I'm a girl -- please help!

[Dreamz12x]

It's not what the title sounds like. LoL. I'm a 24yr old female going for my Associates degree in Criminal Justice. When I get done I will attend the Academy to hopefully become a sworn in officer. However, I need some help. I know there is a big part of becoming a Police Officer in your physical abilities. I'm stronger than most girls I know. Meaning while a average female has trouble lifting 60 pounds, I can do it with ease. I'm often mistaken for not being as strong as I am through my looks. I'm 5'7 and weigh 150pds. I think my bones must weigh a lot because I'm always guessed to weigh around 115-120. I've heard you need to be able to do push-ups and pull-ups as part of the requirements. Now here is the crazy thing... I'm strong but can't do a single push up or pull up. What gives? :confused: How can I lift heavy things so easily but not be able to do those? I have no trouble running. I used to run track and have very defined leg muscles. I've never really worked out my arms though. I've just thrown heavy things at my job and pulled heavy pallets, that over the years has made me stronger. How do I go about strengthening myself to do pull-ups or push-ups? Don't get me wrong I don't want to be "buff". I just want to be well toned and strong. If anyone can help me out, please do. I'd be very grateful. Thanks. :D

~Terina

[Kimble]

The only way I know to get better at pushups, situps and pullups is to do them, and eventually build to where you can do more. If you can't do one pushup correctly, so as many on your knees as you can, and work to build up to doing regular ones. The only way to improve is repetition, and there's no easy way to do it. When I first started training my wife she could barely do one regular pushup, she can no do about 20 or so.

[1depd]

As ROS stated the only way to get better at doing them is to do them. You said do did a lot of lifting of heavy things and pulling heavy objects. Neither of these things really hits your chest. Remember muscles pull, so to use your chest you have to do movements that act to bring you arms from your sides (parallel to the floor) to your front. One approach many people use when attempting to build up for an academy is to do a set to failure during commercials while watching TV, I normally did 5-6 commercials. Since you say you can't do one push-up, I'd probably start with the modified on you knees type for the first week. Then the next week do as many normal push-ups as you can do then do the modified style to failure. I would continue this until I could do 10 regular push-ups then drop the modified ones. If you are sore form a previous workout then don't do another one until you are no longer sore. I would shoot for 3-4 days per week.

As far as pull-ups go a lot of people have problems with those. If you have a work-out partner you can have them hold your feet and take some of the weight off. I have seen in the gym a "dip machine" that can also be used for pull-ups that will take some of your weight off if you don't have a partner. You can also do pull downs working up to your body weight.

Unless you are doing crazy things in the gym you don't need to worry too much about getting huge and buff, women typically don't have enough testosterone for that to happen..

[brendanhm]

Try starting pushups on your knees. Let me know if that helps.

For the pullups try doing "negatives." Or put a chair and rest your feet on it. OR use the pullup machine at the gym. ORRR Try working your way up with the Lat Machine.

Let me Know how this works out.

[CPD9491]

I must say that i agree you. For a girl its harder to lift certian things. I myself am 5'1 and about 140. Girls are built differently than guys so it makes it harder to do a pull up regardless of strength. At my highschool we have a wait room and I am benching and inclining 115 and by doing so im able to push ups. But i started out only doing push ups which made it alot easier to lift. I say just do push ups and pull ups til you get to where you want to be maintain that and work your way up more

[Control372]

Being a female as well, I know where you are coming from. After having my son (he's almost 2) I started to work out after work. I realized that I could lift decent amount of weight, but really sucked at push up and whatnot. I started out slowly, practice makes perfect. Start with what you can do and push yourself to do one more each day. You won't get toned in a week and doing 100 pull ups in a day won't do much either. Just be consistant, push yourself (not too hard) and make sure you stretch! Being a female, we tend to take a little loger than men to start showing results. The truth is, with me anyways, I started feeling the results before I showed it. Good luck and just keep it up, you'll get there.