The Backstory

Shortly after I had written down my impossible list I knew which impossible thing I wanted to tackle first and that was to complete the 100 Pushup Challenge. I had tried the challenge before but lost interest (or just plain wimped out) and I remembered that my current pushup record was 63 pushups in 60 seconds. So I figured with a bit of training I could get myself back into shape to attempt this challenge.

The Training

To train yourself to complete 100 pushups is surprisingly simple, just do lots of pushups! However the devil is in the detail, and while doing the challenge is simple, the reality is that’s not easy to say the least!

Luckily I had some helpful tools which you may want to consider when doing your own pushup challenge.

You might want to consider:

Go over to Steve Speirs awesome site and founder of the 100 Pushup Challenge and look up the training schedule and join the community
Posting on Facebook that you’re taking the challenge. Hey no one might care but if you keep repeating it to anyone in ear shot it will help you stay accountable.
You can download the deceptive simple but very useful iPhone app 100 pushups. It works just fine on an iPad too.
Just commit to trying to do the challenge at particular times or when you can. Doing a couple of sets shouldn’t take you any more than 10 minutes MAX. So you have no excuse to not having enough time to fit it in!

Previously…

I can’t believe that I started this challenge on 2nd October! That is 26 days! Including one whole week off!

Obviously as a personal trainer I am no stranger to doing pushups so if you were a complete beginner you might give yourself 3 months to complete the challenge.

My initial plan was to do the 100 pushups with fanfare and family standing all around.

But it never eventuated that way…

I have included the previously two sessions so you can see how much I struggled doing the challenge in the latter stages…

21st October:

Confession: It’s been a week since my last pushup!

This week was one of my most hectic weeks ever! I started a new teaching position, I had multiple art commission deadlines, I had my second toast masters speech and I was pulled in so many directions I almost couldn’t breath until i came home exhausted on friday after a very successful Cabernet & Canvas session with the team at Churchill Consulting.

After a bit of a sleep in this morning, and some much needed Pho at the Waneroo markets (best service and Pho in Perth – yes almost as good as Lido Vietnamese in Northbridge!) I got onto the task of continuing my quest to complete 100 consecutive Pushups. But after a week’s break should I just continue my program??

Watch the movie to find out…

24th October – 100 PushUp Challenge #4

26th October – 100 PushUp Challenge #5

The Final Test!

After about 2 months of training (and not every day) I finally have completed my 100 Pushup challenge! This was a part of my Impossible List. The funny thing was I was just trying to complete the weekly test to see what stage I’d be at to next.

So I busted out 60 as fast as possible, then I felt that I could at least do 20 more… then I thought to myself, you know what? It’s only 20 more and I went for the last 20.

Yes I rested in between, and yes my form is terrible but I’ve done it and it marks the first thing in my Impossible List that I’ve completed! Now to many more 🙂

Go ahead.. watch the movie and comment below!!

Once again, thanks to all of those who supported me in this endeavour. Thanks to Joel founder of the Impossible League who stirred the challenge back into me and for giving me the idea to dream a bigger dream in order to tell a better story. Thanks to Steve Speirs for the science and the training.

And ofcourse, thanks to all of you who have supported me and wondered whether I had a screw loose in order to consider doing the challenge (yes I do btw).

Need help with you challenge, or just happy to leave a comment? Just do so below.

Adios!

P.S What’s next you say…? After a bit of rest, 200 sit-ups of course! lol