AWOL, be back in January 2010

I have been away from the site and from running and pushups for over a month. It's a mix of many things but I will be back in January 2010 in full steam.
Considering I have a wedding to attend mid-February (in other words: I need to lose weight) and numerous goals for 2010, I am sure a break of the length I've had is a good thing.
Cheers.

100 pushups, Week 2 day 3: repeat

In the last post, I indicated I had done about the right number of pushups for Week 2 day 3 but with the wrong combination. I promised to repeat but with the right combination. And I did it - but with a pushup more: Instead of 12-13-10-10 I did 12-14-10-10...

Anyway, here:
Set 1: 12 pushups
Set 2: 14 pushups
Set 3: 10 pushups
Set 4: 10 pushups
Final set: 26 pushups

Total: 72 pushups

The muscles are not feeling the pain as they were at the beginning. I have the hang of it, I think. I guess it has something to do with the two-day break.
Week 2 done now to the stage that separates the boys from the men (the men from the boys etc).
On this level there are 2146 participants but on Week 3 day 1 we have 3909. I'm heading there folks.

I am duly advised: "Don't forget, now you've completed Week 2, it's time to take an exhaustion test. Perform as many good-form push ups as you can manage before you physically can't do another one."

100 pushups, Week 2, day 3

Yippeeee! Week 2 is done.

This is how it went down ...

Set 1: 10 pushups
Set 2: 14 pushups
Set 3: 9 pushups
Set 4: 9 pushups
Final set: 21 pushups

I did the timing but couldn't trace the paper on which I recorded the times, so ...
Boy, it was tough but good ...

Total no: 63 pushups.

Again, I missed out on the combination; let's say I screwed up the sets. It shoulda been: 12-13-10-10 then a maximum of 15 pushups. Total: 60 push ups, minimum.
Just so that am on the clear, I will do a repeat tomorrow morning. Repeat to myself: 12-13-10-10 then at least 15.

So far so good.
Tomorrow: 12-13-10-10 then at least 15.

100 pushups Week 2 Day 2

Whoever said attitude was everything was right, trust me. I woke up with a 'can-do' attitude, and attacked the pushups 'like a problem.'

Set 1: 10 pushups, 19secs
Set 2: 13 pushups, 29secs
Set 3: 9 pushups, 19secs
Set 4: 9 pushups, 29secs
Final set: 17 pushups, 42secs

Total number of pushups: 58 pushups
Time taken: 13 minutes

The first set was a breeze. I felt like I was on diesel ... Perhaps the 10 pushups I did yesterday contributed to it, perhaps ... But after the third set, why lie, I 'saw' stars... for I got to experience that mocking phrase, 'until you can physically do no more' especially when I did the 'death' set.
I hadn't noted the number of pushups per set, especially the second set where I did 13 instead of 12. Just as well for the previous session I did a pushup less on the second set. The final set asked for a minimum of 13 pushups; I did 17. Excellent!.
Thirteen sessions to go.
I checked the website ... Week 2 day 2 has 1,873 participants ... so far so good.

100 pushups, Week 2 Day 1

Down to Week 2. Took a break, sort of, for I travelled upcountry.
Set 1: 9 pushups, 33secs
Taken very well. Feeling good, but some fatigue/pain creeping in.

Set 2: 10 pushups, 27secs
Good enough but belaboured from the 8th pushup.

Set 3: 8 pushups, 20secs
The muscles are in the mood - sweat, strain and all. Thinking: 8 more to go and I'll be set for the death set.

Set 4: 8 pushups, 28s
Just 8 and I will be done so I psyche myself up and go for them but reaching the 5th, I can't lie, I'm struggling like crazy. I struggle through the last three but manage to finish decently.

At this point, I leave the bedrooom and walk to the sitting room, put on the TV, Kiss Tv to be precise, for some music and all I get is this weird rock music. I retreat to the bedroom for the final dose of pushups.

Final set: 13 pushups, 54 sec
This must be the longest 54 seconds of the morning. At pushup no. 8 am done so have to drag myself all the way to 13. The 13th I just get by and collapse on the floor - all sweaty and breathy like hell.

Total time taken including breaks: 9min, 40secs. Total pushups: 48 pushups.

Day 1 of Week 2 done. Fourteen sessions to go ... then I realise I was supposed to do 9-11-8-8 and a max of 11. I did 10 instead of the 11 required for the second set... aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

I wonder what I can do on the rest day to prepare the arms for the next day's cluster of pushups. Any idea?

Running beckons ...

100 pushups, Week 1, Day 3

So far so good: 8-10-7-7 pushups then a final set of 13 pushups. Total: 45 pushups in 11 min 26 sec. Not bad.
By the time I got through the second set - 10 pushups - I was feeling the 'wail' of the muscles but the thought of doing three less - 7 - put a smile on my face.
After the mandatory/scheduled pushups, I took like forever before I turned to the 'exhaustion' final lap where I did 13. I willed myself to do the 13... and it felt good after, much, much after.
Fifteen sessions to go. I'm not feeling as much pain in my arms ...
According to the website, there are 3,209 pushup-ers on week 1, day 3 - contrast that with 455 on week 6, day 3! We are talking 2,754 guys who have dropped out. Five weeks from now, I want to be among the 455 that saw the programme through.
Cheers fellas;

100 pushups Week 1 Day 2

I am on the second day of the first week of the 100 pushups programme.
I was up by 5.58am, stretched a bit to shake off the lethargy hthen got down to it.
I managed a total of 37 pushups in 10 minutes: 6, 8, 6, 6 then 11. For this day, the programme recommends a minimum 7 pushups after the mandatory four sets.
Whoever came up with the programme was right to recommend a day's rest. My arms, the upper part, were screaming but as one of the quotes in Jack's blog have it, 'Pain means weakness leaving the body.' I hope so.
(What have pushups got to do with stomach muscles? Mine are aching like crazy!)
But I'm with it.
A day off. Then day 3. Eighteen session to go. Boy!
Cheers