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Since lock-down, I switched my training to calisthenics. I did diamond push-ups (3x10) but it was too much. I completed it at the time but, the next day my triceps weren't able to support weight.

How can i make the exercise easier, or replace it with an easier triceps exercise ?

In the gym, I use to cable pull about 25 kg with both arms. By the way, I don't have any fitness material at home beside a rower.

I am 42 and weighting 169 lbs.

Here is my upper body training : 3 times a week, with at least one rest day. Rest between sets are about 1 to 2 minutes depending on the exercise.

  • 3x10 Hand over head pushups
  • 6x10 Front Raise (for each arms) (using my home rower about 18lbs)
  • 3x10 Wide pushups
  • 3x10 Pike pushups (focus Delt)
  • 6x10 Biceps curls (for each arms) (using my home rower about 22lbs)
  • 3x10 Diamond pushups
  • 3x24 Pike shoulder taps
  • 1x24 Hyperextension

Next day at the park : (I don't have a pull-ups bar)

  • 6x8 Pull-ups, if failure fallback to jumping pull-ups
  • 3x Hanging to the bar for 20 breaths
  • 6x8 Australian pull-ups

Thanks,

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    My guess is that if you take two rest days you will have no problem continuing with the diamond push-ups. After a few weeks you will then only need 1 rest day. Muscles need rest to grow. An exercise you can do 10 reps of is not too hard. 10 reps is recommended for hypertrophy and 5 for strength.
    – Andy
    Commented Apr 6, 2020 at 10:28
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    If you insist on an easier exercise; maybe you could do the push-ups against something slightly elevated such as the end of a sofa.
    – Andy
    Commented Apr 6, 2020 at 10:50
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    If you were able to do 3x10, you shouldn't go to an easier exercise. You are strong enough to do the diamond push up, why make your training less effective? I would look at other variables here: How much do you rest between sests? Why do you do the same thing again the next day? How long have you been training? What other stuff do you do and in what order? How much do you eat and sleep? What do you eat? How much do you drink? Well, that is unless you have a very good reason for what you are doing. Are you working to a very specific goal here?
    – Raditz_35
    Commented Apr 6, 2020 at 18:28
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    Thanks for the clarification. Why that routine? I'm serious, I suspect something here, please explain. Where did you get it from? Why those numbers? Where do you go from there? Aso: Do you incorporate progressive overload in some shape or form? And please also include how long you've been doing this in total and specifically without any significant change (basically = progressive overload).
    – Raditz_35
    Commented Apr 7, 2020 at 16:26
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    I think you do too many push-ups and are overtrained. You should decrease the total number of sets of push-ups, not the intensity. Maybe you could use an elastic band around your back to make the push-ups harder and then just do ordinary push-ups instead of both wide and diamond. Alternatively you could make the push-ups harder by elevating your feet slightly.
    – Andy
    Commented Apr 7, 2020 at 19:32

1 Answer 1

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there are a few ways you could modify your push ups to lighten the load

  1. You can perform the push up from your knees instead of from your toes like the classic push up

  2. you can do a push up but instead of from the floor, you use like a bench or a chair that wont move so that you are not going parallel to the floor, but rather at an angle.

also, you can try doing dips as well. these are great and there are also many ways to modify them to make them easier/harder

from your routine though, you seem to be getting a lot of different push exercises in already, so perhaps you are just fatigued. maybe try to de-load for a week or so to let your body rest and then start back up again

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