Hundred Pushup Challenge

[Dan.Linehan]

Going to follow the hundred pushup challenge, except with fingertip pushups instead of normal -- we'll see how that goes.

Just did my initial test. Did six fingertip pushups. Not as many as I thought I could do.

Will start day one tomorrow.

[DayInTheLife]

This looks great! I will do this, but I think I'll start with normal pushups

[Trezker]

Six sounds like a long long way from 100...
My fingertips are too frail too hold my weight, so you're really far ahead of me though.

At least I know I can do 20 regular even though I haven't even used my arms in any strength requiring way for years. I bookmarked the site, in case I ever decide to do this...

[outdoorsnewzealand]

The finger tip pushups definitely sounds too crazy for me but I'm keen as to try with regular ones . I just did my initial test now and managed 18.

[outdoorsnewzealand]

Just had a look through the program ... the progression is quite fast seems to imply that it might only take 6 weeks to get to 100

[Excellent Lodestar]

Push-ups (Fingertip or otherwise) are very often forgotten exercise.

I'm trying to build up to 500 at the moment by "greasing the groove" Grease the Groove for Strength: A Strength Training and Powerlifting article from Dragon Door Publications and building up to it with daily smaller sets every hour or so.


The 20 minute fitness solution has another push up challenge as well The 20 Minute Fitness Solution: Topic: Bodybuilding - High Volume Push-ups

Good Stuff

[dali]

Count me in. Starting in the morning. will keep you posted. Good one!

[kpugh]

Cool! Count me in...and maybe I'll blog a bit about it as part of my training. Just tried the fingertip version and got 21, but I'm hurting!

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by kpugh

Cool! Count me in...and maybe I'll blog a bit about it as part of my training. Just tried the fingertip version and got 21, but I'm hurting!

21! Man, great job Kevin! That's impressive..

Day one -- center column for me -- 5 sets, sixty seconds between each set..

7 --> Did 7.
7 --> Did 7. (on the second attempt)

*Hands feeling very hurty at this point.*

5 --> Did 5.
4 --> Did 4.
Max (at least 5) --> Did 9.


Whew!

[dali]

I managed 12 on first run which i did last night before bed so when i got up this morning put myself boldly into collumn 3. did 10. sixty seconds. did another 10 then gave up. i will move to collumn 2 tomorrow and see if its better for me. i am doing normal sit ups. my fingers couldnt stand the pace. not yet anyway. well done everyone else.Did somebody say they were doing 500?

[SomeRandomGuy]

Thanks for posting this Dan. It seems very interesting. I like the structure of this challenge much better than just a standard workout routine of doing x number of push-ups.

Apparently I am weaker than I thought, so am starting with knee push-ups. My goal is to complete the challenge with knee push-ups, then do it again with good form push-ups. If I can get through that I might even do it a 3rd time with one of the more advanced methods.

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomGuy

My goal is to complete the challenge with knee push-ups, then do it again with good form push-ups. If I can get through that I might even do it a 3rd time with one of the more advanced methods.

Awesome! How many did you do for the test?

[SomeRandomGuy]

I only managed 8 good form push-ups, so that is why I opted to go with knee push-ups. I have never been very good at push-ups, and it is much worse now that I have put on a significant amount of weight. Your post about this challenge coincided nicely with my newfound dedication to losing weight and getting into shape.

[Peyem]

I don't want to discourage anyone, but I would be wary of doing that much of just one exercise. If you're only doing push-ups, it will not result in a balanced body. While push-ups do work out a large group of muscles, it also ignores a lot.

I would highly recommend adding other aspects to a training program on top of this. I'm not a training expert though, so I don't feel qualified being any more specific than that.

As an example of what I mean, if you were going to do a sit-up challenge, it would result in having very strong abs but a relatively weak back. This would lead to back pain and a fair number of people fall victim to this. Even a majority of bodybuilders overwork certain areas which leads to poor posture (their shoulders are always forward, they don't stand up straight).

Just something to take into consideration.

[outdoorsnewzealand]

Originally Posted by Peyem

I would highly recommend adding other aspects to a training program on top of this. I'm not a training expert though, so I don't feel qualified being any more specific than that.

Definitely good advice I would say - I've been trying some chinups although they are probably too hard for me. What are some other good upper body exercises that you can do with no equipment?

[hkalchemy]

I do a regular calisthenics routine - sit ups, push ups, pull ups and a few other bits and bobs. I can do 50 push ups on a good day. Still working on the 100!

I agree that you need to do a balanced training programme.

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomGuy

I only managed 8 good form push-ups, so that is why I opted to go with knee push-ups.

Eight isn't bad at all - puts you in the second column even..

[Trezker]

I just did the first day. 10-10-8-6 then collapsed at the top of the 11'th on the max.

One question though. Is it ok to just do quick pushups? Slow movements are supposed to be tougher right? I started out quick but on the last rounds I was unable to keep it up.

[lasti]

I did the lowest number of knee push-ups yesterday and now I have sore muscles.

[Peyem]

Originally Posted by Trezker

One question though. Is it ok to just do quick pushups? Slow movements are supposed to be tougher right? I started out quick but on the last rounds I was unable to keep it up.

Quick pushups are fine, provided you're doing them with proper form. If you start bouncing your back up and down or moving your head/neck around because you're doing them fast, then you're doing them too fast. If you can keep yourself stiff as a board with your head looking forward and do them fast, then go for it. If you have a mirror or someone watching you, however, I think you'll find that doing them fast in 100% proper form is a lot harder than you might imagine. Usually when people do things faster it seems easier because they're breaking form. You see it in gyms constantly.

Remember, the faster you do them, the harder you have to lock in your abs and back in order to keep them stiff against the faster movements. Your arms may be able to do it, but that doesn't mean the rest of you can.

Form > reps/speed/weight

[Stu]

I've just been doing my max pushups a couple times a day for about a week now and I seem to be hitting a wall at 50, maybe I'll join in on this too and get to 100.

[HlynurT]

Woho! Wow thanks a lot for this post, count me in!

[HlynurT]

Just wondering, is there a similer ABS challenge program you know about or anyone?

Thanks,
HlynurT

[Dan.Linehan]

Day two -- center column for me -- 5 sets, sixty seconds between each set..

9 --> Did 9.
8 --> Did 8.
6 --> Did 6.
5 --> Only did 4.
Max (at least 7) --> Skipped.

[openyourize]

100 push ups can be done if you really really want to! Once upon a time I was in an eh we'll describe it emotional growth boot camp for teenagers about 12 years ago. Not too long into my visit there, they had a contest to win the last serving of dinner. to win you had to be the first to fully complete 100 push ups. now I am a tiny petite little girl with little strength, but i won! with little physical training. the best part, my competition was 3 dudes who had been in training longer than I was! BOO YEAH!! They weren't just being nice to me either because I was a girl, they kept telling us to start over because we weren't doing it right so I made sure I did every single one correctly, but the guys kept rushing I guess. HA!

So the moral of the story is, if you really want to do 100 push ups, you can always be motivated by goulash.