normal, but that is healthier than being heavier.

The grass is always greener on the other side, and gaining weight is generally a lot easier than losing it.

Anisha wow - 5'5" - 52kg - big brown eyes - and now recently a chick as well, You sound like the perfect girl. :) :) Who needs pushups?

Best regards old friend - take care

PS Seriously - Walking and Running will also help your bone density, as well as get your heart stronger. Also the feeling of strength and vitality that eventually comes with walking/running - is spectacular.

Like all the rest have intimated - don't overdo it - whatever exercise you take on.

Oh my the mind just boggles after reading that!

removed dd

My answer is that post is totally off topic so start a new thread if you want me to answer that after this post. I will let you know if it gets put into the religion megathread I wont reply at all.

Yes I am sorry it is off the subject - I will do as you suggest.

On second thoughts it could be called spiritual push ups : Only joking

Have a nice day

Running is terrible for your back.