100 pushup challenge

As part of my Summer Fitness Goals (original post here), I want to do a modified 100 push-up challenge so I can work on my 'guns'!

Just kidding. Pushups are really great full body exercises, strengthening the arms, chest, back, and abs. I really don't know why I want to be able to do 100 of them, but it seems like a challenging goal. Actually, a few weeks ago in (this) Bodyrock workout, I did about 80 pushups, only 10 on my knees. I think I'm really close, but I definitely have to work to achieve this goal.

I noted in the original fitness goal post that this will be a modified challenge. I will not even be trying to do 100 pushups in a row, and I feel that I should tell you why. I have had two cycling accidents while living in Iowa.
The first one occurred 4 years ago, and it was really stupid and completely my fault. I was biking the 0.25 miles from my apartment to the pool (why I didn't just walk, I am still lamenting!) and my shoulder bag fell into the spokes on the front of my bike. I went over the handlebars and tore up the ligament that connects my clavicle to my shoulder blade. It healed pretty quickly in terms of daily activities, but anything where I bear my bodyweight on my shoulders (i.e. pushups, dips) feels weird like it could tear anytime.

A year later, I was biking to work at 8:30 in the morning. I had recently moved across town and was excited to live on a bike trail that took me directly to work. That trail intersected roads several times along the route, and at one particular crossing, a woman stopped at a red light, looked right at me, and turned right on the red light directly into my bike. I flew into the crossing and landed on my head and my right shoulder - the same one that had suffered from the previous fall. I was lucky in that I must have instinctively braced myself for the fall, because the next day revealed how sore the muscles in my arms were. I was back to square 1 on pushups, and I was just recently able to do a dip without feeling like I am going to tear my clavicle out of my body - my first one in 4 years!

I feel lucky that I can even do pushups and dips and that I didn't damage myself to the point of losing my active lifestyle, but I can't put too much pressure on my shoulders. I don't believe it would be smart for me to try to stay in the pushup position for 100 reps. Some day I will be able to do it, but I have to work with what I can do right now.


This is my plan for the 100 pushup challenge. Feel free to follow along OR modify it to make your own goal.


1) 1 day per week will be devoted to the 100 pushup challenge. This doesn't mean that I will only do pushups 1x per week, but it leaves me the freedom to swim, do yoga, Group Power (like Body Pump), or Bodyrock on other days.


2) I will do the pushups in reps of 10, it will be like an extended burpee or squat thrust. I will go down on the ground, do 10 pushups, jump my legs in, and jump up. Repeat.


3) When I can no longer do my push-ups on my toes, I'll drop to my knees and continue.


4) Every week, I'll report the toe-pushups and the knee-pushups. I hope to improve the ratio to the point where I'm doing my pushups on my toes every week.


5) God forbid this becomes to easy, I will move to reps of 20, and so on.

All right, I know you can't resist....who wants to do the 100 pushup challenge with me?