100 push ups 30 day challenge

Join me for a 30 day challenge where you will complete one hundred push ups per day.  It's easier than you think!  It is also free and requires no equipment.  It only takes thirty days, so give it a go and see the results for yourself.

I saw something on YouTube about a 100 push ups 30 day challenge.  In this challenge an unfit slob of a man did 100 push ups per day, every day, for 30 consecutive days.  He couldn't do 100 in one go, so he did smaller sets that added up to one hundred each day.  Thirty days of push ups doesn't sound all that difficult.

Prior to the challenge he weighed himself, measured his biceps and his chest, and took some photos without a shirt.  After the completion of 30 days he weighed himself, measured his biceps and his chest, and had some comparison photos without wearing a shirt.  

The results were incredible: he lost weight, his biceps and chest were noticeably larger, he looked more toned and less fat, he stood more proud, he had a nicer haircut, he no longer wore glasses, and most remarkably he also looked a lot more tanned. 

I had a few initial thoughts at the time:

Firstly I knew his results were nonsense.  I knew then as I know now that thirty days can not do that to anyone.  

Secondly I thought I should do this challenge.  At that stage I was doing zero push ups in an average month, so doing any would be an improvement and would likely benefit me.  My back and neck were giving me constant pain, perhaps getting stronger might even decrease my pain if I kept at it for 30 days.

I gave it a go immediately and struggled to get to the floor, let alone do any push ups.  After doing a few push ups I could hardly get up off the floor.  This was not good.  

At that stage I decided to do this challenge properly I had to set some rules.  I knew I couldn't do one hundred push ups in one set, so I needed to do several sets of smaller numbers to be able to reach my goal.

I had to write down the minimum number of push ups per day, secondly I had to write the minimum number I would do in each set.  This would ensure that I committed to this goal and did not cheat.  It was only thirty days, so I had to do it properly or not at all.  No rest days, no excuses, just thirty days of reaching my minimums.

I figured I could do more in a set or more in a day if I wanted to, but I had to reach my minimums.  If I didn't reach my set minimum before collapse then they would not count towards my daily minimum.  I decided that I had to reach my minimums no excuses, no rest days, for thirty days.  I decided to do 100 push ups for thirty consecutive days.

Push ups are good for skinny people

The first few days were really painful, I felt achy and fevery, much like I was catching the flu.  My joints hurt, my glands were enlarged, my eyes watered, my throat hurt, and my muscles ached.  Everything hurt.  I wasn't sick though.  This was because I was ultra-unfit.  It was only thirty days, so I pushed on and did my minimums each day.

There were a few days where I had a headache or a migraine, this was not due to the exercise, but was due to pre-existing injuries.  I really wanted to give up at this stage, but I had set rules and had to meet my minimums, so I continued.  Setting rules that you have to follow really help with pushing through when you really don't want to.

I pushed through, mostly doing more than my minimums by 1 or 2.  I started to severely hate doing push ups, and also started to panic each day that I might forget to do them.  Some days I was exhausted from mowing the lawn or whatever, but I still had to meet my minimums so I kept doing them.  Setting minimums and committing to doing them really helps.  I desperately wanted to give up a bunch of times.

I hoped that push ups would get easier as the challenge progressed, but they never did.  The fever subsided after a few days, as did many of the other aches, but push ups were always incredibly difficult.  I found the first 3 or so in every set got easier, but I was in just as poor a state at the end of each set.  

I eventually made it to 30 days successfully.

I was skinny fat.  That means I looked skinny, but carried a lot of fat around my organs.  This is the most dangerous type of fat.  I have injuries that made everything hurt, hurting means I do not want to move or do exercise, and being sedentary made things worse.  

After the 30 days I dropped a belt notch but did not lose weight.  In other words I lost fat and put on muscle, which is a great health outcome.  I found sitting at my desk at work far easier.  As this went well I decided to keep going and do more 30 day challenges.  No rest days, no excuses.

The next thirty day challenge I was stronger so I increased my minimums.  Again I strived to do more than my minimums, but I could never do less.  I was in less pain but push ups seemed just as difficult to do.  The first few of each set were easier, but each set was just as hard as always.  Again I tried to go beyond my minimums, both set minimums and day minimums.  

I struggled through, and eventually reached 30 days a second time.

Push up handles, I didn't get these until a year or so into my challenges

What started as a single 30 day challenge kept going.  I have now completed well over 2 years of continuous challenges.  I don't have days off between challenges so I can easily add up the number of days I have done them.  I am not too far away from day 900 and I dread the thought of starting from day zero again, which helps with motivation on days where I really can't be bothered.

My challenges have changed each block of 30 days.  Sometimes I would have other exercise added in, some challenges did not have push ups at all, but there are always set minimums and day minimums.  

I have now also added in a 'tweak'.  This is where I may decide on my minimums and find I was overly ambitious, or if I am injured, then I can change the exercises for that 30 day challenge.  While I am yet to use a tweak, I am glad it is there.  There is no point pushing through a broken wrist or something as it would have made things worse.

I started these challenges struggling to do any push ups, I can now do over 250 in one set.  I was curious to find out what the average person can do, so I tried to look up the average number of push ups a man my age can do.  The numbers on the internet vary a bit so I have included some of the comparison tables below.

Average Push-Ups for Adult Men

15-19 years old	23-28 push-ups
20-29 years old	22-28 push-ups
30-39 years old	17-21 push-ups
40-49 years old	13-16 push-ups
50-59 years old	10-12 push-ups
60+ years old	to 8-10 push-ups

All Ages	Reps
Beginner	< 1
Novice	16
Intermediate	40
Advanced	68
Elite	100

Age	17-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50-59	60-65
Excellent	> 56	> 47	> 41	> 34	> 31	> 30
Good	47-56	39-47	34-41	28-34	25-31	24-30
Above average	35-46	30-39	25-33	21-28	18-24	17-23
Average	19-34	17-29	13-24	11-20	9-17	6-16
Below average	11-18	10-16	8-12	6-10	5-8	3-5
Poor	4-10	4-9	2-7	1-5	1-4	1-2
Very Poor	< 4	< 4	< 2	0	0	0

Regardless of which table you choose, I am now well and truly above average.  

While I initially struggled to get to the floor, let alone do any push ups, I can now do over 250 in one set.  This is all from Prochnost' training.  It doesn't matter where you start as your aim is to get stronger.  

I was hideously unfit, and I am now able to complete vastly more push ups than most men my age.  I started out skinny fat and very weak, I am still skinny but I am stronger now.  I never got ripped, but my intention was to gain strength, not to look prettier.  I also don't put in a whole lot of time each day.

My 12 year old does push ups

If you are skinny fat like I was, you should be doing push ups.  If you are not skinny you should be doing push ups.  A thirty day challenge helps to ensure that you get the benefits from all of your hard work, skipping a day here and there leads to poor results and/or giving up.  Commit to thirty days, then achieve this no matter what happens.

If you are really unfit like I was you should do the 100 push ups 30 day challenge.  Complete ten sets of ten push ups each day for thirty days.  If you can do an extra one or two each day, then do that as it will help you.  Perhaps this is too daunting, in which case you should do less push ups a day for 30 days.  Just make sure you set your minimums as they will help you succeed.

If you are stronger then you should complete the 100 push ups 30 day challenge.  Complete two sets of fifty push ups each day if you can do that many.  If you can do an extra 25 or so each set then do that because it will help you in the long run.  If this sounds too easy then decide on a larger number, perhaps you can do 1,000 push ups per day for 30 days.  

Try to remember: if you have extra time and energy one day and do 300 push ups you don't get a break the next day, you still have to complete your minimums.  Doing extra is good, it helps you in the long run.  Your future self will thank you for doing extras.

Do push ups.  Push ups are good for you, push ups make you stronger.