Yesterday I made plans to take the push up test this morning as required at the start of week three of the one hundred push ups challenge. When I woke up with a screaming headache and stiff neck muscles I scotched that idea.
But an hour and some Advil later I decided to give it a try. After some warm up to loosen the still creaky muscles, I unrolled my yoga mat and got at it.
I started this challenge around July 1 and the best I could do then was 6 modified push ups.
Today I did 17 modified push ups, which is a big improvement in just a few weeks. 17 is a good number. I tried to figure out the percentage improvement but my brain won’t let me. It’s better than 15. Much better than 6. Less than 20 which would have been nice, but the last two push ups weren’t really good form so I knew even if I’d kept at it, I’d be cheating to say I made it to 20. Those 17 were tough, whether it’s because I feel foggy and crappy this morning or because that’s all I really can do.
Then I looked at the week 3 chart and saw the number of push ups called for. And said something that wasn’t “Oh, super”. It’s a lot. We’re now into double digits at each level. By the third session, I’m supposed to do 78 push ups over 5 levels.
I don’t think so.
Is there such a thing as push up remedial boot camp? A do-over?
If not, I’m inventing it. Tomorrow I’m going back to week one and redo the last two weeks using the column for “more than 10 push ups” instead of the puny “up to 5 push ups”. That still puts me on track to finish the challenge this summer and consider if I want to do it all over again, but with full push ups — like some of you are doing (show offs/I’m so jealous).
So how are you doing? Did you take the week 3 test or did you crap out after week 1? Give me a shout and let me know how the muscle-building is going.
Meanwhile, I’m gong to hit the Advil bottle again. Damn headache.
I could not help but reply with your percent improvement from 6 to 17 modified push-ups…………drum roll…………..183% improvement!! WOO-HOO
Calculation: ((17-6)/6)*100
There, an easy calculation when you think about it. Not bad for two or three weeks of effort, but a long way from 100! Thanks Ann.
My max is 25, but this week is not going to well, so I am sure I will be repeating it. That’s okay, because these push-ups are making me feel stronger and I like that feeling. Thanks for “turning me on to them”.
Aunt Diane,
You should be totally pumped. As in “we vant to pump yew up”. You are on your way to 100 OR MORE! As for me, I went up exactly four push ups after two weeks (from 13 to 17). Ian, on the other hand, went from doing 30 pushups to doing 50 pushups in two weeks. We do them together. I’m hoping that I just picked the wrong morning to do the test. Either way, I can feel and SEE the difference from all of these pushups and it is time/effort well spent.
Kim, it looks like the rest of the family wimped out on us. What wusses. Never mind, you and I and Ian can compare biceps in September while they sit around with their noodle arms.