Opinions re: when to do "other" exercise?

cmeiron

Specifically, pushups.

I've been doing the 100 pushup challenge for about 6 weeks now and have made awesome progress. Although I'm just doing modified (knee) pushups now, I've gone from barely being able to eke out the 15 total reps required in 5 sets, to knocking out just shy of 200 in 5 sets. Completing the challenge on my knees (i.e. be able to do 100 consecutive in one set) and then on my toes is a goal I have for myself this year, because pushups have always been my nemesis and I want to kick their collective *kitten* :P

My question is, now that I'm doing weights 3x/week (All Pro beginner's routine), when would the appropriate time be to do these? I was originally doing them on off/cardio days (they get done 3x/week in this program), but was thinking maybe I should do them on lifting days so that my upper bod gets a proper rest between lifting days.

Anybody have any opinions/suggestions/enlightened ideas they'd like to share?

SideSteel

Specifically, pushups.

I've been doing the 100 pushup challenge for about 6 weeks now and have made awesome progress. Although I'm just doing modified (knee) pushups now, I've gone from barely being able to eke out the 15 total reps required in 5 sets, to knocking out just shy of 200 in 5 sets. Completing the challenge on my knees (i.e. be able to do 100 consecutive in one set) and then on my toes is a goal I have for myself this year, because pushups have always been my nemesis and I want to kick their collective *kitten* :P

My question is, now that I'm doing weights 3x/week (All Pro beginner's routine), when would the appropriate time be to do these? I was originally doing them on off/cardio days (they get done 3x/week in this program), but was thinking maybe I should do them on lifting days so that my upper bod gets a proper rest between lifting days.

Anybody have any opinions/suggestions/enlightened ideas they'd like to share?

I think you've got some room for preference here, but one idea would be to do the pushups immediately following your weight training.

Chief_Rocka

From the FAQ at bodybuilding.com

Q7: I like doing pull-ups, push-ups, and standing on my head. Can I add in those exercises into the routine?
A: do not add any extra exercises until you have completed a minimum of 3 cycles. Once you're going into the fourth, and you feel like you need to do some extra work on certain muscles, you can add an isolated assistance exercise for them - do only one set and at the very end of your routine (after calf raises). The assistance exercise follows the same rep scheme as all the other exercises. And do not ever add more than one assistance exercise per cycle - if you do so, and some of your other lifts stall, you won't know which of your new additions might have caused that stall. Stick to only adding one extra assistance exercise per cycle, up to a maximum of two (though I believe that is already pushing it). Only do this if you know and have solid reason to believe that you really do require that extra assistance work - if uncertain, ask in this thread, someone will surely help you out.

SideSteel

From the FAQ at bodybuilding.com

Q7: I like doing pull-ups, push-ups, and standing on my head. Can I add in those exercises into the routine?
A: do not add any extra exercises until you have completed a minimum of 3 cycles. Once you're going into the fourth, and you feel like you need to do some extra work on certain muscles, you can add an isolated assistance exercise for them - do only one set and at the very end of your routine (after calf raises). The assistance exercise follows the same rep scheme as all the other exercises. And do not ever add more than one assistance exercise per cycle - if you do so, and some of your other lifts stall, you won't know which of your new additions might have caused that stall. Stick to only adding one extra assistance exercise per cycle, up to a maximum of two (though I believe that is already pushing it). Only do this if you know and have solid reason to believe that you really do require that extra assistance work - if uncertain, ask in this thread, someone will surely help you out.

A valid point sir.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

What's the point of doing so many push-ups? Just to say you did? (Genuinely curious)

cmeiron

What's the point of doing so many push-ups? Just to say you did? (Genuinely curious)

In a way...yes, I suppose that's the case to some extent. Pushups have always been that one exercise that "I couldn't do". It's a personal, physical/mental challenge. That said, pushups are also great all-round strengthening exercises and I've already seen great physical benefits from them.

SideSteel

What's the point of doing so many push-ups? Just to say you did? (Genuinely curious)

In a way...yes, I suppose that's the case to some extent. Pushups have always been that one exercise that "I couldn't do". It's a personal, physical/mental challenge. That said, pushups are also great all-round strengthening exercises and I've already seen great physical benefits from them.

I have one more comment.

First, the fact that you will be progressing on this program (All-Pros) will take some of the need away from doing those pushups to begin with. Your pressing lifts in All-Pros are going to benefit you quite a great deal. (In fact, a better way to put it would be that you simply don't need to do pushups at all if you are progressing on the program).

That being said, if you still WANT to do this pushup challenge for mental/accomplishment reasons, then do it. Realize that there's the possibility that this inclusion of pushups could impair your progress on the lifting program.

Sarauk2sf

I know it slightly goes against the advice in the program, but I cannot really see the harm in adding them onto the end of the routine (in fact I would have suggested that before I saw the Q&A). I suppose my question is....what is the downside? If it becomes too much and the main lifts are suffering, then just do them at the end of the session that you have 2 days rest after. The bench improve your push up so you will still make progression here.

Now I have really fooked things up and given option C just to make this more confusing for you!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

What's the point of doing so many push-ups? Just to say you did? (Genuinely curious)

In a way...yes, I suppose that's the case to some extent. Pushups have always been that one exercise that "I couldn't do". It's a personal, physical/mental challenge. That said, pushups are also great all-round strengthening exercises and I've already seen great physical benefits from them.

I do them when I work out at home, but I just do 3 sets of 8 real ones. I figure once those get too easy I'll switch them up to make them harder. I'm not sure what benefit doing 100 has.

cmeiron

What's the point of doing so many push-ups? Just to say you did? (Genuinely curious)

In a way...yes, I suppose that's the case to some extent. Pushups have always been that one exercise that "I couldn't do". It's a personal, physical/mental challenge. That said, pushups are also great all-round strengthening exercises and I've already seen great physical benefits from them.

I do them when I work out at home, but I just do 3 sets of 8 real ones. I figure once those get too easy I'll switch them up to make them harder. I'm not sure what benefit doing 100 has.

Again, it's mostly a personal challenge. Like, I always used to think, "I can't run". And then I trained for, and completed, a half marathon. Might not do one again, but running is now part of my regular fitness. So, similarly, I've always thought, "I can't do pushups"...and I guess I'm doing this to prove myself wrong and overcome another mental hurdle (these are the kinds of thoughts that have kept me from accomplishing my goals in the past). Is there a point to 100? Not really, it's just a number...rather like there's very little point to running 21.1 km - I mean, really? Ridiculous! - but dammit it felt pretty great to do it!! Will I continue doing 100 pushups after I reach that goal? Probably not, but I'll know that I CAN, and that will be the important thing.

Anyways, thanks for the advice so far, folks. I really do want to continue with the challenge until I complete it, so I guess I'm going to be ignoring the advice in the FAQ and will work to incorporate it, as long as it doesn't hurt the rest of my work. I'll chew on some of your suggestions for a little bit and see how things go this week.

vjohn04

My feedback on personal experience:

I am in week 5 of 100 pushups, and I am doing standard pushups.

The reps and sets do become taxing, and obviously, I find the day's pushup workout harder to complete if I had done upper body concentration that day. While I am going to continue (just so I can be done with it), I do think with the amount of work I'm doing total, I do wish I had set the schedule of pushup workout days to jive with days that I was working lower body or 'rest' days. I think the total reps on my last day was 135.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

What's the point of doing so many push-ups? Just to say you did? (Genuinely curious)

In a way...yes, I suppose that's the case to some extent. Pushups have always been that one exercise that "I couldn't do". It's a personal, physical/mental challenge. That said, pushups are also great all-round strengthening exercises and I've already seen great physical benefits from them.

I do them when I work out at home, but I just do 3 sets of 8 real ones. I figure once those get too easy I'll switch them up to make them harder. I'm not sure what benefit doing 100 has.

Again, it's mostly a personal challenge. Like, I always used to think, "I can't run". And then I trained for, and completed, a half marathon. Might not do one again, but running is now part of my regular fitness. So, similarly, I've always thought, "I can't do pushups"...and I guess I'm doing this to prove myself wrong and overcome another mental hurdle (these are the kinds of thoughts that have kept me from accomplishing my goals in the past). Is there a point to 100? Not really, it's just a number...rather like there's very little point to running 21.1 km - I mean, really? Ridiculous! - but dammit it felt pretty great to do it!! Will I continue doing 100 pushups after I reach that goal? Probably not, but I'll know that I CAN, and that will be the important thing.

Anyways, thanks for the advice so far, folks. I really do want to continue with the challenge until I complete it, so I guess I'm going to be ignoring the advice in the FAQ and will work to incorporate it, as long as it doesn't hurt the rest of my work. I'll chew on some of your suggestions for a little bit and see how things go this week.

Sorry, not trying to rag on you. Good for you for doing the challenge and sticking with it.

SideSteel

Seems resolved for now, locking for clean up purposes.