Tonight was supposed to be an exhaustion test to determine which column I’d be following for my Hundred Push Ups Week 6 repeat. I failed Day 1 of Week 6 last week and despite a strong finish to the end of the plan, resigned myself to the fact I’d be doing the week all over again.
Well, driving home this afternoon, I had a thought. I’d do the exhaustion test as planned, but give it everything and go for the magic hundred. Here’s what happened:
Required: as many as possible
Actual: ONE HUNDRED!
Instead of going straight into the hundred attempt, I performed 2 sets of 10 with about a minute rest between sets. This served two purposes: the 20 push ups not only warmed up my muscles but gave me the confidence to know the hundred was a distinct possibility. After another 60 seconds rest I began; no turning back now…
I decided to mentally split the hundred into blocks of ten. The first five blocks went well and I reached the halfway mark in record time. I got to seventy and thought “I can do this!” Eighty came and went with surprising ease, but at eighty six I lost my rhythm and paused. My arms locked and I started to shake. To ease the pressure on my wrists I rotated my hands about 10 degrees, lowered myself down and gutted out number eighty seven. The remaining thirteen were probably the toughest of the whole program, but I made it! One by one I made it!!
I staggered into the “workout room” where my wife Ally was treadmill running and announced with a huge grin “I did it! I did the hundred!” What a great feeling!
PS More good news. For those who haven’t heard, an editor at an independent book publisher in Berkeley, CA approached me last week to put together a print version of the Hundred Push Ups program for publication some time next year. I’m still to work out the details with the publisher, but it looks like a great opportunity!
Life is certainly treating me well at the moment….
Yes! There are so many people I know taking the challenge. Your the first one I’ve seen who did it. Great job! I cannot offer enough praise in a few simple words.
Congratulations, both on the book deal and completing the 100. I am inspired to keep going.
Thanks Bob! I have seven people on the “did the hundred” list so far and I’m sure many more to follow.
Mark – thanks! Just read your latest blog post – keep up the great push ups work and I’m still laughing at your yoga experience!
AWESOME JOB!!! I’m still working on it – my wrists are pretty weak and it’s slow-going but I’m determined!
Man congratulations, I’ve just started and tomorrow will be my second day of the first week.
I’m doing the alternative push ups because I’m too heavy but still is a great workout.
Whooohooo! congratulations!
Very cool on the book deal, and way to go on the 100 pushups!
When that book gets close and you need someone to proof-read…. I’m just sayin! 🙂
Hopefully by that time my broken collar bone will be completely healed and I can participate in the 100 pushup challenge.
Thanks everyone…and Tim, no problem on the proof-reading…
Hang in there with the collar bone,
–Steve
Congratulations! That’s gotta be a great feeling.
Congrats! That’s quite an achievement. I hope to join you someday.
That’s awesome… I have to say, I’ve tailed off. I was struggling with the running, so the pushups take second place. That said, I am still doing 3 sets of 20, 3 times a week because of this program. Not bad…
Not bad at all Eric. 3 x 20, 3 times a week is better than a couple of months ago eh?
Yeah… agreed. This is something I would like to come back to at some point. But, the timing is bad right now. I’m in over my head with the marathon training as is. But, it’s good to have a little upper body strength again.
Congratulations on the 100! I’ve only seen a few other people make it to the goal but most of them started with an initial test of 70 or something ridiculous like that! It’s reassuring to see that your initial test of 18 got you to 100 in only 8 weeks! I only eeked out 13 at the beginning but just finished week 4 on schedule and am hoping to make it to the end in another 4 (or 5) weeks. I love your modified 8-week badge 🙂
Congrats Steve. That’s an amazing effort.
I’m doing week 4 just now having repeated week 3 last week. I’m already delighted with the progress from my inital 15!! Confident about the rest of this week, and really looking forward to the exhaustion test to see where I’ll be for week 5.
Again well done, and thanks for the inspiration.
🙂
nicely done! what an awesome feeling :]
Awesome! I felt like that on pushup number 16 today…ahhh. Week three is about to begin. 🙂 I did day one for a week before really beginning. Speaking of which…I have some pushups to do. 😉
I’m starting week 3 tonight. Can’t wait for the day I get to say “I DID THE 100 !!”
I’ll let you know . . . .
Thanks,
Rick
CONGRATULATIONS on the 100 !!
I just took the plunge on week 4 – day 1. Was going to re-do week 3 bot the wife said “just go for it”.
My initial test was 13, and after week 2 made 25.
Being 50 pounds over weight is making the going VERY tough, and I sure I’ll have to re-do a week or 2 but I’m determined to finish this program. Thanks for the GREAT MOTIVATION !!
Rick
CONGRATULATIONS on the 100 !
(now me…-.-)
I just did my exhaustion test to begin week 3 this morning. Your blog has provided the exact motivation I was hoping to find to propel me to a strong week 3.
Thanks for logging your progress so others can follow!
Well done!
I just did my exhaustion test between
week 2 and 3 (I got 27!) 😀
I started on 15 and I’m 260 pounds so I think this is going very well!
Good work buddy!