Push-up Challenge

There have been a few instances where I thought I would try some sort of daily challenge, including a push-up one, and then I just gave up after a few days!

Which seems a little off-brand for me, since I have been doing a photo-a-day project since 2011. Hey ho!

So while putting together my Fifty before 50, I knew I wanted to raise money for charity. Facebook must have been doing its eavesdropping stuff again, as I was being targeted with a sponsored ad for a 3000 push-up challenge for Cancer Research UK.

So, I just thought “Why not?”, and signed up before I could change my mind!

Get the ball rolling

Doing the push-up challenge to raise money for charity, meant that there was some ownership involved, and I couldn’t just walk away like I have in the past.

While I regularly go to the gym, I don’t feel I have strong upper body strength. Plus I am not a fan of push-ups either. I did naively think that this challenge couldn’t be too bad. Surely!

I wanted to try and make sure I did push myself where I could. I wanted to complete the push-ups in one sitting (when possible).

Put it this way, I soon learnt after the first 100 push-ups, that this was definitely not going to be a push over!

The experience

As part of assessment work at the gym, I knew that I could complete 30 push-ups in less than a minute. Granted that they were a struggle.

Come 1st November, I got myself prepped and did my first 100, and boy was it a struggle. I went out all guns blazing like I was running a sprint, instead of a marathon!

It ended up taking nearly 11 minutes to complete the first 100. And I was starting to question what the hell I got myself into to!

Day 2, I approached the push-ups differently. I decided to break them down into groups of 10, and I felt this helped.

Granted, I should have looked at what was on as part of the class at the gym that day too, as I ended up having to complete another 120 push-ups as part of the workout!

At least, I had banked some additional ones…just in case!

Shoulder pain

I have always had an issue with my shoulder and flexibility. It is quite common that it will click. But it also means that it is prone to getting painful/injured, especially when I am working out.

It was quite early on in the push-up challenge, and by that, I mean day one, that the pain arrived. As the week progressed the pain was getting more unbearable.

On day 5, I kept on putting the challenge off until later, to give my shoulder a break, and I eventually forgot to do them! Thankfully I had the 120 additional push-ups so I wasn’t in a deficit!

That day off actually helped as I went into the push-ups a little more smoothly. Granted, the pain was always there. Just not as bad.

To help with the aches and pains, I started to use Velite’s Magma & Polar creams. Although, I am sure any heat/cooling cream would just be as effective!

The torture device

Clearly, feeling a little cocky or something, I didn’t think the push-ups were a challenge. I decided that I would start using a push-up board, which I aptly called the “torture device”.

This had been collecting dust in a cupboard after I bought it to do a similar push-up challenge, which only lasted a whole week!

The push-up board helps target different muscle groups, so as well as trying to improve my skill I was also hoping to build good all-round muscle.

It’s been nicknamed torture for a reason, because some of the push-up types were hard! I was not friends with them! Which is probably why it was collecting dust in the first place!

Come to the end of the month, I must have been doing something right. I was able to do 30 push-ups in one go at around the 30 second mark. Additionally, I was able to complete all 100 around the 5½ min mark.

Additional changes

Speed wasn’t the only thing that improved over the month. Technique also made a vast improvement too, which was expected.

When discussing the challenge I always joked that I hoped I’d go up a cup size, or two! And I feel they did!

Muscle sits differently. When you jump, it bounces differently. It all leads to a different look. Granted the chesticles didn’t grow massively, but looking in the mirror, I could see a difference. Albeit a small one! But I still saw one!

But the chest wasn’t the only difference, my shoulders grew, my back spread and my six (okay 4) pack developed! Doing push-ups hits a lot of muscle groups, and sometimes you forget it is more than the arms and chest!

I can see a difference. I stand different. I feel different. And that’s all that matters!

Finally

Doing this challenge has been a love hate kind of thing! Just like going to the gym really!

The biggest thing I have to come out of this is I can do push-ups. I still don’t like them, but I can do them!

I have been asked several times whether or not I will continue to do push-ups at home. Yes, I will. Just not every day!

Finally, thanks to everyone who donated and supported me throughout November.

When I first set out to do the push-up challenge, my initial target was £150. Even before I had started, this was achieved!

So I optimistically updated this to £300, and again this was surpassed. After a final push, the final amount raised for Cancer Research UK is at £461.72 (including £20 Gift Aid)!

So again, thank you to everyone for your support!