Pushup 21 day Challenge - advice please

[Bill]

For certain - wrist issues can definitely be a concern with high volume pushups.

Thanks Tenshuu,

Yes am starting to notice slightly sore wrists. I've seen those bars you mention and some people use hexagonal dumbbells in a similar way.

I always wondered why people used the bars and now all is revealed, will give them a try.

When I tried karate 40+ years ago they had us do pushups on the knuckles of our closed fists, I guess that was to make us tough rather than not hurt our wrists but had the same end result with wrists straight and not bent at 90 degrees.

Bill

[Bill]

Hello,

Job Done, averaged 180 pushups a day over 21 days. So our team of 3 people cracked 10,000 pushups.

Broadly stuck to the ideas discussed above except did all pushups in 1 session of multiple sets. That worked well. Various experiments with set size (up to 20 in a set) and rest times along the way.

Thanks again for the help and advice given above. I passed on the tip about the pushup bars and it helped others on the pushup forum.

Some of the pushup folk were taking ice baths or icy cold showers after their sessions, I tried that - ummmmm ....... interesting and invigorating ........ feels good afterwards .............. but useful ? Dont know.

Any ideas / advice / tips re icy cold showers after training ? I know some professional soccer & rugby & Aussie Rules teams do it, what about cyclists and rowers ? saw some posts from a couple years ago but nothing recent.

Bill

[max_ratcliffe]

Hello,

Job Done, averaged 180 pushups a day over 21 days. So our team of 3 people cracked 10,000 pushups.

Broadly stuck to the ideas discussed above except did all pushups in 1 session of multiple sets. That worked well. Various experiments with set size (up to 20 in a set) and rest times along the way.

Thanks again for the help and advice given above. I passed on the tip about the pushup bars and it helped others on the pushup forum.

Some of the pushup folk were taking ice baths or icy cold showers after their sessions, I tried that - ummmmm ....... interesting and invigorating ........ feels good afterwards .............. but useful ? Dont know.

Any ideas / advice / tips re icy cold showers after training ? I know some professional soccer & rugby & Aussie Rules teams do it, what about cyclists and rowers ? saw some posts from a couple years ago but nothing recent.

Bill

Well done Bill,

Did you notice much training response - are you stronger, have better endurance, etc?

[Bill]

Max,

Set sizes are up ie I was doing several sets x 20 pushups comfortably on the less challenging days towards the end, whereas at the start I was experimenting with 8 10 15 in the sets. My toughest day was 248 and I did that in sets of 12x15 2x10, 4x12

Will have a rest for two days and do a test to failure, to see if a single set is bigger before failure.

I think it was too many pushups on the working days and not enough recovery days for any significant training benefits but I don't know very much about physiology and training, could easily be wrong, I just wanted to see if I could do it.

Cannot say that my arms look any more muscley or stronger than before, will keep an eye on what other people report.

The people running the event were keen to emphasise that we should also exercise the opposing muscles and movements and do stretches after each session, or risk hunched over shoulders from overdeveloped pushup muscles..

Bill

[Ombrax]

did all pushups in 1 session of multiple sets. That worked well.

Congratulations, Bill.

I find it interesting that you settled on doing all of the pushups for a given day in just one session. Was is for non-exercise related reasons (e.g. it was much easier to fit in just one session in your daily schedule instead of, say one in the AM and one in the PM) or did you find that there wasn't enough (or no) benefit to doing them in two sessions, with some sort of consistent split between the two?

Are you going to try to continue at some reduced level? Say, 100 per day? That's a nice round number, which you now know is well within your capability, and given how much less it is compared to 180, you could surely maintain that over the long term, maybe even without any rest days, but that would be up to your body to decide...

[Bill]

Ombrax,

In the last few days before the challenge I was experimenting with set sizes and timing and discovered I was capable of doing the lot in one hit and do the same again the day after with no ill effects so that became the plan. Fitted in well with the morning bike ride, jumping off the bike to do the pushups and a few stretches with 3 to 5 minutes between sets. I think whilst you were giving me the initial advice at the start of this thread I was fairly carefully and tentatively learning what was possible and body was adapting quite quickly to the changes in the workload.

Some people were doing phenomenal set sizes ie reports of 1000 a day, 300 in one set, 100 handstand pushups, 300 pushup burpees - Amazing stuff, I learned a lot about what might be possible if you have a go and do some training. These people were not obviously strong looking with bulging muscles everywhere, they looked like normal healthy folk.

Yes will continue with 100 a day 6 days/week and mix in variations ie diamond pushups, decline pushups, weight on back, will also do the "anti" pushup exercises to work the opposing muscles ie pullups, chinups, upsidedown rowing. Spreadsheeting the numbers and seeing response to training and klearning a bit more should be interesting.

Some people were using these pushup boards - looks interesting, one size fits all ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFBQgmStMTk

Bill

[Ombrax]

Some people were using these pushup boards - looks interesting, one size fits all ?

I figured you might continue doing them, and 100 is a nice round number. Good luck continuing with that.

Re: The PU board - I believe the hand grips can be moved around to various positions, so they are "one size fits all" but customization for various types of pushups and shoulder widths.

I've been looking around for the pushup "stands" I use at the gym to perhaps get some for home use too, but unfortunately haven't been able to find them. (can't remember the brand) Nothing as fancy as those boards, but helpful just the same.

[ampire]

You might try Parallettes (taller, further from the ground, more versatile for exercises) or 'Pushup Bars' (short, closer to the ground, possibly better for pushups exclusively). These things are also called Parallel Bars or Parallel Handles. If you can't find any in stores you can make them with PVC. Larger hex dumbbells will also work. Another thing that might interest you is Rings or TRX straps which allow you to do suspended pushups. I don't recommend the Perfect Pushup product with the rotating handles, they can mess up shoulders pretty fast, some people like this product but I didn't.

[Bill]

Well done Bill,

Did you notice much training response - are you stronger, have better endurance, etc?

Max,

After 2 days rest my maximum before failure is unchanged at 32(disappointed), but I can now do a quick 100 = 4 x 25 with 4-5min rest between sets which seems a bit odd to me. Previously max repeatable set was 20 during the trial and 15 before trial.

Being as us humans are complicated beasts am guessing that different people will have different responses to the 3 week challenge

Other forum members reported far better "definition" and bigger biceps at the end of the challenge.(they call biceps "canons" and "guns" not sure where that comes from).

Thanks again, to all people who have given the advice in the posts above.

[Bill]

The challenge is on again this year if any of you are interested. This years average will be 138 a day for 25 days

https://www.thepushupchallenge.com.au



I won't be asking for your help again or posting any results - so this thread will not become a blog - last years comments helped me a lot thankyou again.

[KeithT]

The challenge is on again this year if any of you are interested. This years average will be 138 a day for 25 days

https://www.thepushupchallenge.com.au



I won't be asking for your help again or posting any results - so this thread will not become a blog - last years comments helped me a lot thankyou again.

I would post the results, I for one find it interesting. Glad we could provide some help last time and now you have a good idea of the best plan for you as you have experimented and completed the challenge.

[hjs]

Just been doing pushups for a couple of weeks. Not a challenge, thats not so my thing.

Started out doing 100 reps, on the minute, 20 rep sets.
Now do 125, 25 reps the set. Again on the min.

Also just looked at weightvests, maybe buy one. But most are sold out. Over here the gyms are closed now for over a year, bizar if you ask me.

[mitchel674]

Just been doing pushups for a couple of weeks. Not a challenge, thats not so my thing.

Started out doing 100 reps, on the minute, 20 rep sets.
Now do 125, 25 reps the set. Again on the min.

Also just looked at weightvests, maybe buy one. But most are sold out. Over here the gyms are closed now for over a year, bizar if you ask me.

My wife walks around the house and also exercises in a weighted vest. She feels it's been a great addition.

I've been doing 100 pushups/day for years. Four 25 rep sets. I just grab a set when I catch a quick break at work throughout the day. I find them to be an excellent complement to rowing.

[hjs]

Just been doing pushups for a couple of weeks. Not a challenge, thats not so my thing.

Started out doing 100 reps, on the minute, 20 rep sets.
Now do 125, 25 reps the set. Again on the min.

Also just looked at weightvests, maybe buy one. But most are sold out. Over here the gyms are closed now for over a year, bizar if you ask me.

My wife walks around the house and also exercises in a weighted vest. She feels it's been a great addition.

I've been doing 100 pushups/day for years. Four 25 rep sets. I just grab a set when I catch a quick break at work throughout the day. I find them to be an excellent complement to rowing.

Never tried them myself, but can see how it works.

Short series through the day are almost no effort at all, indeed do completement a rowing motion well.

[ampire]

take it to the next level and do them handstand.