How Far In Just 33 Days

[Wanderer]

Im interested in knowing just how far the human body can be pushed. Mainly just because Im curious and want to know how far I can push myself before my body gives up and tells me Im pushing it to hard and to relax.

So without any futher ado...

The mission
Within 33 days (basically by the 28th of February) I can do
250 Press ups none stop
25 Pull ups none stop
Bench Press 100kg (7, 5, 3)
Run 13 miles none stop
Row 10km none stop

I have set mini goalposts for every 5 days, and will update this thread daily to keep everyone up to date on my progress, I was intending to do CV one day then strength the next day, but now I think I will just do it all everyday as appropriate but only give it 110% on the goalpost days, and then on my final day 125%.

Encouragement and suggestions are always welcome, as is criticism (to a lesser degree).

If anyone is interested in joining me feel free, I can currently do between 1/5 and 1/2 of the above numbers, feel free to scale up/down as appropriate.

How far can one man progress in just 33 days?

[marktb]

Sure, what can you do now?

Second, what are you trying to prove? Are you goals ego-based or are you just trying to find out what you are made of?

Thirdly, I made similar goals for 2007 but I am giving myself realistic time to achieve my goals, not 33 days!!!

Mark Baldwin

[Matthew Shea]

I'm no expert, but I'll tell you right now that won't work. Your muscles need time to recuperate. If you push yourself that hard every day, you'll only make the muscles weaker and weaker since they won't have time to rebuild themselves after each workout. I honestly think you're setting yourself up for failure here. I'd scale back your goals by perhaps tackling them one at a time, each in a 30 day period. That way you'd have a realistic chance of achieving them.

[Wanderer]

Currently I can do
100 press ups (but I have to hold myself up for a few seconds then keep pushing afterwards)
11 pull ups (again the last ones are a real struggle)
Push 50+ kg (most Ive done was 50 but Im sure I could do 60/70)
Run 4 miles (ish, and my my area is very hilly but this is going to be a hard one)
Row 1.5 km (This is what I did the other day and again I suspect I could get further without much work).

Mainly interested in what I/the body can achieve. I think ego plays a part in all decisions but it definately isnt the over-riding factor in my decision to do this.

Both of you seem to think Ill fail, which is fine, but I'm sure many people have been told what they're trying to do is impossible. Many people still believe polyphasic sleep is impossible, it seems to me though that a great deal of our success is decided in our head before we even begin. Both of you think its impossible, so would never achieve it in 33 days, me I know that I am going to give it my all, and I will achieve it.

Also I forgot to mention in the first post but I will also be training 9/10 hours of martial arts every week as well.

Well I guess we will know in 33 days...

[Wanderer]

Today I did

110 press ups none stop
12 pull ups none stop
60 or so sit ups just to keep balanced

Feel pretty damn good.

No running, I will be rowing, bench pressing and probably doing some running tomorrow. I have also asked Steve if I can post some before or after pictures so if I thats ok we should all be able to see if we can visibly improve in 33 days.

[Wanderer]

Yesterday I was shattered but I still managed to do 14.5 pull ups.

I find pull ups quite attractive as they are quick but still fairly good exercise, I'm about to go for a short run in a minute, tomorrow Ive got 10k planned on a treadmill and then rowing and benchpressing.

Till tonight

[MisterEThoughts]

How do you do this? Where do you start?

[Wanderer]

I dont understand the question

Where do u join - u cant just set goals for the end of a 33 day period and aim to get them.

I stopped updating because of a percieved lack of interest, Ive not done much physical recently but I should be starting hard again today.

[Dani]

Wanderer, I admire you gusto, and I think it is possible in 30 days.

But Mathew does have a very valid point. You need to let your body rest between big workouts, so it can heal the damage done fully, and improve the muscle strength.

Read any book on Marathon training and they will reccomend 1 big a run a week maximum, and 2-3 smaller ones with rest days in between. Ask any professional athlete and they will say the same.

Having a decent rest after a hard workout yields better results than two close hard workouts.

When I was doing my army training it was the physically hardest thing of my life, and even we rotated muscle groups daily to let our body recover.

suggestion - Do pushups and pull ups one day, run the next, bench the next, run the next, push and pull the next - repeat.

Also note that pushups and benching use different types of muscle. Red and White, or more simply endurance and strength muscle.

You are correct that attitude makes a big difference, but somethings really are impossible if done a certain way. e.g. you can't cut through steel with your bare hands, but you can with the right tools.

Use tools like rest to develop your body faster than if you just push it to the limit every day.

I say this from experience by the way. I damaged the muscles and a nerve in my neck and shoulder because I pushed myself too hard too fast.

Then recently redamaged them again because I started too hard....

Now go get em!