30 day push-up challenge

[brandino29]

After reading a post earlier this week that linked to a Ted Talk about doing 30 day challenges, I decided to challenge myself to do 50 push-ups a day for 30 consecutive days. 

I workout regularly and 50 push-ups is not a big deal exertion wise.  I thought about challenging myself to do as many push-ups as I can in a month but I realized my problem is I can never be consistent about doing them on a regular basis.  So for me the challenge is going to be doing them every single day, no excuses, no forgetting, at least 50, more if I feel the urge. 

I started on Tuesday, 4 days down and 200 push-ups in, 26 days and 1,300 to go.

Any takers?  (Next month maybe I'll be ready for doing as many as I can) 

[YK-Phil]

I have been doing pushups in sets of 10 or 20 reps at work throughout the day for a while now, usually on days I don't have time to do my workout (because i do a double-shift a few times a week). I started with 10 sets of 10 reps, then moved to 20, 30 and now 40 sets, for a total of 400 pushups. While this type of workout is not to be done too often due to possible injury, I really feel great at the end of the day.

Edit: good idea to keep editing this post as we go...I have not missed a day since January 1, doing as part of my regular HIT workout a total of 4 sets of 15 T-Pushups, as shown in this picture.
T-Pushups
Jan. 17: 60
Jan 18: 60
Jan 19: 60
Jan 20: 60
Jan 21:60
Jan 22: 60
Jan 23: 60
Jan 24:60
Jan 25:60
Jan 26:60
Jan 27:60
Jan 29:60

[Grid]

Count me in!  Today will be day 1 for me.  I'll update if I miss a day, and check back at least once.  Good luck!

Edit:  I will, rather, just keep a tally on this post of x's for days I do 50 push-ups, with o's for days I miss.
Edit2:  Will add comments to see if sets get noticeably longer or it becomes easier to do slower push-ups.  50 is a good number, because I can focus on form and slow control during the push-up rather than the speed necessary to not be spent when trying for higher numbers.

(Day 1 is January 17th)

Day | x or o

• x, sets: 11,15,17,7
• x, sets: 12,18,20
• x, sets: 20,21,9
• x, sets: 22,16,12 (all done 11-11:59p)
• x, sets: 17,9,15,9 (throughout the day)
• o
• xx (make-up day), 10,10,20,10,10,15,15,10
• o (10)
• o (30)
• o
• o
• x, 16,17,18
• x, 21,19,11,9. Backlog is 150 push-ups.
• xx, 10,10,15,15,23,17. BLog: 100
• x, 20,20,10.  BLog: 100
• xx, 10,15,10,10,20,15,10,10.  BLog:  50
• x, 20,10,20,17.  BLog:  33
• x, 20,17,3,10,15,18  BLog: 0!  *does a jig*
• x, 15,25 (New PR),10
• x, 27 (New PR),23.  (Two sets?  I dedicate this day's push-ups to brandino29.  Without his fearless leadership, I might forever be stuck in the land of a 22-push-up max, requiring at least 3 sets to complete 50 push-ups.)
• x, 18,11,13,8.  First 3 sets with feet on chair.
• o
• o
• o
• xxxx, 20 sets of 10 push-ups each, every 15 minutes.
• x, 31 (PR),19
• o (20)
• o
• xx, 8 sets of 10 EMOTM, 5 sets of 10 EMOTM
• o  (Lol, on the last day)
• Backlog = 50... so sets of 20, 8, then 22 AFAP (break only when you can't do any more)

Last-day edit:  Done!  Keep it up everyone.

[brandino29]

Interesting, I might try to throw in a few of these T pushups. 

[lifejoy]

So my goal will be to reach 50 push-ups by the end of 30 days! I can do 10 push-ups now, so if I do one or two extra each consecutive day... You get the idea

[deborah]

So my goal will be to reach 50 push-ups by the end of 30 days! I can do 10 push-ups now, so if I do one or two extra each consecutive day... You get the idea

I'll be in on this basis.

[bigalsmith101]

Is the purpose to complete 50 push ups over the course of a day, every day, for a month? If so, I think the ladies won't have an issue with this! 5 at a time, 10 times a day.

If the goal is to do 50 consecutive pushups, once a day for a month, that would be pretty tough for a lot of people.

[Grid]

Is the purpose to complete 50 push ups over the course of a day, every day, for a month? If so, I think the ladies won't have an issue with this! 5 at a time, 10 times a day.

If the goal is to do 50 consecutive pushups, once a day for a month, that would be pretty tough for a lot of people.

I'm taking it at 50 push-ups spread throughout the day.  For some, it could be possible to do a single set, or spread the 50 out easily over 5 minutes.  The other extreme is 1 push-up 50 times a day.  That would take a crazy amount of commitment and effort though.  I'll stick to my 4 sets.

[NICE!]

So my goal will be to reach 50 push-ups by the end of 30 days! I can do 10 push-ups now, so if I do one or two extra each consecutive day... You get the idea

A female achieving a max set of 50 pushups is impressive. Great goal.

I won't be joining the daily challenge, but I will be doing the 100 Pushups program, which is weekly. I'm starting today and plan to miss no more than 1 week this year.

[lifejoy]

Is the purpose to complete 50 push ups over the course of a day, every day, for a month? If so, I think the ladies won't have an issue with this! 5 at a time, 10 times a day.

If the goal is to do 50 consecutive pushups, once a day for a month, that would be pretty tough for a lot of people.

I'm taking it at 50 push-ups spread throughout the day.  For some, it could be possible to do a single set, or spread the 50 out easily over 5 minutes.  The other extreme is 1 push-up 50 times a day.  That would take a crazy amount of commitment and effort though.  I'll stick to my 4 sets.

This is a great idea! I may use the idea of multiple sets to help me work up to 50 push-ups :)

[lifejoy]

So my goal will be to reach 50 push-ups by the end of 30 days! I can do 10 push-ups now, so if I do one or two extra each consecutive day... You get the idea

A female achieving a max set of 50 pushups is impressive. Great goal.

I won't be joining the daily challenge, but I will be doing the 100 Pushups program, which is weekly. I'm starting today and plan to miss no more than 1 week this year.

Hey thanks! This comment pumps me up :) Today I'm up to 12 push-ups, woot!

I've been using free weights for a few weeks now, and I think 50 push-ups is a good challenge for where I'm at. I'm trying to focus on free, at-home exercises :)

[brandino29]

Hey thanks! This comment pumps me up :) Today I'm up to 12 push-ups, woot!

Awesome! 

Is the purpose to complete 50 push ups over the course of a day, every day, for a month? If so, I think the ladies won't have an issue with this! 5 at a time, 10 times a day.

If the goal is to do 50 consecutive pushups, once a day for a month, that would be pretty tough for a lot of people.

50 pushups in a day, any way you want to cut it.  I'm one week in, 7/7, I've mostly been doing 2 sets of 20 and a set of 10 with my hands in different positions to emphasize different muscle groups. 

Hoping to toss in an extra 50 2 or 3 days this week, maybe I can get it to 100 per day by the last week!

[lifejoy]

Hey thanks! This comment pumps me up :) Today I'm up to 12 push-ups, woot!

Awesome! 

Is the purpose to complete 50 push ups over the course of a day, every day, for a month? If so, I think the ladies won't have an issue with this! 5 at a time, 10 times a day.

If the goal is to do 50 consecutive pushups, once a day for a month, that would be pretty tough for a lot of people.

50 pushups in a day, any way you want to cut it.  I'm one week in, 7/7, I've mostly been doing 2 sets of 20 and a set of 10 with my hands in different positions to emphasize different muscle groups. 

Hoping to toss in an extra 50 2 or 3 days this week, maybe I can get it to 100 per day by the last week!

Woohoo! Way to go! And thanks for commenting on my post - it reminded me to do my push-ups! Sometimes remembering is half the battle.

[AllieVaulter]

I'll join too.  I'm going to modify it a bit to consecutive push-ups though.  If I only have to remember once a day it's more likely to happen.  Plus it helps me to dig deep and pull out a couple more, rather than just telling myself I can stop when it gets hard and just do a second set. 

1/20:  30
1/21:  28
1/22:  25  (ah the joys of working out after being a lazy bum.  I'm so sore!)
1/23:  28
1/24:  31
1/25:  33
1/26:  32
1/27:  33
1/28:  34
1/29:  32
1/30:  36
1/31:  35
2/1:  37
2/2:  38
2/3:  39
2/4:  40
2/5:  41
2/6:  42
2/7:  42
2/8:  40
2/9:  42
2/10:  44
2/11:  43
2/12:  45
2/13:  46
2/14:  46
2/15:  47
2/16:  48
2/17:  46
2/18:  50

[brandino29]

Past halfway point for me.  Was surprisingly sore a few days into it but feeling good now.  I started tossing in an extra 50 every other day last week and now I'm gonna shoot for 100 a day for the remainder.

1/13 - 50
1/14 - 50
1/15 - 50
1/16 - 50
1/17 - 50
1/18 - 50
1/19 - 50
1/20 - 50
1/21 - 100
1/22 - 50
1/23 - 100
1/24 - 50
1/25 - 100
1/26 - 50
1/27 - 100
1/28 - 100
1/29 - 100
1/30 - 100
1/31 - 100
2/1 - 100
2/2 - 100
2/3 - 100
2/4 - 100
2/5 - 100
2/6 - 100
2/7 - 100
2/8 - 100
2/9 - 100
2/10 - 100 - Nearly forgot today, did them rather grudgingly at 9:30pm.  Was only gonna do 50 but guilted myself into 100.  Sort've ready for this challenge to be over!  Impressed with the results though, in 4 weeks I've improved greatly and even notice a good bit more definition (I'm lean and a runner to start with).
2/11 - 50
2/12 - 50 (both days I did 50 early and then forgot to do the other 50 until late at night and decided it wasn't worth it)
2/13 - 200! (5 sets of 40 in about 20 minutes.  Brutal).

But done! (and I guess I did 31 days).  Went out of town 2/14 and completely forgot to do any again until today (2/18, 100).  Feels good to have completed the challenge though. 

[Grid]

2/3:  39

A max set of 39 push-ups?  Dayum.  Especially since you started at 30.

[AllieVaulter]

2/3:  39

A max set of 39 push-ups?  Dayum.  Especially since you started at 30.

Yeah...  I'm living in permi-soreness now.  I'm starting to question the intelligence of pushing for a max every day for 30 days.  I really do want to get to 50 though.  :) 

I may have a leg up in some ways.  I spent my first 24 years working out hard, so it seems my body has set it's default to "build up muscles quickly".  But I've been pretty lax about strength training for the past few years.  It makes it easier for me to shop in the women's section of clothing stores. 

[brandino29]

• xxxx, 20 sets of 10 push-ups each, every 15 minutes.

Nice!

[Grid]

• xxxx, 20 sets of 10 push-ups each, every 15 minutes.

Nice!

Thanks!  Yeah... that was one way to play catch up.  I'm not letting this challenge beat me so close to the finish!

[Grid]

I'll join too.  I'm going to modify it a bit to consecutive push-ups though.  If I only have to remember once a day it's more likely to happen.  Plus it helps me to dig deep and pull out a couple more, rather than just telling myself I can stop when it gets hard and just do a second set. 

1/20:  30
1/21:  28
1/22:  25  (ah the joys of working out after being a lazy bum.  I'm so sore!)
1/23:  28
1/24:  31
1/25:  33
1/26:  32
1/27:  33
1/28:  34
1/29:  32
1/30:  36
1/31:  35
2/1:  37
2/2:  38
2/3:  39
2/4:  40
2/5:  41
2/6:  42
2/7:  42
2/8:  40
2/9:  42
2/10:  44
2/11:  43
2/12:  45
2/13:  46
2/14:  46
2/15:  47

You are so close!  But you only have 3 days left... (It is a 30-day challenge after all, and January has 31 days...)

[AllieVaulter]

I'll join too.  I'm going to modify it a bit to consecutive push-ups though.  If I only have to remember once a day it's more likely to happen.  Plus it helps me to dig deep and pull out a couple more, rather than just telling myself I can stop when it gets hard and just do a second set. 

1/20:  30
1/21:  28
1/22:  25  (ah the joys of working out after being a lazy bum.  I'm so sore!)
1/23:  28
1/24:  31
1/25:  33
1/26:  32
1/27:  33
1/28:  34
1/29:  32
1/30:  36
1/31:  35
2/1:  37
2/2:  38
2/3:  39
2/4:  40
2/5:  41
2/6:  42
2/7:  42
2/8:  40
2/9:  42
2/10:  44
2/11:  43
2/12:  45
2/13:  46
2/14:  46
2/15:  47

You are so close!  But you only have 3 days left... (It is a 30-day challenge after all, and January has 31 days...) 

DONE!  I made it to 50 push ups today!  I also got my husband in on the challenge.  (I'm green, he's orange, a friend started late - he's blue).  We graphed our progress for extra nerd points.  Interestingly enough, while we all started out with different slopes, they're all approaching the same value.  I'm at .75, husband is .78, friend is .77. 

[JoshuaSpodek]

I started doing 30 days of burpees and I haven't stopped.

Started December 2011. A couple weeks ago I hit 50,000 cumulative. Haven't missed a single day or burpee. Now I do two sets of 26 daily after starting with one set of ten daily.

I highly recommend.

[NICE!]

DONE!  I made it to 50 push ups today!  I also got my husband in on the challenge.  (I'm green, he's orange, a friend started late - he's blue).  We graphed our progress for extra nerd points.  Interestingly enough, while we all started out with different slopes, they're all approaching the same value.  I'm at .75, husband is .78, friend is .77.

Congrats! Now take a day off to recover and do it again. Or do it 6x/week.

Can you share your pushups chart? I'd love to use it for my exercises. If not, I'll tinker around with Google Sheets to make it on my own.