LoR and 100 Push Ups.

[FatStupidAmerican]

http://www.hundredpushups.com/

I think it was borriofburi who showed this to us last night in #lor last night, it is a push up program aimed at getting you up to 100 push up. Myself, CE, LoneLocus and maybe a few other people decided that we are going to try this program out.

So I am posting this here to see if any other LoR members want to give it a try.

The website also has a logger for the program.

So if anyone that would like to join in, sign up for the logger and post your user name here.

There is also a 200 sit up and 200 squat program listed on there which I think I am going to do as well.



User name - FSamerican

 

[Squawk]

Couple of points.

1. I am already at the start of week 4
2. Don't do this unless you are willing to do something to strengthen your back at the same time.

By doing this many press ups (push ups for you Americans) you can create a serious strength inbalance, you get far stronger pushing than pulling. To counter the effect you should endeavour to do either pull ups (though you won't get near 100, doesn't much matter) or bent over rows.

If you do only press ups you WILL fuck up your posture.

 

[borrofburi]

I think it was borriofburi who showed this to us last night in #lor last night

Indeed, thanks for credit.

So if anyone that would like to join in, sign up for the logger and post your user name here.

Aight, I start in week three though, username borrofburi

2. Don't do this unless you are willing to do something to strengthen your back at the same time.

Do pullups really strengthen back that much as an alternative to pushups? The thing with pushups is that they require nothing but the floor and yourself, whereas pullups require somethign to hang on, and "bent-over rows" require weights...

 

[FatStupidAmerican]

I think pull ups does work out your back a little bit, I think its really more in the lats.

 

[Durakken]

Question... any suggestions on how to do this with these 2 problems...

#1. I have never been able to do "proper" pushups because of some sort of problem with my feet... solution: knee pushups
#2. My knee is jacked up... if anything touches it or i put any pressure on it it reflectively jumps... part of the problem i was having with driving, considering i'm also tall i would hit my knee and slam on the gas or break... not a good thing. Solution: No clue...


I plan on doing the sit up one.

 

[Krpi]

A lot depends on how you perform the pull up. If you just go up in a straight line so that your chin barely clears the bar you're missing out. What you need to do is pull yourself behind the bar, imagine trying to go around it (easier to do if you arch your back in the bottom position). Aim at having the bar touch your chest. This way you get more activation in the back.
Another thing to do just for the hell of it is the front lever progression, assuming you have a pull up bar at home. That'll definitely work your back.

As for 100 pushups... I guess it gives some bragging rights but it won't earn you much strength.

And Durakken, you can always do dips! And in case they are too challenging there's this variation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkH4DMdGImA (though with better technique)

 

[CosmicSpork]

I've been tempted to do this but if I do do it, it probably won't be until the new year.

 

[Squawk]

A lot depends on how you perform the pull up. If you just go up in a straight line so that your chin barely clears the bar you're missing out. What you need to do is pull yourself behind the bar, imagine trying to go around it (easier to do if you arch your back in the bottom position). Aim at having the bar touch your chest. This way you get more activation in the back.
Another thing to do just for the hell of it is the front lever progression, assuming you have a pull up bar at home. That'll definitely work your back.

As for 100 pushups... I guess it gives some bragging rights but it won't earn you much strength.

And Durakken, you can always do dips! And in case they are too challenging there's this variation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkH4DMdGImA (though with better technique)

+1 to all that.

Anything above about 12-15 reps and you're working on stamina rather than strength, but I still think it's a worthwhile thing to do hence the reason I am going through it.

Pull ups are an excellent general back workout, though you need to go through the full range of motion. Straight arm hang and then pull your chin well over the bar (don't strain your neck to get there, that's not a pull up).

 

[AndromedasWake]

Following up on Squawk's advice, even if you don't run this routine, but you do regular sets (I do 3 sets of 20 before running and one set afterwards) it's important to implement some kind of back workout. I find the simplest is to sit and do reverse flyes, but if you've got a pull-up bar that's probably much better.

I'm considering taking on this challenge as well, but I'm always rather sceptical about how they choose the best number of reps for each set.

 

[Squawk]

Following up on Squawk's advice, even if you don't run this routine, but you do regular sets (I do 3 sets of 20 before running and one set afterwards) it's important to implement some kind of back workout. I find the simplest is to sit and do reverse flyes, but if you've got a pull-up bar that's probably much better.

I'm considering taking on this challenge as well, but I'm always rather sceptical about how they choose the best number of reps for each set.

I stalled during week three workout 2 (or 3, not sure which it was) The jump was just huge from the day before. I don't think its particularly scientific, the guy just picked a figure out of thin air and decided that 18 worksouts was sufficient. Based on performance to date I reckon its gonna be more like 30 workouts, so call it 10 weeks rather than 6

 

[borrofburi]

I could of sworn he said something about a military handbook, but all I could find was this page, where he talks about using a similar program from a friend's blog:

I painstakingly stuck to the plan, and surprised myself when I was able to complete "the magic hundred" at the end of the 7th week; yes, I had to repeat one of the weeks mid-way through the plan.

 

[lonelocust]

I went ahead and started at day 1 because the last time I tried I could only do 5 proper-form pushups. (I usually do 3 sets of 15 on bench pushups, and have been trying to work down to doing correct ones on the floor, but am still struggling.) I managed to do 7 in the end max set, though, so I could have started just slightly forward, but I'm sure it will catch up to me pretty quickly.

For you kids looking for back exercises and who don't have access to a gym or pullup bar:

Dumbell rows are a great counter for pushups/pressups. Pop over to a sporting goods store or a generic big box store (Target, Kmart, etc. I don't know what equivalents there are in Europe) and grab some dumbbells. They're very cheap.


For your lower back, try the locust (or "supermans") Lower back strength is important for keeping good form in pushups, and this will build your core strength as well. For a big more challenge and building some strength higher as well, put your arms in front of you instead of to the sides as in this video.

 

[Krpi]

In my opinion supermen are next to useless. The resistance you're working against is minimal compared to the strength potential of the posterior chain.
The lower back/abs are mainly there for stability. So let's train for stability!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc1smz3ut0E&feature=related
I'd imagine training these alongside the pushup program ought to help minimize the core fatigue during long pushup sets, enabling you to focus more on the pressing.

But really, when it comes to pushups no one needs to be too concerned about their lower back.
Then again, someone might want to start a more general fitness thread where we could discuss these things further.

 

[lonelocust]

In my opinion supermen are next to useless.[/quit]

Well, based on my experience I am forced to disagree strongly with you. However, I do always hold it, in the manner of yoga, rather than lifting up and down. While I love all plank-based exercises, I have known people to have weak lower to mid backs to the point that they couldn't hold the plank for 5 seconds, and using the locust helped build that strength. But even though I do lots of reversed situps and deadlifts, I still can get myself sore from a prolonged use of the pose (say holding it about 20 breaths 3 times in a row).

The resistance you're working against is minimal compared to the strength potential of the posterior chain.
The lower back/abs are mainly there for stability. So let's train for stability!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc1smz3ut0E&feature=related

I am in 0 disagreement that these are great exercises, but some people won't even be able to hold these positions.

But really, when it comes to pushups no one needs to be too concerned about their lower back.

Again, this is contrary to my experience. Holding a proper form and not sticking one's posterior in the air requires lower back strength. I have personally seen numerous people complain of pain or be unable to hold anything like a plank or do anything like a proper-form pushup due to a weak lower back. If anyone starts the pushup program and experiences these particular issues, building lower back strength is the way to go. If they don't, well, they probably have the proper strength there so yeah, it's not an issue.

 

[Krpi]

Well, based on my experience I am forced to disagree strongly with you. However, I do always hold it, in the manner of yoga, rather than lifting up and down. While I love all plank-based exercises, I have known people to have weak lower to mid backs to the point that they couldn't hold the plank for 5 seconds, and using the locust helped build that strength. But even though I do lots of reversed situps and deadlifts, I still can get myself sore from a prolonged use of the pose (say holding it about 20 breaths 3 times in a row).

Again, this is contrary to my experience. Holding a proper form and not sticking one's posterior in the air requires lower back strength. I have personally seen numerous people complain of pain or be unable to hold anything like a plank or do anything like a proper-form pushup due to a weak lower back. If anyone starts the pushup program and experiences these particular issues, building lower back strength is the way to go. If they don't, well, they probably have the proper strength there so yeah, it's not an issue.

Ok, I'll give you that one; if there's a person who can't hold a plank (thus being unable to perform a pushup) then sure, they can do whatever they are able to do. But for others I don't see the benefit, in pushups you're trying to stop your back from arching while supermen hit the arched position the hardest. The two just don't match. Doing supermen is probably better than nothing but there are lots of better ways to train your lower back.
And for the pushup challenge planks are the way to go. Can't get much more specific than that.

But anyway, I'm surprised you'd do such a light and limited lower back exercise after doing deadlifts. Compared to heavy deadlifting supermen just don't offer anything. Is there a specific reason for this or are you doing them just for the hell of it?

 

[Squawk]

I'd argue that isolation (ish) core work after deadlifting is a pretty good idea. Deadlifts will of course hit the whole posterior chain and fire all the core, but if there are weaknesses in the core you won't address them with deadlifts (or squats).

 

[CosmicSpork]

You know what, this has gone from what I thought was a fairly simple "do push-ups until you can do loads of them" to something far more complicated than I have interest in.

 

[Krpi]

I'd argue that isolation (ish) core work after deadlifting is a pretty good idea. Deadlifts will of course hit the whole posterior chain and fire all the core, but if there are weaknesses in the core you won't address them with deadlifts (or squats).

True but if you deadlift you're fairly certain to understand that doing a exercise with minimal resistance is fairly useless to you. Good mornings, 45 degree hypers, reverse hypers etc. can be loaded appropriately so they are preferred over light exercises such as the superman.

And depending on your own structure, goals and form, squats and deadlifts might be pretty much everything you need to work your core. If your goal is to be the strongest deadlifter alive then you'll have to do all sorts of assistance exercises. But if you're like me that your mid section hasn't shown any signs of hampering your lifts and you're not looking to lift weights indefinitely then the core lifts may work your midsection well enough. Depends.