Pushup challenge? (Page 5)

To be honest, I am a pushup freak.  I love them to death.  Incline, wide, narrow, diamond, popcorn, any kind, i love.  But this experiment makes me totally sick of them.  By the end of the second week, I'm always aggravated when I hear my timer beep, and the soreness starts to feel like it will never go away (if it's painfully sore, STOP!).  Even though you retest on your second week, don't expect a big increase.  Your muscles are healing from a very rough first week, and your increase will not be significant right away.  Take on the second week, and take a day or two off before retesting.  During those rest days, keep doing a few pushups every now and then, but don't go to fatigue, and don't stop doing them altogether.  Just a few is perfect. 

Hang in there everybody, this is very exciting!

Oh, haven't you heard of the Russian Military Pullup Experiment??  Just kidding, but you really can apply it to any basic bodyweight exercise.  Pullups are a little impractical, but a GREAT idea!  I've done it with bw squats, and it is very effective.  However, since a max on bodyweight squats will most likely be very high, I would say stop counting your max when your legs begin to really burn or you lose form.  Otherwise, you will eventually get too sore to continue the program...or to walk anywhere. 

16 pushups every 20 minutes.  Timer is set. No excuses.  144 PU already done. 

I'll see how the rest of the day goes, but so far it's mentally difficult!! I keep banging out the pushups, though. I'm certain I will have to drop to my knees and do the pushups at some point today.  I guess that's ok, for me, since I'm a girl

Well I went up through 11:30 today with 16 every half hour.  I went Mother's Day shopping and drew the line at not doing them in Costco or Bath & Body Works! 

I then decided to call it a day on them altogether.  My shoulders are definitely sore from it, to the point where I feel sore just lifting my arms up to shoulder height.  The next two days are the light days, so I'll try them, then see how it goes into next week.

Really, I'm having a blast.  I did skip a few sets today due to running, long shower, work etc..., but I've managed to so far get in about 25 sets of 16 today and the day isn't over yet.  Nothing is sore yet *knock on wood* but I feel tired after about 10 in each set  but not too tired whereas I can't complete them with good form.  I went running today and thought for sure my arms were going to feel dead but I felt pretty good.

I'm wondering if my previous long-term experience (military service & martial arts) has done an excellent job in preparing me for THIS challenge   Really, I think the worse part of this 'experiment' is remembering to do them. he he

Same thing happened to me   I also think I needed the break.  After Saturday's bike ride and soccer game I was spent and had nothing to give to the pushups.  I will pick it up where I left off today.  10 pushups every 15 minutes.

I've updated the spreadsheet with all the formulas to do the final rankings.  Right now it doesn't look good because of all the #N/A's.   Don't worry about that, I only did it now to get it done.

Good luck and keep pushing! 

Congrats on accomplishing your goal.  That speaks loudly about your character.  I will still need this week to finish mine myself.  Have you seen an increase on the number you can accomplish at one time?

That's awesome that you have seen improvement.  I don't blame you on not counting the pushups with bad form, you are just risking injury anyways.  Congrats on the improvement.