July 24, 2026, 6:53 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Anyone who has followed my story a bit knows that I danced at the Friedrichstadt-Palast for ten years. What you might not expect in this context: Besides dancing, our daily routine also included intense endurance and strength training. My personal nemesis back then: the push-up.
In a typical cardio session, one or even two minutes of continuous push-ups were almost always included. For some of my fellow dancers, this was no problem. For me, it was. How I finally managed my first proper push-up as a young dancer–and the trick our trainer used to help me–is something I want to share with you.
The Day I Failed at a Push-Up
I remember it exactly to this day. Our cardio sessions didn’t start when we were six years old. They came a few years later, once we were a bit tougher. I was nine years old when I first heard the phrase: “So, now do ten push-ups.”
I looked around. Around me, my team of about 20 girls dropped to the floor. Everyone tried to push themselves up. Some made a hunchback, others had their hands placed completely crooked, and still others just landed face-first on the mat without being able to lift themselves even a bit off the ground.
And me? I quickly realized that I couldn’t push my body up even a millimeter with my arms. Overconfident and self-assured, as one sometimes is at nine, I simply sat cross-legged and waited for the exercise to be over. Naturally, this led to the trainer noticing me.
Why My Plan to Simply Give Up Didn’t Work
“Well? And what are you doing so relaxed?” she asked me. I heard the quiet gasps of my friends around me. For us, the word “relax” was practically forbidden. Training was training. So I just shrugged: “I tried! It doesn’t work. I can’t push myself up.”
In my mind, that was the end of it. I thought I was off the hook. But when I saw my trainer slowly smile, my heart sank. “That’s no problem at all, my dear,” she said, emphasizing friendliness. “Then we’ll just teach you step by step.”
Back then, I had no idea that this “step by step” would stretch over several weeks. We repeatedly practiced the same sequence of movements until my body slowly understood what it was supposed to do.
Also interesting: “Discipline, Pain, Applause! My Childhood as a Dancer on the World’s Largest Theater Stage”
The Trick My Trainer Used That Changed Everything
The most important thing I learned back then: You have to give yourself time. Many make the mistake of thinking they have to do several perfect push-ups right away. But strength training usually works differently. The body first has to get used to the movement and slowly build up the necessary strength.
That’s why many girls in our group started on their knees. I had to take this path too. It wasn’t a step back but the first important step in the right direction. The distribution of weight plays a crucial role. Learning to control your body weight and build the necessary body tension lays the foundation for a proper push-up.
Discipline, Pain, Applause! My Childhood as a Dancer on the World’s Largest Theater Stage
What Happens When You Suddenly Lose Control at the Gym
From Cross-Legged to the First Push-Up
The first step was to practice the push-up on the knees and get a feel for the movement. Then it was about improving body tension and keeping the body in a stable position.
Afterward, we could move into the plank position and slowly and controlled lower the body toward the ground. Initially, the focus wasn’t on pushing up. It was much more important to execute the downward movement cleanly and keep the body under control.
Once the controlled lowering worked well, the next step came. First, one arm was actively used (placed on the ground as support) to help carry part of the body weight when pushing up. Meanwhile, the other arm performed the normal lowering and pushing movement. This way, you could slowly approach the upward movement without having to do a full push-up right away.
Once that worked reliably (I needed several attempts), the second arm was added–the one that originally lay on the ground as support. And then something amazing happened: Suddenly, I could do a proper push-up. Not because I had become stronger overnight, but because my body had apparently gotten used to the movement step by step. It was the same for many girls in our group. Small exercises eventually turned into proper push-ups.
Why I’m Grateful for My Nemesis Today
When I think back on it today, I sometimes have to smile. Back then, I often complained about the many push-ups. Today, however, I look back on that time with great gratitude. Thanks to the training and my trainer’s patience, I can still do push-ups today! During my active time at the Friedrichstadt-Palast, I could easily do them for over two minutes straight. Today, without warming up, I can still do about 15 to 20 repetitions.
For a long time, I wasn’t even aware that many women struggle with push-ups or can’t do a single one. It was only when the topic came up among colleagues that I realized how impressed others are by this achievement.
Reflecting on my experience learning push-ups, I want to say: Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work at first! At nine years old, I couldn’t lift myself a millimeter off the ground. With patience, practice, and the right intermediate steps, those eventually turned into push-ups I could do for minutes. In that spirit: Have fun trying it out–and maybe you’ll surprise yourself soon!