Question on push-up challenges

Aaron_K123

I actually rather enjoy pushups and was considering trying one of these push-up challenges of doing say 100 pushups a day or getting to 100 consecutive pushups etc etc. My concern though is thinking is it a mistake to focus on only a push exercise and not have the matching pull exercise?

I have a desk job and an office where I can now and again hop from my chair and bust out a set of pushups but I don't have the ability to do the same for pullups or any real matching exercise. Would that be a problem overtime? Are you asking for injury to just focus on push at the exclusion of pull? Or is it more that without the pull you will hit a ceiling pretty quick doing nothingbut push? Or is it not a problem at all?

A second question would be about whether it is better to have full rest days in between or if daily pushups is fine.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.

LazSommer

if you only ever did pushups maybe it'd be an issue. I don't know that they are going to work you enough to create a major imbalance. Do some chin ups/pull ups maybe.

Keladelphia

I don't think most of the general population would have any problems or ask for injury with attempting this, I knock out 100 most days and you're not going to develop some crazy imbalance from it.

Are you going to be doing anything else at all? What is your goal with the challenge OP (I never really understood the point of these challenges)? Just to be able to do 100 push-ups for fun? While push-ups are a great exercise for all different muscle groups ( abdomen, hips, legs, arms, chest) if you're doing it purely to build strength you'd probably be better off doing less reps and adding some form or resistance IMO (weights or bands).

Joanna2012B

Well I know whenever I do a challenge that is not my only physical activity.

Check this out...
http://www.slideshare.net/hellsingz/7-weeks-to-100-push-ups

If you want something easy to do at your desk....
http://time.com/4019563/exercise-work-desk/

Aaron_K123

Keladelphia wrote: »

I don't think most of the general population would have any problems or ask for injury with attempting this, I knock out 100 most days and you're not going to develop some crazy imbalance from it.

Are you going to be doing anything else at all? What is your goal with the challenge OP (I never really understood the point of these challenges)? Just to be able to do 100 push-ups for fun? While push-ups are a great exercise for all different muscle groups ( abdomen, hips, legs, arms, chest) if you're doing it purely to build strength you'd probably be better off doing less reps and adding some form or resistance IMO (weights or bands).

I guess the point is the recognition that right now my motivation for resistance training is low (i get most of my exercise from walking or hiking at the moment) and yet I can see myself regularly doing pushups and motivating myself to (while at work) bust out a few sets every day. I'm in caloric deficit so I'm not looking to build muscle but I'd like to stimulate to help retain my muscle so doing some compound exercises seems beneficial.

So I see that this is something I could get myself to do and I'm just trying to determine if it has benefits to do it, has no benefits to do it but no harm either or it is potentially harmful to do it.

I recognize that pullups would balance things out but I'm not going to start trying to do pullups in my office and am admittedly less likely to do them with regularity while at home.

As for it being a "challenge" I recognize that doesn't matter but if its a source of motivation to actually see it through then why not.

Aaron_K123

Joanna2012B wrote: »

Well I know whenever I do a challenge that is not my only physical activity.

Check this out...
http://www.slideshare.net/hellsingz/7-weeks-to-100-push-ups

If you want something easy to do at your desk....
http://time.com/4019563/exercise-work-desk/

Thanks. I do enjoy bodyweight exercises the problem is there really aren't very many for pull especially when it comes to your back. Pull-ups or modified pull-ups are basically it and I can't picture trying to find a crossbeam at work and jumping up there for some pull-ups, i think that wouldn't go over well.

I mean if there is some version of a bodyweight row that someone could suggest that'd work too. I'm aware of australian pullups but even those not sure I could pull off at work.

Keladelphia

Aaron_K123 wrote: »

Keladelphia wrote: »

I don't think most of the general population would have any problems or ask for injury with attempting this, I knock out 100 most days and you're not going to develop some crazy imbalance from it.

Are you going to be doing anything else at all? What is your goal with the challenge OP (I never really understood the point of these challenges)? Just to be able to do 100 push-ups for fun? While push-ups are a great exercise for all different muscle groups ( abdomen, hips, legs, arms, chest) if you're doing it purely to build strength you'd probably be better off doing less reps and adding some form or resistance IMO (weights or bands).

I guess the point is the recognition that right now my motivation for resistance training is low (i get most of my exercise from walking or hiking at the moment) and yet I can see myself regularly doing pushups and motivating myself to (while at work) bust out a few sets every day. I'm in caloric deficit so I'm not looking to build muscle but I'd like to stimulate to help retain my muscle so doing some compound exercises seems beneficial.

So I see that this is something I could get myself to do and I'm just trying to determine if it has benefits to do it, has no benefits to do it but no harm either or it is potentially harmful to do it.

I recognize that pullups would balance things out but I'm not going to start trying to do pullups in my office and am admittedly less likely to do them with regularity while at home.

Okay, like I said I was just curious. If it will get you to add push ups to what you're already doing consistently then it's a good thing that you are unlikely to get injured from (assuming you're in reasonable shape with no underlying conditions). I only wanted to point out that even adding a plate on your back with less reps would be more likely to build strength in case that was what you're looking for. Good luck with the challenge if you decide to take it on!

Aaron_K123

Keladelphia wrote: »

Aaron_K123 wrote: »

Keladelphia wrote: »

I don't think most of the general population would have any problems or ask for injury with attempting this, I knock out 100 most days and you're not going to develop some crazy imbalance from it.

Are you going to be doing anything else at all? What is your goal with the challenge OP (I never really understood the point of these challenges)? Just to be able to do 100 push-ups for fun? While push-ups are a great exercise for all different muscle groups ( abdomen, hips, legs, arms, chest) if you're doing it purely to build strength you'd probably be better off doing less reps and adding some form or resistance IMO (weights or bands).

I guess the point is the recognition that right now my motivation for resistance training is low (i get most of my exercise from walking or hiking at the moment) and yet I can see myself regularly doing pushups and motivating myself to (while at work) bust out a few sets every day. I'm in caloric deficit so I'm not looking to build muscle but I'd like to stimulate to help retain my muscle so doing some compound exercises seems beneficial.

So I see that this is something I could get myself to do and I'm just trying to determine if it has benefits to do it, has no benefits to do it but no harm either or it is potentially harmful to do it.

I recognize that pullups would balance things out but I'm not going to start trying to do pullups in my office and am admittedly less likely to do them with regularity while at home.

Okay, like I said I was just curious. If it will get you to add push ups to what you're already doing consistently then it's a good thing that you are unlikely to get injured from (assuming you're in reasonable shape with no underlying conditions). I only wanted to point out that even adding a plate on your back with less reps would be more likely to build strength in case that was what you're looking for. Good luck with the challenge if you decide to take it on!

Fair enough, I get that more resistance is better than high rep for overall strength and later for muscle building (if I switch to a bulk) or sculpting. I'm just picturing like once an hour while at my desk in my office hopping down on the floor and doing a quick set then returning to my desk, so no real resistance options there. Guess I could load up a backpack if I wanted to do that though so that might be a good idea.

sgt1372

I did a public 2500 plank pushup challenge (100/day for 25 days) last month and am doing a 1500 dip and 1500 decline pushup challenge (50 @/day) this month. No need for rest between days to do this and this us NOT all that I'm doing.

I'm still lifting heavy 2 days a weeks doing SQTs, BPs, OHPs, DLs, Rows and Farmer's Walk plus including the pushups and dips in a 5x10 6 station circuit 3 days/wk which also includes curls, reverse curl/presses, sissy squats and GHRs.

The curls and reverse curls work the biceps vs the triceps in the dips/pushups and the rows work the back in oppposition to the upper pecs in dips/pushups and vs the lower pecs worked doing BPs.

The 6 station circuit 3x's a week works the upper and lower body and provides assistance to do the lifting the other 2 days a week. On top of this, I row 6k meters a day for cardio but take a rest day from doing that as needed.

No probke. S doing all this even though I'm 66 years of age. So, I would assume younger men than me could do as much or more.

nossmf

The military has been doing daily pushups for decades without ill effect. Not to say the military hasn't needed changes to their fitness regime (cough, situps, cough) but pushups won't hurt you at all. If anything they will help work your core muscles which get unused during long days sitting at the office.

If you really wanna throw in some back work, bring in a 25# dumbbell to hide beneath your desk. When you bang out a set of pushups, you can immediately do a set of one-arm rows as well. If you get really ambitious, you can later use that same DB for curls, tricep extensions, shoulder presses, goblet squats, kettlebell swings, a whole gamut of options from a single DB. Trust me, it's easily concealable, 25# is a good weight to do a variety of things without breaking out into a sweat, and your coworkers will ask to borrow the DB to do their own thing. We did it at my old office job for years. Management knew about it, and as long as I wasn't exercising when DV's came walking through, all was well.