My family and I started the 100 Push Up training program today. http://hundredpushups.com/week1.html

Last week we did the initial test to see where we should each start, but couldn’t start the training for real until today. I did 2, my husband did 20 and our son did 26. (Our son did so many, he gets to start at week 3 in the advanced column!) The training schedule includes 5 sets of push ups 3 days a week. We plan to do ours on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and I will be doing the modified version or “girl” push ups.

Needless to say, the 49-year-old woman with no upper body strength is starting at the lowest point possible. The schedule called for us to take 60-second breaks between sets. My sets were 2, 3, 2, 2 and then as many as I could, but no fewer than 3.

Boy, that last 3 was hard! It sounds so silly, and I hope I look back at this entry in a few weeks and laugh. (I’m comparing this to the first time I ever walked more than 4 miles and thought it was hard. Now 4 miles is nothing.) I had to try that last push up 4 times, and just could not push back off the ground. I finally did a cheater push up — I didn’t go all the way down to the ground, but at least I could get back up.

Lenny’s first week schedule was 10, 12, 7, 7 and as many as he could, but no fewer than 9. The first few sets did not look too difficult and he was able to do 10 for the final set.

Our son’s schedule was 14, 18, 14, 14 and no fewer than 20. He did the first few sets really fast! He did get worn out for the final and stopped short of 20. I’m not worried about his ability to work up to 100.

So, my arms are tired, but I’m pretty confident that I can work up to 100. Hey, it wasn’t easy to walk 26.2 miles, but I was able to train to do that!

(No photos today. Everyone is in bed already!)
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I plan to start the 200 sit up training program soon. I’m having some issues with lower back pain, so it isn’t the best time to start doing sit ups. (Technically, they are crunches, which is less stressful on the back than full sit ups, but I’m having a lot of trouble sleeping because of the pain. I don’t need to aggravate it.) Back strengthening exercises maybe?

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