Erasmus
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Linear Progression ChallengeSome time ago I ran across a fitness web site that had an interesting challenge. The goal was, starting at 1, add 1 push-up every day to the number of push-ups you do that day. So by the end of the year you are doing 365 push-ups/day. (that is 66,795 over the course of the year for those that are counting) Note: the rules allowed you to breakup push-ups throughout the day.
Now, I am WAY too feeble to do that. But I think it's still a great idea. So I thought why not just modify it to do something plausible for me.
My personal goal is to add 1 push-up/week and do 1 squat (no weight)/day.
Thees are both things I can do in the office without "pitting out". 
My challenge to you is to find something that will work for you and to join me. 
-E
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Red
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Um, what happens if you can't do one pushup. 
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Erasmus
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| Red wrote: | | Um, what happens if you can't do one pushup. |
I wish you hadn't said that. Now I have to embarrass myself further. I can't either. I do them with my hands on the edge of my desk. Sad really.
But you gotta start somewhere.
I do them clean though and I figure that 1 a week gives me enough wiggle room to edge my way down to the ground by the end of the year.
In any event, find something that works for you.
-E
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chainey
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Can I lie on my back and "push up" my hands?
There's quite a bit of atmospheric pressure at sea level you know. Plus of course gravity.
Reckon I could do one rep like that.
Maybe.
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Heather
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I'm always up for a good challenge. 
I find that it is much easier to do push ups after my cardio and I have no idea why.
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Red
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I can do girl-push-ups. But not even all that many of them. 
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Erasmus
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Day 45 Week 7:
7 push-ups
15 knee bends (i'll be catching up to the day count by adding 5/ day)
Valuable time wasted on this pointless exercise: a little less than it took to post this.
-E
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Heather
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I may be able to do one but I haven't tried... Challenge will be starting tomorrow. I think. Maybe....
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Vesna
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Somehow it's comforting to know I'm not the only one who can't do a single pushup.
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Erasmus
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Day 46 Week 7:
7 push-ups (1 real/6 desk)
20 knee bends (I'll be catching up to the day count by adding 5/ day)
-E
(it doesn't have to be push-ups you know. It can be anything.)
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Heather
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I couldn't do 1 man style but did manage 1 girl style push up....
YAY!
Day 1/1
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Dean
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| Erasmus wrote: | | (it doesn't have to be push-ups you know. It can be anything.) |
So, it could be pull ups or dips? I have a tower machine that I can do pull ups, dips, and push ups (on these handles at the bottom). So, could I do one of each, each day for a week? Is that how this Challenge goes? 
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Erasmus
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OK. Pick some that that you can do every day. Then Increase the reps of that thing in a periodic manner. Then keep it up for the rest of the year.
The original idea came for a challenge to push-ups, adding 1 per day so that you start on Jan 1 with 1 push-up and end on Dec 31 doing 365, resulting in having done 66,795 push-ups over the course of the year.
In my case I chose 2 things push-ups and knee bends. Both of these I can do anywhere so there are no excuses.  I am WAY too feeble to do push-ups as in the original challenge. So I opted to increase my push-ups at the rate of 1 per week rather than one per day. This would result in 9646 push-ups over the course over the year if I had started on Jan 1. I also will be working to do all of the push-ups properly as the year progresses. (I'm up to 1  )
The Knee bends I am doing on a per day progression so I *should* be at 46 as of today. I'm not ready to do that so I am playing catchup right now.
The challenge is to find something along those lines that works for you. You can either start at the first of the year and catch up or start at 1 now and go on. That's your call.
The original challenge allowed you to break up the push-ups throughout the day. Of course that still meant doing SIXTY push-ups SIX times a day in December. 
I see no reason to not allow that in this challenge as well. Especially towards the end of the year.
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Manaloa
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You know this sounds interesting. I'm going to start today.
Day 1
1 push-up (non-girly)
1 sit-up (full, not crunches)
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Dean
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So, E, are you doing one push up every week, or one push up every day for a week, then the next week, two push ups every day for that week, and so on?
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Erasmus
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EVERYDAY!
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Heather L
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Wow... amazing that so many struggle with the push ups.
I guess I am weird. I just now did a set of 20 boy style push ups. All those days training with the barbells have a few perks.
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Dean
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Heather, how are you for pull ups?
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Erasmus
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Day 47 Week 7:
7 push-ups (1 real/6 desk)
15+15=30 knee bends (I'll be catching up to the day count by adding 5/ day)
-E
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Heather L
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| Dean wrote: | | Heather, how are you for pull ups? |
Dean- I am still struggling with those. I can do the machine lat pulldown for 10 reps at 40 lbs less than my body weight. Once I get more pounds off I hope that I will be able to do real pullups.
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Manaloa
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Day 2
2 push-up (non-girly)
2 sit-up (full, not crunches)
I've got my daughter and hubby doing them with me now too.
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Manaloa
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Day 3
3 push-up (non-girly)
3 sit-up (full, not crunches)
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Erasmus
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Day 48 Week 8: (sunday)
8 push-ups (0 real/8 desk)
20+20=40 knee bends (I'll be catching up to the day count by adding 5/ day)
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 49 Week 8:
8 push-ups (2 real/6 desk)
25+20=45 knee bends (I'll be catching up to the day count by adding 5/ day)
-E
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Manaloa
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Day 4
4 push-up (non-girly)
4 sit-up (full, not crunches)
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Erasmus
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Day 50 Week 8:
8 push-ups (2 real/6 desk)
25+25=50 knee bends (I caught up! )
Boy howdy are my legs sore. It'll be nice to be adding just 1/day now.
-E
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Manaloa
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Day 5
5 push-ups (non-girly)
5 sit-ups (full, not crunches)
So far my family is still sticking with it too. We'll see how they feel when it gets closer to 10 each.
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Erasmus
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Day 51 Week 8:
4+4=8 push-ups (All REAL! )
26+25=51 knee bends
When it gets to ten? How about when it gets to 300?
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 52 Week 8:
push-ups: 5+3
knee bends: 30+22
-E
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Dean
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E, what does 30+22 and 5+3 mean? Sounds brutal, whatever it is!
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Erasmus
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| Dean wrote: | | E, what does 30+22 and 5+3 mean? Sounds brutal, whatever it is! |
30 reps at one setting and 22 reps at another for a daily total of 52.
My legs are too sore from playing catchup to do all 52 (53 today) at one go. But as I adjust and improve I hope to get to 100 reps before the end of the year. Even at that we're talking about 100+100+100+69 on Dec 31.
Push-ups I intend to do spot on clean and all in one go by year's end. I am, in a way, still playing catchup on them.
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Erasmus
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Day 53 Week 8:
push-ups: 6+2
knee bends: 35+18
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 54 Week 8:
push-ups: 8
knee bends: 54
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 55 Week 9:
push-ups: 9
knee bends: 55
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 56 Week 9:
push-ups: 9
knee bends: 56
Manaloa, where did you go?
-E
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jeff
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| Erasmus wrote: | Day 56 Week 9:
push-ups: 9
knee bends: 56
Manaloa, where did you go?
-E |
I was just thinking that today as well.
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Erasmus
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Day 57 Week 9:
push-ups: 9
knee bends: 57
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Erasmus
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Day 58 Week 9:
push-ups: 9
knee bends: 58
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Erasmus
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Day 59 Week 9:
push-ups: 9
knee bends: 59
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Heather L
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Erasmus- Glad to see you are making progress. Do you feel stronger?
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Erasmus
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| Heather L wrote: | | Erasmus- Glad to see you are making progress. Do you feel stronger? |
No. I feel weaker. My legs hurt like hell. Though I will admit that the pain that used to be in my gluts and 3 of the 4 quads is down to just two of the quads. Push-ups are as shaky as ever and not quite as clean as they should be but they ARE "real" at least.
Pick something and join me. March first sounds like nice place to start. 
-E
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Heather L
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Erasmus- I did 40 boy style push-ups just yesterday as part of my weight training session. I could work on increasing those. I am working hard to try to get to one real pull- up. I think that once I drop another 20 pounds, I may be able to.
I sympathize with you on the sore legs. I can get so sore if I overdo the leg/ lower body weight training. It is pathetic to feel that much pain just from getting up out of a chair. I have learned that if I am very consistent with the training that I get sore less often.
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Erasmus
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Day 60 Week 9:
push-ups: 9
knee bends: 60
| Heather L wrote: | Erasmus- I did 40 boy style push-ups just yesterday as part of my weight training session. I could work on increasing those. I am working hard to try to get to one real pull- up. I think that once I drop another 20 pounds, I may be able to.
I sympathize with you on the sore legs. I can get so sore if I overdo the leg/ lower body weight training. It is pathetic to feel that much pain just from getting up out of a chair. I have learned that if I am very consistent with the training that I get sore less often. |
Cool. You *could* (if you wanted to) start at 40 push-ups and add 1 a week like me and then you would be doing 82 by the end of the year.
FWIW, my knee bends have been getting deeper into nearly a catchers squat. I am currently doing 6 sets of 10 with a 15 sec rest. The "burn" subsides after about 30 min.
-E
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Heather L
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I would be willing to add one per week to the total, but I may not be able to do them as one long set. I may have to keep them in groups of 20 or so. 82 boy style push- ups as one long set may not be doable. I'll post my progress each week as I go along.
Your pain in the legs sounds more immediate, while mine was of the dreaded "delayed onset muscle soreness" variety. I love to lift weights, but DOMS can be brutal! The machine leg press can really get me if I let my ego push me to go beyond my limits.
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Erasmus
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Well two weeks ago the the Sunday 5 click dog walk/hike was pretty painful due to the day before's effort, 47. But you are right, the pain is more "normal" now.
And by all means, break up the push-ups over the course of the day.
Shoot, if you feel like it, bump it up 1 every 2 or 3 days instead of 1 every 7.
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 61 Week 9:
push-ups: 9
knee bends: 61
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Heather L
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Push ups- 20 + 20+ 20 (3 sets of 20 reps)
Progress toward doing pullups---- I was able to pull down my bodyweight on the lat pulldown machine. I'll make it to pull ups eventually.
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Erasmus
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| Heather L wrote: | Push ups- 20 + 20+ 20 (3 sets of 20 reps)
Progress toward doing pullups---- I was able to pull down my bodyweight on the lat pulldown machine. I'll make it to pull ups eventually. |
You're a better man than I am, Heather.
Day 62 Week 10:
push-ups: 10
knee bends: 62
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Day 63 Week 10:
push-ups: 10
knee bends: 63 (2 sets of 31 plus 1 because I forgot how to count)
-E
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Dean
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| Erasmus wrote: | | You're a better man than I am, Heather. |
After all those sessions at the back of the Bus, I have to say, I think she's a better woman. 
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Heather L
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| Dean wrote: | | Erasmus wrote: | | You're a better man than I am, Heather. |
After all those sessions at the back of the Bus, I have to say, I think she's a better woman. |
Erasmus- I do like to keep up with whatever the guys at the gym can do. Most of them can bench more than I do, of course, but not all. I do get the stares sometimes, but I prefer when one of the guys compliments me on my strength instead.
Dean- Yes, I would hope that after all those sessions, you'd know. My hormones keep causing me to get carried away and head to the back of the bus. I've been a bad, bad girl.
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Erasmus
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Day 64 Week 10:
push-ups: 10
knee bends: 64
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Day 65 Week 10:
push-ups: 10
knee bends: 65
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 66 Week 10:
Ummmm... Kind of forgot to do it.
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Day 67 Week 10:
push-ups: 10
knee bends: 67
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 68 Week 10:
push-ups: 10
knee bends: 68
-E
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Erasmus
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Day 69 Week 11:
push-ups: 11
knee bends: 69
Day 70 Week 11:
push-ups: 11
knee bends: 70
-E
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Erasmus
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Starting a new posting method....
Week 11 Days 69-75:
Days on goal : 7
Goals:
push-ups: add 1/week
knee bends: add 1/day
Feel free to join me Dean. I heard you were in need of exercise.
-E
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Heather L
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Erasmus- How's the linear challenge progressing for you this week?
I am reporting in with a group of 30, 20,and 30 boy push-ups for a total of 80. Whew. (Ouch!) This leaves me winded at the end of a set!
I am limiting it to what I can do in 5-6 minutes in order to give the challenge structure for me.
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Erasmus
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| Heather L wrote: | Erasmus- How's the linear challenge progressing for you this week?
I am reporting in with a group of 30, 20,and 30 boy push-ups for a total of 80. Whew. (Ouch!) This leaves me winded at the end of a set!
I am limiting it to what I can do in 5-6 minutes in order to give the challenge structure for me. |
I'm 3 for 4 days this week so far. I haven't done todays yet. Pushups are still pretty hard for me, but at least I'm doing them right and in one set which is my goal. The squats I do in sets of 20 or 30 and sometimes even 40 depending on my mood. I try to get them all done with rests of no more than a minute. So I guess I'm in your 5-6 min plan as well.
Congrats on the killer numbers. 
-E
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Heather L
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E- Congrats to you as well. 40 squats must really make your legs burn. Good job.
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Erasmus
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Starting a new posting method....
Week 12 Days 76-82:
Days on goal : 5
Missed two days.
Goals:
push-ups: add 1/week
knee bends: add 1/day
-E
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Erasmus
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Week 13 Days 83-89:
Days on goal : 6
Squats are now in sets of 40 with 90 second rests, push-ups are proper but shallow for the first few and clean and deep for the rest, all in one go.
Goals:
push-ups: add 1/week
knee bends: add 1/day
-E
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SandyDown
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Hey E, will start by doing 15-20 squats a day, and about 5 push-ups, am hopeless with push ups, my upper body is seriously weak.
Ok, did you see any difference in the way your thighs looks? I know the effectiveness will vary between males and females, am not after huge bulging thighs, just to tone up would be fine.
I heard squats, lunges, push-ups are way more effective than using weight machines, so wondered if anyone can testify to that...
Lawd, am happy I don't have to do lunges on this challenge
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Erasmus
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Nope. Thighs look the same. Still covered with fat.
I don't know if they are more effective, but they do have the advantage of NOT requiring any equipment. So... No excuses!
Glad to see you on board!
-E
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SandyDown
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| Erasmus wrote: | Nope. Thighs look the same. Still covered with fat.
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Very disappointed, and soooo not the answer I wanted to hear... my thighs are not too fatty at all, but need a good tonning!!
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Erasmus
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I don't know if this will make you feel better or worse but...
When I started out I could feel each of the four quads in my quads. You see they each had a distinctive pain signature. So I know they are all getting a workout, and therefore toned, under there somewhere. I'll let you know how it worked when I get around to taking off my fat suit.
-E, who would like to dance the Mamushka like Gomez, rather than Fester.
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SandyDown
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Hey E, just to report, I did my 20 squats today, also did some crunches and a very long walk outdoors, am gona give the push-ups a miss for now
I was thinking, I tried callanetics a few years ago, and I did see a difference within 3 weeks... only the callanetics is so time consuming, I'd need a whole 45 minutes to do it, may be I'll extract the legs workout out of it and try to do it on its own.
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