We all have one exercise we hate. Sometimes it’s a burpee, sometimes it’s a board, but for me it’s a push-up. I know it’s great for building upper body strength, but I think it’s really difficult. That’s why workouts always avoid them, swapping for other exercises, and choosing the easiest and modified version to manage.
When doing so stylistFitness Editor Miranda asked if I was going to take on the Strongwoman Training Club’s 4-week push-ups challenge. Naturally, I was reluctant. But when I think about it, I think it’s a great opportunity to finally overcome the fear of push-ups and strengthen the upper body, which is often ignored.
Before I changed my mind, I told Miranda that I was there and she sent me a four-week training program. Read on to see how I got on.
Benefits of push-ups
I wanted to know why incorporating horrific push-ups into your workout routine is a good idea to motivate you before the challenge.
“Not only is it great for developing strength, endurance and hypertrophy (size), but it’s also a great way to prevent injuries through joint stability, mobility and body control,” said Ben Cunnington, Nuffield Health’s personal trainer. Told me.
Push-ups work primarily on the pectoralis major (chest), triceps brachii (behind the arms), and deltoid muscles (shoulders), but are also ideal for strengthening the lower and core of the back, such as the abdominal and gluteal muscles. is.
“It’s easy to do in a small space like a bedroom or hotel room, you can adapt it to your fitness level, and you don’t need any equipment,” said Lucy Arnold, founder of Lucy, PT’s comprehensive fitness wear brand. Added. I love rockets.
Moreover, unlike weight training movements such as chest presses and shoulder presses that require breaks for recovery, these are the types of movements that can be routinely incorporated on a regular basis.
What are the four-week push-up challenges?
Designed by Strongwoman trainer Janine George, the training plan aims to build enough strength to nail up to 10 consecutive push-ups by the end of the week, with training twice a week. It has been constructed.
I thought I needed to do endless push-up variations every day, but I was happy to know that it wasn’t. Each workout in the plan begins with a warm-up, followed by one or two strength circuits. This includes various exercises to complete 3 times. Then try push-ups (this section gets harder as the challenge progresses). Finally, there is a cooldown.
“In the last four weeks of eight training challenges, you’ll be ready to do one or a series of push-ups, depending on your level,” George told me. “You can see the definition of muscle, and you can expect the upper body, especially the arms, chest, and core to be stronger overall.”
You’ll need some weight to complete your workout, but if you don’t have dumbbells, you can use a water bottle or a can of beans to move around.
After researching the assignments and watching the exercises, I was excited to start myself and see if I could really nail the push-up set by the end of the month.
What is the correct way to do push-ups?
Before jumping, I wanted to make sure the form was correct, so I asked Arnold to explain how to properly perform the box push-ups, a variation of the first push-ups in the challenge.
Here’s how to do box push-ups:
- Place your hand on a raised surface such as a box or kitchen counter. Straighten your arms, keep your legs hip-width apart, and slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Pull your navel and squeeze your gluteal muscles.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the edge of the surface, keeping your elbows in place.
- Pause and hold your arm before stretching it back. Make sure your body stays in a straight board position all the time.
- repeat.
How to do a full pushup
Barry’s instructor, Honey Fine, also provided advice as he needed to brush up on how to do push-ups.
- Start by taking a tall board on your hands and toes and making sure your shoulders overlap your wrists.
- Make sure the core is active so that you pull on your navel and press on your gluteal muscles.
- Slowly descend to the ground and bring your arms and elbows out at 45 degrees.
- It will stop when it is halfway.
- Exhale, squeeze the muscles, and return to the high plate position.
Push-ups Week 1: Introduction
After a peaceful weekend, I felt positive and motivated, so I decided to complete the first training of the challenge on Monday morning before work. It took about 40 minutes in total, but it was probably a bit slower as it took me a while to understand the movement and check the form.
After completing the strength circuit, including upper body exercises such as biceps curls and dumbbell pullovers, I had to move to the focus of push-ups and do two push-ups. I managed to do them, and surprisingly I found that I even enjoyed them. It was only one day, but after that I felt strongly and achieved it.
I did my second training week on Thursday and spent a few days in the meantime. Exercises in the strength block included a tall board, a bent row arm, and triceps extension, and after completing all the sets, I really felt it on my arms and shoulders.
Today’s training required three push-ups, which I did again. It was very comfortable. I wasn’t a big fan of knee push-ups, but doing this was a lot of fun for me. Too many, I found myself practicing them outside the challenge.
Push Up Challenge Week 2: Make Progress
This week’s session was similar to the first week, but with some new and more challenging moves. For example, the kneeling rebellion row from the first week became a complete rebellion row in the second week, and the biceps curl was replaced with a hammer curl in the press.
I wanted to devote all of myself to this challenge, so I really pushed myself with the heaviest dumbbells I could manage with each move, making sure my form was correct. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with your exercise in advance so that you can do it properly and not waste time during your workout.
By the end of the second week, I was able to do five push-ups. It may not sound like much, but after completing the intense circuit of the upper body, the arms felt like jelly!
Overall, the second week was a lot harder, but I still felt positive about the unexpected challenge. Did I become a push-up convert?
Push-ups Week 3: Raise Ante
I was nervous when I entered the third week. This is because the box push-ups are gone and it’s time to start practicing complete push-ups. Gokugoku.
The class structure has also changed slightly, with one long-strength circuit repeated three times instead of two short circuits. Exercise ranged from bear crawls and low boards to push-ups to rebel the line (these were hard and had to go down to the knees).
George told me I chose these particular movements because I targeted all the right muscles for push-ups, and awesome, I really felt it. On both days, the first time was OK, the second time I felt tough, and by the third time I felt burns on my arms, shoulders and chest. Many exercises required you to lose weight at this point.
Then a complete push-up happened. On day 5, the challenge suggested trying four of them, which was too much for me. But I managed one push-up and was over the moon. I noticed that I pushed it back hard, but nevertheless I did it. This was something I couldn’t do before the challenge, so knowing that I was improving was incredibly motivating.
On the 6th day, the recommended number of push-ups was 6, but I could only do it 3 times before I fell on the mat. Still, for me this was a huge success.
Push-ups Challenge Week 4: Last Push
In the final week, I decided to do my best to see how far I could reach.
Other than the challenge, I took the time to improve the strength of my upper body. As suggested by personal trainer and fitness influencer Curly Rowina, I have incorporated exercises such as chest press, triceps, commands, crab faucets, and planks into my regular workouts. “These movements help strengthen the muscles used when doing push-ups,” she told me. I also practiced push-ups and did some box variations or complete push-ups every day. I think this was really helpful.
On the 7th day, the second day from the end, I did four push-ups. Three days later, I started the final class with practice of push-ups. On the 8th day, I was able to do push-ups a total of 6 times in a row, followed by 3 push-ups on my knees. And just like that, the challenge is complete.
Push up the Challenge Birdic
After a month of challenge, it was strangely sad that it was over. It was very encouraging to see my progress over the weeks and I felt a great sense of accomplishment. I’m really proud because I never thought I could do one push-up, let alone six push-ups in a row.
When it comes to physical changes, my upper body feels much stronger than my core. I’m not saying it was a big success, but after finishing the challenge, I was able to lift a slightly heavier weight by exercising my upper body.
I found that the task could easily be adapted to my routine. For most people, it’s manageable two days a week, and each workout is fun and refreshing, and it doesn’t take up much space so I could do it in the bedroom.
The biggest revelation for me was that I really like push-ups, and I’m definitely going to incorporate them into my routine in the future. Looking back, I think it was a mental barrier that stopped it in the past.
Now I’m excited to continue with them, and my goal is to reach 12 consecutive full push-ups. We also continue to do many of the challenges, as we have found it to be very effective and efficient in strengthening the muscles of the upper body.
If push-ups can be daunting, it’s a good idea to chew bullets and incorporate push-up variations into your training. You never know, you could be a convert like me!
Push up challenge tips
- Practice strength training and push-ups in advance to make sure you do it right and get the full benefits.
- If you’re not sure, take a look at the tutorial or ask your coach to review the form.
- Other than the challenge, make sure you are working on upper body strength. Cunnington offers exercises such as dumbbell bench press, tilt press, chest press and reverse fly.
- Weight transfer such as triceps, stilt, and commando was also found to be particularly effective.
- Rowena cautions you to be kind to yourself, especially if you are a complete beginner. “Push-ups are difficult! There are days when you feel like you can continue, and there are days when your body enters a world of pain with a single push-up. It’s all part of the process, but with faith and continuation. I will do it, “she says.
- The challenge only takes two days a week, so try push-ups the rest of the day to stay momentum.
