Monday, October 05, 2009

Do cheetahs ever prosper?

I feel like a cheater.

The 100 push up challenge wants you to do 90 seconds rest between sets. With me, it's more like a couple minutes or even a couple hours.

Generally the pattern runs thusly:

Get up, stumble towards the caffeine, take in enough to pry the eyelids open.
Do the first two push up and sit up sets, cursing.
Go to work.
At lunch, do a couple more push up and sit up sets (the easier ones)
More work.
Come home, greet the dog, do the remaining set of push ups and sit ups.

That's a bit more than 90 seconds.

My only defense is that I do the hardest ones first. The first set is always a struggle "I can't do this!" My arms have to get used to the idea of push ups afresh each time. And the second set is usually more reps, so that even though my arms are warmed up, it still feels like I'm pushing the limit of what I can do.

Even if I'm not doing this challenge the "right" way, it's still making my arms stronger. But I feel guilty, all the same.

Exercise du jour: Re-doing week 4 of the (full) 100 push up challenge. This time, because I feel guilty about repeating, I'm going to do the sets in the third column, the hardest one.

Day 1
(90 seconds rest in between)
Set 1 - 21
Set 2 - 25
Set 3 - 21
Set 4 - 21
Set 5 - 32

Week 5 of the 200 sit ups challenge
(60 seconds rest in between)
Day 1
Set 1 - 42
Set 2 - 52
Set 3 - 38
Set 4 - 33
Set 5 - 52


Done! Actually got `em done before noon for once. Plus 75 minutes walking.





Photo:Okay, so technically that's a photo of a jaguar, but I liked his style.

3 comments:

JavaChick said...

Hey, you are doing the challenge which is more than many of us can say. I don't even want to think about doing 100 pushups.

LaShaune said...

But why feel guilty if most trainers suggest that if you can't fit a full 30-60 mins into 1 session then break it up over the day.

yeah, yeah, technicalities and all - but you're still doing the challenge - that's more than I can say - so who am I to judge.

I say whoop whoop for even getting in 100 situps/pushups in one day.

The Merry said...

I'm afraid to push my arms too far. I've already been sidelines with an injury once trying this thing.

I did over 100 push ups and over 200 sit ups today! :)
Just not all at once. :(