Answer from Ted Weimann:

Let's start with the muscles involved in push-ups. The pecs, tris and delts (chest, back of arm, and shoulder) are the major muscles involved. The primary muscle depends on the technique used. I'll assume that you are doing standard push-ups. Push-ups with the hands together (index fingers and thumbs touching) placed under the chest use tris, pecs, and delts. (Note: the order listed reflects the amount of engagement in a descending manner.) Push-ups with the elbows against the sides of the body and the hands near your rib cage when lying on the ground also use the tris, pecs, and delts. Push-ups with the elbows out to the sides at 90 degree angles from the body use the pecs, tris, and delts. The further out the hands are from the body, the greater the percentage of work is contributed by the pecs. There are other types of push-ups that work different parts of the pecs, tris, and delts, and some that use different muscles altogether. I'm not going to complicate the issue by discussing those.

Tip: if push-ups hurt your wrists, turn your hands out so that the fingers point toward 10:00 and 2:00 o'clock instead of at 12:00.

There are lots of steps you can take to increase your maximum number of push-ups. If you want fast results, combine the steps, however, as you know from reading Warrior Speed, that will rob you of potential gains later on. I strongly suggest that you have patience and take the steps one by one. The steps are weight training with heavy weights and few reps, plyometrics, dynamic weight training, diet and supplements including creatine if you choose, rest, discipline, and mental training. Here's a quick outline: Start with a good diet and plenty of rest, many people over train. Start lifting weights using a weight that enables you to perform at least 4 but not more than 6 reps. Rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets. I'll assume you develop a full body routine, for now we're talking about pecs, tris, and delts. Either work them in that order each day you train or train them on different days. (Explanation - if you tire your triceps and then go to bench to work your pecs, you won't be able to give your pecs an adequate workout because your triceps will be the limiting factor in your bench.)

When you hit a plateau, change the exercises (flys for bench) and or your schedule (1, 2 or 3 workouts/week per muscle group). Keep this up until you hit a final plateau, then add plyometrics and repeat. Next final plateau, add dynamic weight training and repeat. Keep a written record and each workout attempt to improve over your last performance. (Try to add one rep to at least one set without decreasing the number of reps in any of the other sets.) Don't forget mental training. Psyche yourself up. If you did 5 reps the last time, mentally train yourself that night and prior to the set on your next day's training to do 6 reps, or 5 reps with a couple more pounds.

You could also do this each night prior to going to bed. Drop and do one set. Psyche yourself up to do one more than last night. See yourself doing it through your mental training. Also, if 8 is your good form max, then do 8 with good form and as many as you can with bad form, then drop to your knees and keep going on your knees. Now that set may include perhaps 18 push-ups altogether (8 + 3 + 7). With discipline, you WILL improve.

Ted