camelopardalis

There was this thread from 3 years ago about a program with the goal of being able to do 100 pushups in 6 weeks. The best I can see, the thread died with almost nobody reporting success in being able to do the 100 pushups. Can the people who tried it post their results? It will be great if we can restart this and see if a new batch of forumites can be more successful.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...t=100+push+ups

https://hundredpushups.com/index.html

Carbonfiberboy 

I tried it, but it ramped up much too quickly for this geezer. I could see that if I kept at it long enough, I would be able to do a lot more pushups. But why? Over a long period of time that's going to add substantial upper body mass, and what cyclist needs that? My pecs don't get tired riding.

camelopardalis

I started about 5 weeks ago on week 3. I am now on week 6. Thru a combination of the rapid ramping and my own lack of regimentation, I had to repeat a week. Nevertheless, I'm able to do 70 pushups now up from 25 when I started. I don't mind being a bit slower than the schedule. The important thing is to eventually develop that upper body strength. Cycling prowess is not all that's necessary for balanced development.

"Substantial upper body mass"? Well, to some of us with skinny chests, some body mass is just as important a goal. Maybe more important than saving a few seconds up some climbs. Cycling prowess is not all that's necessary for balanced development.

I'll probably stay on week 5 and/or 6 for another week or two before I can reach 100 pushups. Up to two weeks ago, I thought that number was unreachable. Now I believe it is.

cloud

I completed it about 7months ago . It took me about 9 weeks to get to the 100 push ups.

Nikephoros

I didn't have much trouble sticking with it to the 100 on track. I'm pretty light and not a geezer, though.

The 200 situps sister program was a bit harder, but probably most beneficial for cyclists.

cloud

I have not completed the situps yet , but was thinking about starting the 50 pull ups next week.

poxpower

This is nonsense.
Let's say you go from 30, which is a high number already, to 100 in a year, that means you've tripled your strength in ONE YEAR? As an adult?
Gimme a break.

The only way that's possible is if you have bad form. Doing 100 actual pushups is REALLY hard. Any time I've ever seen anyone "do lots of pushups", they did it with terrible form going as fast as they possible could and cheating the last 5-10 by resting in the "up" position for as long as they could.
Like this guy, who has the world record for most pushups: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQB315SgS7w

Look at those wussy-ass pushups. By my count, that's 0 pushups.

Do 100 of these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwRLWMcOdwI
And I'll be AMAZED.

camelopardalis

Do you really think that going from 30 to 100 pushups means that you've tripled your strength? Looks to me that it's a combination of endurance and strength, with emphasis on the former. After all, you're still pushing the same amount of weight.

So yes, I believe that one can do 100 pushups in good form.

camelopardalis

I've seen pictures of you on your website before. I'm sure you can do 100 good form pushups if you want to. And it will take a lot less than one year. Maybe even less than six weeks. And I agree with you, the pushups done by that supposed record holder is garbage.

poxpower

Nope I can do maybe 20-25 good form pushups.
I've never seen anyone do 100 good form ones on youtube or in person.

They always either do them really really fast or don't go all the way up or down. When I do a pushup, it's at least 1 second down, 1 second up and my nose touches the floor with my arms bent 90 degrees while down and they're straight when I go up, with no pause at the top or bottom.

I've yet to see anyone do 100 of that. I'm sure it's possible, but it would be pretty insane. If anyone finds a video of someone doing it, I'd love to see it.

DataJunkie

Slow is better. IMHO

RaleighSport

Does it count if I do get up to 100 in 6 weeks and don't use this program?

poxpower

I bet no one in the world can actually do 100 of these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8EVUZf2y0Y&feature=g-u

dadof7

50 pullups would be more useful and doable. I see too many people with chronic tight pecs and rolled forward shoulders. Functionally pullups/chinups win hands down.

Bill in Houston

That's just embarrassing.

Six-Shooter

One video of one poser cheating his way to "fame" does not make something impossible.

For an idea of what's considered a "normal" number of pushups for someone in good health (and what constitutes proper form) see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Physical_Fitness_Test

Here's an article about a US Army private doing 132 pushups in 2 minutes in the Army Physical Fitness Test. Needless to say, they don't allow cheating

https://www.army.mil/article/15355/bc...it-apft-score/

You might be surprised what the human body can do. Search YouTube for things like planche pushups, one-arm pullups, or powerlifting records, where you can see guys squatting or deadlifting over 1,000 lbs.

Six-Shooter

And will provide a bigger challenge to many people, too, since they're lifting their body weight instead of just a portion of it with pushups (supposedly around 60% of total body weight, iirc).

Carbonfiberboy 

OTOH, pullups are quite useless for cycling, while pushups are very good for core, triceps, and wrist flexibility, all of which come in handy after a few hours on the bike. We might try to maintain some focus on cycling in this forum.

DataJunkie

I agree that they are virtually useless for cycling. Anyhow, I broke an elbow and sprained wrists numerous times. Pullups tend to stress my elbow and wrist too much. I can still manage perhaps 20 in a session.

rkwaki

I can do 100 pushups. I raced a guy last year and got 62 in a minute (proper form). I am not a geezer though not that young either (40) nor am I a lightweight. But I have also weight trained my entire life.

camelopardalis

This thread is an invitation to people to follow a program with a target of being able to do 100 pushups. Now that we've heard what is and isn't a pushup, that invitation is still open. It would be nice if people can get started and post their progress. The original thread from 2008 seem to have fizzled out with hardly anybody being able to do 100, confirming that it is quite a daunting task. I will define success as a number that is significantly higher than the starting point, whatever that number is.

camelopardalis

I think so. Personally, I am following a modified version. I always try to do my max on the 2nd set. If I do it in the last set as per the program, fatigue has already set it and I attain a lower number. I also do many more sets than the program suggests, totaling 450-500 pushups every two or three days.

Six-Shooter

But recommended if you are interested in overall fitness and avoiding the problems of an unbalanced physique, as dadof7 mentions above.

DataJunkie

Just as long as if you are not only focused on pushups and pullups.

camelopardalis

There are enough comments about pullups on this thread which are quite intriguing. Somebody should start a separate thread on a pullups program. It should prove interesting. Targeting 50 pullups though might be an impossible task. Twenty to Twenty five will be a big enough challenge.