I can't do a single push-up. Can I still do the program, and how do I build up?
Yes, you can still do the program. Plenty of women start without a single full push-up. Every push-up in our workouts has easier versions: on a wall, with your hands raised on something sturdy, or on your knees. You do a few good reps at your level, write down what you did, and build from there, week by week.
Nobody starts with perfect push-ups.
You start with the version your body can do today.
And that version changes faster than you think.
Is it normal not to be able to do a push-up?
Completely.
When push-ups come up on coaching calls, I hear a few of the same stories:
- The never-could. You've never done one from your toes, not even in school.
- The knee-dropper. You start on your toes and drop to your knees after the first rep or two.
- The push-up hater. You're happy to squat and lunge all day. Push-ups are the one move you'd skip.
- The careful one. Your shoulders or wrists make you nervous, so you hold back.
Right?
None of those mean you can't do this program.
They just tell us where you're starting.
What if push-ups hurt my shoulders or wrists?
Let's get this one out of the way first.
Working hard is fine. Pain is different.
If push-ups give you sharp pain, pain in a joint, or pain that hangs around after the workout, stop that move and tell your coach. If you have an old shoulder or wrist injury, or the pain is new or getting worse, check with your doctor or physio before you keep going.
Your coach can swap the move while you get it looked at. Here's how we coach around injuries.
What are the easier versions of a push-up?
Every push-up in our workouts comes with levels, and Chris coaches them on camera while I do the workout. If you don't want to do a full push-up, he gives you another option right there in the video.
Here are the versions you'll see:
- Wall push-ups. Hands on the wall, feet back a little. The gentlest place to start.
- Raised-hands push-ups. Hands on something sturdy and higher than the floor. This is the incline version, a step between the wall and the floor.
- Knee push-ups. Hands on the floor, knees down. A great level to own for a while.
- A chest press on your back. If push-ups aren't working for you on a given day, lie on your back with your dumbbells and press them up. It trains a lot of the same muscles.
Pick the one where you can do a few good reps with your body in a straight line.
That's your level for today.
How do I build up to a full push-up?
Slowly, and on purpose.
Here's what that tends to look like:
- Slow it down. Lower yourself with control. Rushed reps don't build much.
- Go a little lower each week. Same level, a little deeper than last time.
- Add a pause at the bottom. Hold for a moment before you push back up.
- Pause the video if you need to. Take a breath, reset your hands and finish your reps properly.
- Write it down. Note your level and what you got. Next week, beat it a little.
Chris explains it like this: week 1 sets the bar, and every week after, you look at what you did and do a little better. Sometimes that's one more rep. Sometimes it's moving up a level.
When your level starts to feel solid, your coach can help you decide when to try the next one.
And then one day, it happens. We've had women message their coach, thrilled, after their first proper push-ups from their toes.
Do I have to do push-ups at all?
Here's the thing.
You don't have to like them. You'll still do some version of them.
Push-ups build strength in your chest, shoulders, arms and core all at once. That's the strength you use to carry groceries, lift a suitcase into the overhead bin and get yourself up off the floor.
So we'd rather find the version that works for your body than drop the move.
And the good news? Everything else in the workout is building you too. Squats, lunges, presses. A woman who's working on her push-ups is still getting stronger in every other part of the workout.
Want the bigger picture on weights and progress? Here's how to know if you're lifting heavy enough.
Can a beginner over 40 really do this program?
Yes.
Plenty of the women who apply tell us they've never lifted a weight in their life. Our workouts are follow-along videos, about 50 minutes, with easier and harder options for every move. You need a set of dumbbells, a Swiss ball and some fabric bands.
Your coach is a woman over 40 who has done the Reset herself. She knows what it feels like to stare at a push-up and wonder how anyone does them.
More on starting from scratch here: how beginners strength train at home.
Will getting stronger help with fat loss?
Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat.
Chris says it simply: "Muscle is metabolism."
In our experience, building strength, eating enough and recovering well is what keeps your body composition changing. A push-up is one small part of that.
We've helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks.
Plenty of them started on the wall.
Ready to start at your level?
You don't need to be able to do a push-up to start.
You need a starting level, a plan that builds and a coach who notices your progress.
Start with the short video on our homepage at fortyfwd.com. It walks through why your body stopped responding after 40 and the method we use to change that.
If it sounds like you, apply for a call with Chris.
He reads every application himself. On the call, he'll ask where you're starting from, push-ups and all, and tell you straight whether the program is the right fit. If it is, he walks you through the investment then, once you both know it's a fit.
Start on the wall if you need to.
Let's see where you are in eight weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do a strength program if I can't do one push-up?
Yes. Every push-up in our workouts has easier versions, like wall, raised-hands and knee push-ups, and you build from the level you can do today.
What is the easiest push-up modification?
A wall push-up, with your hands on the wall and your feet a little back. From there, you can move to raised-hands push-ups and then knee push-ups as you get stronger.
How do I get better at push-ups after 40?
Do a few good reps at your level, lower slowly, go a little deeper each week and write down what you did so you can beat it next time. Your coach helps you decide when to move up a level.
Will push-ups help me lose weight?
No single exercise does it on its own. In our experience, full-body strength training, enough food and good recovery change your body composition, and push-ups are one part of that.
What if push-ups hurt my shoulders or wrists?
Stop that move and tell your coach, who can swap it. If you have an old injury or the pain is new or getting worse, check with your doctor or physio.