PUSH UP DAY 31

25 Push ups

• 3 sets (15 on fists, final rep with Finn -- 2 sets of 5 with Finn, going to hands and knees for breaks between)

Dude weighs 32 pounds now...he weighed 33 last night at the doctor with clothes on, so I assume he weighs 32 in just his pajamas.  He had some eye infection that we're thrilled to learn was probably not pink eye, thought my eyes still itch thinking about it.   This morning he looks and feels much better.   The sick all the time part of having little kids is awesome.   Really.  

Cumulative total:   1721

Oh and yeah, I'm totally back off the hundredpushups.com wagon...I don't like to do much of anything when I don't feel well and I've been congested and achy for the past 5 days or so -- probably just allergies, but still enough to derail me because I'm mentally feeble. 

PUSH UP DAY 30

25 Push ups

• 1 set standard

Cumulative total:   1696

PUSH UP DAY 29

Sunday March 29, 2015

25 Push ups

• 5 sets, standard

Cumulative total:   1671

PUSH UP DAY 28

25 Push ups

• 1 set, military 

Cumulative total:  1646

PUSH UP DAY 27

25 Push ups

• 1 set on fists (CMB style)

Cumulative total:        1621

PUSH UP DAY 26

228 Push ups

• 16 sets
• 2 standard
• 1 standard
• 25 standard
• 29 standard
• 25 standard
• 41 standard
• 10 standard
• 10 standard
• 10 military
• 10 military
• 10 wide (3 with Finn added)
• 10 wide
• 10 staggered hands rt high
• 10 staggered hands lf high
• 10 staggered hands alternating
• 15 various (5 sets of 3, standard, wide, military, fists, standard)

I woke up worried about the scheduled push up session labeled Week 4 day 2.   It called for 25, 29, 25, 25 then max (minimum on max set = 36).   I was concerned about being able to even get to the max set without coming up short.   Well, turns out that my brain has a safety feature built in, which is pretty remarkable I think, but let me explain so you can make your own assessment:  

Set one went fine, I had done the 3 minute warm up at the start of a P90X DVD I intended to do after the push ups, so I felt I was ready.   25, no sweat.  Not that I wasn't tired, I just didn't yet break a sweat.   Set 2 went OK, but my concern grew as the 29 didn't come off as easily as I had hoped.   Set 3, 25 were not bad, but I wasn't overly encouraged as they got tough after 20 due to the 90 second breaks/recovery between sets.   I felt confident I could knock out the next set of 25, but equally as confident that the minimum of 36 on the last set would require a miracle.   So, 90 seconds go by and I start that 4th set...I made a split decision to try to do them as fast as I could in hopes that doing so would help.   It usually does, which makes me wonder why I don't always do them as fast as I can, but anyway.   It helped!   20 were done before I knew it, I wasn't yet fatigued really...bam, 25, I might be able to get this 36!  30 now slowing down, but still feeling strong enough,...35!...yes, this is Awesome, I don't get it, but it's awesome!!!   40...41!   DONE.  Like really done.   Can't believe I was able to do that, what go into me?   I'll start P90x in a minute, but wow, still surprised.  

Well, as you've probably already figured out what took me another 10 minutes to realize...I never did the actual 4th set, I just turned the 4th set into the 5th set because mid-effort I lost track.   I think this is a rather handy safety feature my brain has.   Disappointing?   Well, I guess it would be if I thought there was any chance I could've done it right and accomplished today's goals -- I am certain I could not have, so I'll just be pleased about the safety mode feature I have.   It makes much more sense than the fact that my TV has a screen saver mode that I don't know how to cut off.   This is not a "if TV is paused or screen is constant screen saver, it just goes to screen saver every 30 minutes or so.  WTF?   Anyway, back to push ups...I need to read what to do when I can't do what is prescribed, do I just stay on that week until I can do it?   Do I drop back a week on the schedule?   Do I quit and be content with 25 push ups per day until my streak ends in some pathetic manner?   Stay tuned!  Exciting, I know.

Cumulative total:     1596

PS Looking back at my previous effort to do 25 push ups every day for a while I can see that today marks a new record for me, 26 straight days!!!   WOOHOO!, who cares that I'll never get to 100 in a single set?   Ya know, I mean, other than me.

PUSH UP DAY 25

27 Push ups

• 6 sets
• 5 on fists
• 5 diamond
• 5 wall
• 5 military
• 5 feet on couch
• 2 on extended fingers

Man, I used to be much better at wall push ups than I am now.  Just throwing my feet up on the wall to get into starting position was a shock.  I have flexibility issues due to my lack thereof.   I guess I could and should do something about that, but as bothersome and concerning as it is, it hasn't been enough of either to result in my doing anything about it.  

Cumulative total:   1368 

PUSH UP DAY 24

142 Push ups

• 7 Sets
• 10 x balance push ups (push up then balance on one arm, then alternate)
• 10 x jump push ups (horizontal traveling via push up hops in each direction)
• 21, 25, 21, 21, 34 standard

The hundredpushups.com challenge is now challenging me.  Significantly.   Following the suggested rest interval periods makes it serious...thinking I should've started on week 1 instead of week 3 as the program instructed.   Above standard push ups were todays challenge, with 1 minute rest between...after the 3rd set I knew I was in trouble.   During the final set, which was to be maximum reps, reaching 32 at least, I had to stop and rest in the up/arms-extended plank position to catch my breath and give my shoulder girdle/chest/arms a rest...brutal, remaining push ups were quite sloppy and exhausting.   I guess if it were easy then everyone would do it?  

Cumulative total:    1341 push ups

PUSH UP DAY 23

25 Push Ups

• 1 set, on fists

Cumulative total: 1299

On Saturday I thought it would be a good idea to do sets of 5 with an hour or longer between each set...after two sets I realized I almost completely forgot to do any further sets, which gave me pause.  I decided I probably need to make the streak extender days of only 25 push ups single set efforts, or perhaps 2 set efforts as doing so will help make sure I don't kill the streak via easily avoidable stupidity.   Hopefully I'll soon be comfortable enough doing push ups that 25 seems easy?   We shall see.

PUSH UP DAY 22

March 22, 2015

132 Push ups

• 5 sets
• 22, 30, 20, 20, 40 (all standard)

Program called for 22, 30, 20, 40, max (at least 28) with 2 minutes rest between...paying attention to the prescribed rest between sets increases the difficulty considerably.   I gave myself about 2.5 minutes between the 4th and 5th set because Finn wanted me to help him with something and that seemed like a good enough excuse at the time. 

Cumulative total:   1274  -- I lived at 1274 Ponce de Leon Ave., Atlanta, GA 30306 with my maternal Grandparents, my Great Aunt, my parents, my big brother and little sister for 14 years or so, which means I lived there for longer than I have lived anywhere.   Here's a street view courtesy of Google:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/1274+Ponce+De+Leon+Ave+NE,+Atlanta,+GA+30306/@33.774631,-84.345674,3a,75y,350.24h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sNwS8vwiJiezg8f0jvwaiiw!2e0!4m7!1m4!3m3!1s0x88f506a30e424573:0x6f718df6f6e4f76d!2s1274+Ponce+De+Leon+Ave+NE,+Atlanta,+GA+30306!3b1!3m1!1s0x88f506a30e424573:0x6f718df6f6e4f76d!6m1!1e1?hl=en

The school that now owns the house has planted many small trees on the extreme right and left of the street view accessed via above link -- that's a shame because those areas were home to majority of our games growing up.   We played some in the front too, but more often on the sides of the house.   Surprisingly this house is located less than 3 miles from what I would consider the dead center of downtown Atlanta...when my great great grandmother bought the house it was considered a "country house" because it was so far from the city.

PUSH UP DAY 21

25 Push ups

• 3 sets, 5, 5, 15 all standard 

I'll figure out running total on Monday

PUSH UP DAY 20

117 Push ups

• 5 sets
• 20, 25, 15, 15, 42 all standard  

Program called for 20, 25, 15, 15 and max set, above is resulting effort.

Running total that has nothing to do with running, though I really should start running again:  1117

PUSH UP DAY 19

March 19, 2015

30 Push ups

• 2 sets
• 15 standard
• 15 on fists

Cumulative total:    1000  deja vu all over again

PUSH UP DAY 18

113 Push ups

6 sets all standard form:

• 14
• 14
• 18
• 14
• 38   (max set and it was either 43 or 38 because for some unexplainable reason I started counting in sets of 5 and then got confused...thinking it must have been 38...???)
• 10

Back on the hundredpushups.com schedule, starting again at day one (of week 3).   I did one extra set just focusing on perfect form and to make sure I did 100+ total for the day, just because.

Cumulative total:
970
  

PUSH UP DAY 17

25 Push ups

• 1 set, standard

Cumulative total:   25 more than whatever yesterday's total was...I'll figure it out tomorrow.

PUSH UP DAY 16

100 Push ups

• 3 Sets (34, 33, 33 all standard)

On-going total:    837

PUSH UP DAY 15

26 Push ups

• 1 x 25 Standard
• 1 x 1 on fists

Case and I played disc golf with a friend today on an actual disc golf course.  It was not very much like the frisbee golf my brother and I played in our yard growing up at all.  I used to enjoy frisbee golf with the wham-o frisbees and made up holes/trees/whatever's, but as a game I think I appreciate this formal disc golf more.  Probably because it is more like golf.  Anyway, perhaps I'll do some push ups on a disc golf course someday and as a result update my two faithful readers on any additional disc golf comments I may have.  Until then I'll keep considering getting serious about push ups again...I do feel better, but not quite 100%....can a 42 year old ever feel 100% again?  I seriously felt like I pulled some muscles flinging the "driver."  Thankfully this did not affect my low volume push up streak extender effort today.

Soaring total:   737

PUSH UP DAY 14

111 Push ups

• 3 x 14 standard
• 1 wide hands
• 5 military
• 9 on fists
• 2 wide
• 6 military
• 5 on extended fingers (thumbs seem to take most weight)
• 3 standard
• 5 -- 3 standard, pause to remember, 2 pointer fingers and thumbs touching each other centered below chest...these go by many names (heart to hearts, diamonds, circles, etc.)
• 8 fists
• 9 standard
• 7 wide
• 9 circle 

Running total:    711

PUSH UP DAY 13

25 Push ups

• 3 sets (5, 10, 10)

Have grand plans for tomorrow...

Grand total:   600

PUSH UP DAY 12

25 Push ups

• 1 set, standard

I did some simple arm circles (arms straight out elbows locked hands making 12 inchish circles, forward and the backward with fingers in karate chop form...Tony Horton taught me these via DVD) before and believe they helped as I did not experience the sharp pain felt during yesterdays 1st set.  Yes this is another low volume day, but I've decided I'll keep volume low until I'm past my ever so slight cold.  

Cumulative total:    550

PUSH UP DAY 11

25 Push ups

• 3 sets (5, 10 and 10 -- final set military)

Still sore, this is concerning as I am simply not bouncing back as I'd hoped to.  Might just be a warm up issue as the first few are actually painful, but then that might be due to body aches brought on by a cold I seem to have.   Better than having food poisoning or the flu at least!

Cumulative total:   525

PUSH UP DAY 10

58 Push ups

• 6 sets
• 3 x 15 standard, then 2 short sets totaling 5 while creating the below links and 1 final set of 8 just seconds ago when realizing my cumulative total was 8 reps short of 500.

Example showing form used when I am doing what I consider "Standard" push ups:

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/casewein/16588790219/   This websites videographer had better things to do so we had to do the two takes, showing multiple angles, in different locations

• https://www.flickr.com/photos/casewein/16587545720/     I really am going bald, I'm glad I can't see that part of my head or it may bother me.

Cumulative total:  
500

PS I am still much more sore than I think I should be, so today was going to be a  "streak extender" only day, until I saw that it was Chuck Norris' birthday at which point I doubled the minimum and should've done more.   Enjoy.   http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/  Many are weak, but some are worth it -- my favorite is "Chuck Norris can unscramble an egg."

PUSH UP DAY 9

25 Push ups

• 1 set, standard

If you knew how sore I am you'd be more impressed....or less.   I have now decided that I will restart the 100 push up challenge schedule later this week...I think.

Cumulative total:   442

PUSH UP DAY 8

30 Push ups

• 2 sets of 15 a few minutes apart, standard push ups

Significantly sore from yesterday.

Cumulative total:  417

PUSH UP DAY 7

March 7, 2015

25 Push ups

• 1 set, standard push ups

I think three straight streak extender days of minimum volume is fairly weak, but this one was out of fear and exhaustion.   I feared this rather ridiculous event that I commitment myself to:

https://toughmudder.com/events/2015-gulf-coast

and then I was completely exhausted after finishing it.   I did my streak extension effort next to my car, in muddy boxers only, before driving home.

Cumulative total:   387

PUSH UP DAY 6

25 Push ups

Streak extender.   3 sets (10, 10, 5 all standard)

Cumulative total:   362

PUSH UP DAY 5

25 Push ups

Streak extender.   Technically I did another 4 or 5 within the P90x3 Yoga DVD, but I'm not counting those as a means of creating a buffer in the event that I miss count a rep at some point someday.  Yeah, over thinking this so I am.

• One set of 15 prior to yoga DVD -- standard push ups
• One set of 10 following yoga DVD -- standard push ups

Oh and I was/am quite tight in the shoulders, chest and back this morning.  I've decided to blame it on the pull ups because that will help prevent push up hatred and in doing so help this streak to continue. 

Cumulative total:
337 (I just dropped down and did one more because 337 is a cooler number than its predecessor)

Question:   Does doing floor based exercise on the floor of a hotel gross you out?   I have a friend who won't ever walk in her hotel room barefoot...this kinda makes sense I guess, especially considering that one day I was doing sit ups in a hotel years ago and came up with a toe nail in my hair, but I continue to go barefoot and regularly find myself on the floor doing some sort of exercise or stretch. 

PUSH UP DAY 4

187 push ups

Today I started the 100 push ups challenge program -- I started on week 3 as that was suggested by the website based on the initial test.   It called for 5 sets, 1 minute apart ("or longer if needed") with the following reps per set:   14, 18, 14, 14 and then max.   Here is how it played out for me:

• 14 standard push ups
• 18 standard push ups
• 14
• 14
• 25 (18 standard and then the last 7 were with Finn on my back because he thinks it is funny to lay on my back when I do push ups -- I try to finish before the boys wake up, but they wake up extra early sometimes -- the only complaint I have about him jumping on is that he doesn't balance himself perfectly so I worry about over working one side, but this morning he kept one foot on the ground, so it wasn't all his weight, which I appreciated)

After doing the prescribed sets it was time to do the P90X3 video of the day called "The Challenge," which is just push ups and pull ups of varying types totaling to about 20 sets of each.   The idea is to pick a number you can (or maybe can) do for each and hit that number each set.    Today I picked 10 and 8....10 push ups and 8 pull ups.   Here is how all that played out:

• 2 warm up (Yes I was warmed up, but Tony told me to so I did)
• 10 standard
• 10 standard
• 10 military push ups
• 10 military
• 10 wide hands
• 10 wide hands
• 10 staggered hands
• 10 staggered hands
• 5 standard
• 5 military
• 5 wide
• 5 standard

Above were alternating with pull-ups and chin-ups of various types, but this is a push up blog now so I won't detail all of that.   In hindsight the one "max" effort I was to do today was actually assisted by Finn due to the fact that I stopped short of complete muscle out failure since he was on my back...not that it would've bothered him, it just gave me an excuse.   I'm OK with that though, even though I shouldn't be, because I seem to still be short of mentally prepared to go completely to failure.  

Spoiler alert!   Tomorrow will be a streak extender only...I might do my 25 reps in 25 sets :).  

Oh and as additional unnecessary info, I no longer allow Case to get on my back during push ups, dude weighs 65 pounds, which I'm pretty sure is what I weighed my first year of Mighty Might (under 80 pound) Football.   I was in the fourth grade.   Case just turned 7 and is in the first grade.

PUSH UP DAY 3

45 Push ups

The 100 push up challenge introduction says to take one or 2 days off after the initial test before starting the program, so I'll start tomorrow, which I think is a smart way to help continue this streak.  Or it's a cop out, either way I happy with it.   Anyway, today broke down like this:

• 15 standard push ups (warm up prior to P90X3 Agility X)
• 10 side arm balance push ups alternating sides
• 20 plyo push ups -- miserable efforts that result in hopping lateral movement

Running total, which has nothing to do with running:
124

PUSH UP DAY 2

31 Push ups

Today's push ups were at the behest of the great Tony Horton as I did Disc 1 of P90X3 -- a DVD based exercise program that is much less miserable than his famous P90X, but still grueling for its sheer relentlessness.   Anyway, that means the push up volume breakdown was as follows:

• 11 side arm balance push  ups (do a push up and then balance on one hand while turning to the side and pointing the off ground arm plus hand into the air -- picture 1 below, sans pony tail)
• 20 Strange ab working push ups (like picture 2 below, but imagine that guys left hand being perhaps a bit above his head from this angle?   When doing them you switch hands and feet position by doing push up jumps between them if that makes sense.  Whatever they suck, Tony is a machine.)

 

 

No, I don't know how to eliminate the space between above text and the first picture, I'm going to be surprised if anyone ever sees these posts anyway so I have decided not to care...one of the things that will keep this blog going is simplicity related to the act of posting, so...

 

Running total, which has nothing to do with running:

79

 



PUSH UP DAY 1

March 1, 2015
Referencing this:   http://www.hundredpushups.com/ Day 1 was the "initial" test.   

I managed 48 perfect form push ups prior to failure.   Probably more mental failure than physical as physically I may have been able to do ONE more, but having not done anything to physical failure in a long time it was hard to make myself do it, so I quit at 48.   Pathetic?   Sure.   But whatever. 

Running total that doesn't relate to running at all:
48

PUSH UPS STREAK

OK, I'm trying again!   This may last 3 days, it may end at 2, but hopefully it'll go for a while and the simple act of posting will provide some helpful accountability to myself...we'll see.

Here were the original rules I made for myself regarding a streak of consecutive days doing push ups:

• Do 25 push ups

That's it, I didn't make any more rules for myself thank goodness, so I guess I can do those in however many sets I choose or all at once.   And I can do them in whatever form I desire.   Huh, I really should be able to do this for a while right?   Well, I didn't even make it a month last time, so I guess we'll see.

Goals:

• Do the streak for a while
• Complete this 100 push up challenge thing because I've never done 100 push ups in a row before (http://www.hundredpushups.com/)
• Get back into the habit of posting things because then maybe I'll update my canoe blog and my Presidents blog--I have, after I think 2 years off, restarted reading about Presidents, though I'm horribly behind on posting about the ones I have read too.