CyclePUPs Week 4

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OK, ladies, here we go: week 4! Several of us will be repeating week 3, some will be flip-flopping between the "old" and the "new" targets on the 100 pushups website, but we will all move forward. Here are the results from last week (week 3):



WOW! Over 1,000 pups total!!! (for some reason the total won't show...it's 1136)

A big HOORAH for group 3: everyone completed the week at the suggested level! That's some serious pups, ladies!

For week 4 into week 5, I will be cavorting with the PUS on the trails in central Oregon, but I'm sure we'll continue our routines. Unless she kills me.

[SadieKate]

Hey! I just ran off (contrary to what I said) and did Week 3/Day 3.

11-13-9-9-25 = 67

Because of my GD wrist I did plank position but from the edge of my bathroom counter. I can't take the more acute angle in my wrist if I do them lower.

Oh yeah. Hutch's West Side has 3 bikes that should be in your size range.

[OakLeaf]

Okay okay I know. I wanted to title this message "Giant FAIL" but I'm not gonna. Still feel that way...

I started the week with my shoulders still sore from Thursday's trail cleanup, Friday's pups and cardio/strength class, and Saturday's hilly 80 miles. Plus probably not enough protein over the weekend. Knew I was going to be in trouble when I did a short set in my cardio/strength class yesterday - half of them on my knees - and they weren't "nothing" as those short sets were for me last week.

Yesterday was supposed to be a consolidation day - many fewer pups than we'd done last week - instead I managed the fixed sets but only 18 on the max-out (instead of the 32 minimum in the plan)

Now I'm not sure of the best way to retrench. I'm inclined to step down to group 2 for the rest of the week, then do week 4 again in group 3 next week.

[Flybye]

Sorry for my delinquency on posting last week. I guess you can give me a demerit or something.
Here is Week 3
Day 1 =81
Day 2=91
Day 3=102 - yowza baby!!
Total for week 3 = 274

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With Flybye and SK's additions, we're up to 1,325 for last week. Just think of all the power we could generate with that many pushups!!!!

Oakleaf, I'd just do whatever feels good. I've decided that the sets are nice goals, but if I end up doing them in a different order or tacking 2 onto one and taking 2 off another but still reach the total, I'm doing OK. I did last week's day 3 pups on Sunday and then day 1 of this week 's the following day because I wanted to get back on schedule. It was tough, but not as tough as I thought it would be. I like doing the longest non-max set first, and will probably continue with that trend. But doing pups a day after a long, hard run was much harder that doing pups two days in a row. I think those other activities take a lot more out of the rest of you...

That said, tomorrow I have to go to a birthday party so I will try to do my pups in the morning. That will be a new one for me!

[Grog]

So I'm really back in the swing of things:

I did Week 3, Day 2, Column 1 today:

10 / 12 / 8 / 8 / 12 (which was the "minimum" max). So

50!!!!!

is my total.

I experimented on the breathing thing. I got it right on the second and third level, and then kept "experimenting" and that's how I almost failed the fifth level, as my breathing was totally out of whack. Anyway I've figured out what I have to do: I need to breathe out before I start, then I breathe in during the descend and the start of the push up, and exhale the rest of the way up. Start inhaling again before I start going down, and the beat seems about right. My heart rate shoots up, but that will improve in time.

I think Saturday will be a good day: 11 / 13 / 9 / 9 / 13+ is the plan, so total 55... am I getting this right?

[jesvetmed]

I think that even though this week is supposed to be a little easier, it seems harder.
I managed to get through the numbers of Day 1 Column 3. BUT... I have to admit I had to hit my knees to finish some of the sets.

Here's how it came out:
Set 1: 21 on toes
Set 2: 25 on toes, but VERY difficult to finish.
Set 3: 15 on toes, 6 on knees, and I felt like I wasn't going to finish that!
Set 4: 11 on toes, 10 on knees -- again almost didn't make it
Set 5: 23 on toes, and finished out to total 35 by hitting my knees.

I guess I'm still working the same muscles by dropping to my knees, but it feels like such a failure.
I think my arms are quite tired this week -- and I went to boot camp last night and did tricep dips and pull ups and overhead shoulder presses. I'm sure that isn't helping.

Anyone else falling to their knees to finish any of their sets?
Wondering if I should be backing up to last week... I think I'll see how this week goes -- maybe I will feel better later in the week.
Jes

[Grog]

I guess I'm still working the same muscles by dropping to my knees, but it feels like such a failure.

I don't think so!

I think my arms are quite tired this week -- and I went to boot camp last night and did tricep dips and pull ups and overhead shoulder presses. I'm sure that isn't helping.

You're asking quite a bit of your upper body there!

Anyone else falling to their knees to finish any of their sets?
Wondering if I should be backing up to last week... I think I'll see how this week goes -- maybe I will feel better later in the week.

I really want to do them all on my toes, but I don't think it's necessary. Just a matter of taste I guess. I started in column 2 because of my initial test but my stickwoman arms did not allow me to stay there. I decided to switch column to do smaller sets instead. I am trying to keep perfect form the whole time, I go pretty slow so it's even more taxing. I don't really care about how fast I get to 100 but my guess is that it will take me 8 to 10 weeks. I'll probably throw another rest week in there in a couple of weeks, too.

Frankly I think the 100 pushups in 6 weeks idea is a good one to drag people to get started, but at the same time I find that the program is not very realistic for most and can be discouraging, which certainly isn't the point. However, I don't know how much people would embark in a "100 pushups in 10 weeks" program, not so sexy. Anyway.

Don't break your body or your soul over this!

[jesvetmed]

Thanks, Grog! It's so funny what a perfectionist I tend to be. I need to probably lay back and take it slower. I'll see how the rest of the week feels and go from there!

[michelem]

Just thought I'd chime in here even though I'm doing this thing on my own (got started late and such). Anyway, I learned a neat trick yesterday that upped my max pushups quite a bit over what I was able to do prior: instead of counting one through whatever my max is, I just keep starting over at 1 every time I hit ten. For some reason, I think this fools my brain into thinking I'm not doing as many as I am. Before, I kept maxing out at the same number day after day and not improving on the max efforts.

Maybe give it a try . . .

[emily_in_nc]

I'm so impressed with you all! I don't understand exactly how this all works yet, but I've got the gist of it from reading the hundred pushups site. I was on vacation the week most people started, and then took forever to get back to being caught up enough on other things to get around to doing the pre-test. Finally did it today. I'm 47 and did 11 (though the last two were pretty shaky -- they are HARD to do on the toes since I'm used to doing knee pushups). That puts me in column 2. I'm planning to start with the regular weekly ones soon. I can't imagine doing set after set, but I'm game to try!

[bluebug32]

Last week severely kicked my butt. I've been doing a lot of other upper body stuff, but I started the new week in group 1 instead of 2 and that's feeling better. This program really keeps things moving along!

[OakLeaf]

Yep, I stepped down to column 2 today and that felt about right. My shoulders are (still) pretty sore.

[SadieKate]

I am afraid. Very afraid.

The PUO arrives tomorrow . . . .

[Aggie_Ama]

I did mine last night, still hanging on for dear life in group two. The first 4 sets went okay, then I got to the max out. Oh my that was awful. I am doing the knee push-ups and it is not that much easier. Sure I can do more but my muscles are sore this morning anyway. I am on a W-F-Su schedule again this week, I was hoping Tu-Th-Sa but alas it is getting harder to get moving on these things!