One hundred push ups is all it takes to get super fit and healthy – according to http://hundredpushups.com/.
The site offers a six week training program that promises to increase your strength to the point where you can do 100 consecutive push ups. Sound crazy? It actually seems to work…and if you think that you’ll never do it, why not give it a try and see for yourself? No gym equipment needed, just good old gravity and your own body weight.
Now then, for those of you who haven’t experienced the pain of a school PE class in some years, here’s a reminder of what a push up is:
The definition of a push up according to Wikipedia, is “a common strength training exercise performed in a prone position, lying horizontal and face down, raising and lowering the body using the arms.”
Push ups are the stock standard training techniques used by armies, kung fu classes and personal trainers around the world. The reason why it’s so popular is because it basically gives your entire upper body and core a great workout, especially the pectorals and triceps.
I just did 10 and I can feel myself positively glowing with health already (and panting for relief).
How to do a push up
A quality push up involves the following:
• Lie prone (on your stomach) with your hands at shoulder width (or slightly wider)
• With your body kept straight, raise yourself off the ground
• Lower until your chest is nearly touching the ground
• Repeat (until you can’t anymore)
• To keep good form, imagine a straight line running between your head and your ankles
Here’s a great illustration of a push up by RunToWin.com:
There are of course as many variations of the humble push up as there are flavours of Baskin-Robbins ice cream, so you’ll never be bored.
Variations include doing pushups with bent knees, on your knuckles, leaning against a wall, using a chair, with hands close together, on one finger, etc…
Here’s what a push up routine will do for you:
1. Strength improvement
2. General health improvement
3. Toned upper body
4. Self confidence
Are you interested in this madness?
Sounds painful, but fun, right? Why not take the initial fitness test to see at what level you should start and then hit the 6 week program with a vengeance. What’s the worst that could happen – you could sprout a beach-ready body or die trying, right? Remember to seek medical advice before starting any medical program (the usual disclaimer…).
Here’s the full program.
Still not enough for you, you fitness nut?
Check out the two hundred sit ups and two hundred squats programs.
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What’s your life time record for doing consecutive push ups? When I was 17 I managed 100…when I was 17 though.