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Today is day three of the Get Fit Slowly one hundred pushup challenge. It may be a tough one for me. If I do have trouble, I’ll repeat the week before moving on.
Wednesday’s session was a little difficult for me in part because I did my upper-body lifting on Tuesday. I’m going to be smarter today. My pushups will take the place of my dumbbell bench press when I work my chest. It’s still difficult for me to believe I’ll be able to do 100 pushups at the end of this program…
Here’s today’s schedule:
Remember that you should rest at least 120 seconds between each set. It’s fine to rest longer if needed.
Update: So close, and yet so far. I plowed through the first set of ten and the second set of eight today. “This is easy,” I thought. The third set of eight was less easy, but the fourth set of five was fine. Then came the “max” set. I felt good for the first five pushups, but the next five four were difficult, and I could not complete the tent.
So, it looks like I’ll be repeating week one. I’m okay with that, though. I’m amazed at my progress even to this point. Hell, I just did 40 pushups! Next week, I’ll post the normal schedule for those folks who are on pace, and I’ll pace the “makeup” schedule for those who, like me, need to repeat a week.
Also, I’d like to note that the pushups are absolutely killing my upper body workouts. I’m not kidding. With the pushups in the mix, I’m not able to do the upper-body lifting I had been doing. I have to bump everything down a notch. I suppose this makes sense, but it’s still disconcerting.
Read about this project at One Hundred Pushups.
Mac
31 responses so far ↓
1 Simpatico // Jun 20, 2008 at 3:27 am
If you work at it, I believe you will be able to do 100 push-ups at the end of the program. Although I wasn’t following this program, a few years ago I was doing 125 consecutive push-ups.
No rest, no creative counting, no push-ups from the knee. I took much longer to work up to that many - I think it was 4 or 5 months - but I daily I did as many as I could. The first day I did 12, and when I was through I was doing 125. I have started the 100 push-ups challenge now with confidence.
Don’t give up. You will be surprised later.
2 Steve // Jun 20, 2008 at 4:34 am
can’t wait to hear how you did….
3 The Vegan // Jun 20, 2008 at 6:33 am
I’ve been looking forward to today (heck, it’s Friday, too!). I’m eating breakfast right now… I’ll do column 2 in an hour or two.
4 Gooniette // Jun 20, 2008 at 7:02 am
I think you’re going to surprise yourself with how many you actually can do.
Good luck!
5 Stefan // Jun 20, 2008 at 8:15 am
Well, I couldn’t do my pushups this morning, so I just did them this afternoon. It was tough. I’m still doing the 3rd column, but I couldn’t finish the 3rd set (had to stop after 8), the 4th set (only 6
) and the 5th set (broke down after 10). Since I wanted to get the total number right, I basically had 8 sets (15, 13, 8, 2, 6, 4, 10, and 5). It’s kind of disappointing, since I already increased my rest time to 150 seconds. I’m seriously thinking about repeating the first week. But while this feels a little like defeat, when I look at the total number of pushups I managed to do this week (158 ) IT FEELS GREAT! So thanks everyone for the support and JD for the idea.
6 Pablo // Jun 20, 2008 at 9:17 am
I started on week two today(due to my work schedule Friday was a better time to start). I got through the first week okay but not great. My form wasn’t that great and after you posted on form it got better. I’m in the less than 5 bracket for weeks 1 and 2 and on the fourth set(week 2 day 1) I stalled =/ I rested again, redid the set and continued. I’m considering redoing week 1 but I think I will finish up week 2 and see how I do, if I continue to stall then I will probably just redo week 2.
I find myself not being able to keep the greatest form because my belly hits the floor before my elbows can get to 90 degrees =/ Any advice there? I plan to just keep doing it the best I can, the belly will be gone soon enough!
7 Steve // Jun 20, 2008 at 9:46 am
Hey Pablo,
How about using a couple of push up bars which will give you a few more inches clearance off the ground? Just do a Google for “push up bars” and you should see them listed under Target.com or Amazon.com
Good luck and keep up the great work,
–Steve
8 Jen // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:10 am
I like this blog so much that I started my own to help me keep track of my weight loss goals! Hooray!
I also love the Get Rich Slowly blog - which is how I found this blog.
9 Summer Fey Foovay // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:17 am
I just started this week and rather surprised myself by testing into column 3. Day 1, which I did Wednesday, didn’t seem bad - until yesterday when I noticed my abs are SORE. My ABS. *looking quizzical* My arms are fine.
I do take care of livestock, which necessitates toting this and that here and there including buckets of water which will keep those triceps working, but here I am worried about those “chicken wing” flaps and apparently my tummy muscles have gone byebye. Today should be interesting - I do my pushups when I take lunch.
10 drifting // Jun 20, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Oh, how soon my self-defeating behaviors crop up! I was this close to talking myself into doing these later (read: probably never), but I flopped down on my belly and got it over with.
@Summer - I’m totally with you on the sore abs! A result of forcing ‘good form’?
W1D3: 15, 13, 10, 10, 16
Wow. Heart-rate racing and I’m sweatin’, but they’re done. Cool.
11 macdaddy // Jun 20, 2008 at 4:00 pm
15,15,10,10,20. I messed up on the second set. No wonder I can’t play cards!
12 Katy // Jun 20, 2008 at 8:09 pm
W1D3: 5, 4, 4, 3, 7
Including the test, that’s 55 pushups I otherwise would not have done this week.
13 Summer Fey Foovay // Jun 20, 2008 at 8:41 pm
drifting - I survived my 2nd day set this afternoon. Isn’t that crazy about the abs tho? Do ya think its the form? I used to bodybuild so I have pretty good form still (I think) and have been doing yoga for my back - perhaps I’ve just let those abs go. I must admit - I hate situps…if it was 100 situps you’d have to leave me out
14 WeightLadder // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Not sure why… but this one was harder for me that the 2nd… So far so good…
15 Anca // Jun 20, 2008 at 10:35 pm
My abs are my downfall too. They make it hard to have good form and do more pushups. Maybe I’ll redo week one.
16 Pplukas // Jun 21, 2008 at 6:21 am
It seems that increasing warm-up time worked!! Now I was able to perform set one completely. Well, I was able to complete all sets, but the last one I barely did the minimum required (at least 10), but I did it!! I must say the last two breaks I needed to rest more (150 and 180 seconds), but I did it!!! I’m working on middle column.
I’m very surprised that for initial test I barely did 8, and for this set I was able to perform two sets of 10, and two sets of 8!!!
Pablo, I have the same problem. I think I need to get the push-upsbars as well. Or maybe (being frugal) I could use a couple of books (will his work?)
17 Steve // Jun 21, 2008 at 6:30 am
Not meaning to complicate the issue and add to your already tough workout schedule(s), but I’ve found the basic plank to be a great exercise to increase core strength - it really helped me with my push ups…(just do a Google for plank exercise if you’re not sure what I mean)
Pablo & Pplukas: a couple of big books will work fine. Just make sure they’re stable before you start.
Hope that helps!
–Steve
18 bmis // Jun 21, 2008 at 4:16 pm
W1D3: 15, 13, 10, 10, 16
Felt good up through the final set….last 3 to get to 16 were tough, but done….when is everyone starting Week 2 ? Sunday, or Monday?
19 Pablo // Jun 22, 2008 at 10:16 am
Just did week 2 day 2. 6:5:4:4:9 no stalls! Yay =) I think i’m definitely going to pick up those pushup bars too, thanks for the tip!
20 Pablo // Jun 22, 2008 at 10:20 am
*edit* that’s 6:5:3:3:9, not 6:5:4:4:9
21 Steve // Jun 22, 2008 at 10:26 am
Nice work Pablo!
Just did Week 2, Day 1 - tougher than I anticipated to start with and I wish I’d warmed up a bit better. I just blogged about it here:
–www.runbulldogrun.com
–Steve
22 Pat Blanks - EasyDietMeals.com // Jun 22, 2008 at 1:46 pm
J.D., although I’m not following your posts since you have started the challenge but to achieve this goal a strong will-power and strict discipline are the most important things.
And, I know you have those things.
23 I Shouldn’t Be Giving Wii Tennis Tips (and some links) // Jun 22, 2008 at 6:57 pm
[...] 100 Pushups: Week One, Day Three - J.D. is repeating the first week of one hundred pushups. I barely survived the first week. I may be repeating week two. [...]
24 Danika // Jun 22, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I came across the 100 push ups challenge just after it started. But, since that time I have recruited 5 friends to do it with me for moral support. We’re starting tomorrow, and I’m pretty excited. It’s also good to hear that it is, in fact, challenging. I was sort of expecting the first week to be pretty easy. I am now prepared for the challenges.
Good luck to all.
25 Andrew is getting fit // Jun 23, 2008 at 12:43 am
I’m repeating as well. Just redid day 1 and 50 pushups!
26 100 Pushups: Week Three, Day Three // Jul 4, 2008 at 8:33 am
[...] (If you’re starting or repeating the first week, go here.) [...]
27 100 Pushups: Week Five, Day Three // Jul 18, 2008 at 10:48 am
[...] Week one [...]
28 100 Pushups: Week Six, Day Three // Jul 25, 2008 at 11:47 am
[...] Week one [...]
29 Dave // Aug 15, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Cool program, on the 3rd day of week 1. I haven’t done pushups in years.
I’ve only ever worked out a few times, and I gave up after the first week.
Arms are feeling fine, abs are so sore though…wow. Might have to repeat week 1 again…
30 Paul Klipp // Oct 6, 2008 at 5:27 am
I am not convinced this is a reasonable plan. I was doing about 40-50 good pushups before I started it, and now, five weeks later and repeating week three yet again, I’m stuck. I just can’t get from 80 pushups on Monday to 120+ on Friday. I think this should be a 8-10 week program, not six. The huge jump between the start of week 3 and the start of week 4 is going to scare off a lot of people.
31 Simpatico // Oct 6, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Self-defeating behaviors, yes. For me, it’s procrastination. I did recently start doing push-ups again, though.
After about 10 days, I’m now up to 35 daily but it’s a much more steady and practical solution for me.
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