Yesterday I met my year long goal of doing 1 pull up unassisted! I may have been able to do another, but I started squealing with glee in the middle of it and released. LOL!
A few days ago I found an army chart for what they expect. It led me to pulling out my stop watch. In one minute's time I did 38 push ups, with the last 8 being super slow. LOL! According to the chart, for my age, I only need to 13. So I am really pumped.
The chart I found said enlisted army folk need to score 60 points on each test for push ups, sit ups, and a 2 mile run. I scored 91 points for push ups and I routinely run 2 miles at 6.0 and could go higher. But the score for that was 91 too, which surprised me. I assume I can do at least 40 sit ups in 1:00 so I would score 90 there too. I could join the army!
Wow! That's awesome! Were your arms like cooked noodles afterwards??? Lol!
For a minute, maybe! LOL! I did a full shoulder workout following it. I've built up to the pushups. I was pretty proud of 20 a few weeks ago and bragged to a friend just this Wednesday that I was able to do 25. So the fact that a few days later I could do 38 in one minute surprised me. I think knowing it was only for 1:00 spurred me on.
My goal is to do 100 consecutive push ups, but not in a minute.
This is why I posted a thread the other day about having reached a maximum weight with dumbbells. I just don't care to go higher than 25 pounds. I feel like I am strong enough. I am lifting more than any woman I know at the gym. I love to lift strong, but I have no ambitions to be superwoman.
I asked a PT at the gym, also my spin instructor. She said she's not even doing what I'm doing and you should see her! I want her arms! LOL!
So I guess I have some pretty good upper body strength now. I'm thrilled...but it's enough. I don't know if I should just start maintaining that muscle now? I don't know.
Then again...I'm awful proud of my pull ups and push ups. I'm considering ditching the dumbbells for a while and focusing on pull ups, push ups, bench press and similar moves.
and a slight note of caution- I was doing the "do one hundred push ups" program about 2 years ago and started having tingling and numbness in one of my arms. Turns out it was Thorasic outlet syndrome (TOS) which is caused by a caused by a constriction of the nerves and lack of blood supply to the arms(s). It was cause by overdeveloping my pectoral muscles, It took months of physiotherapy and laying off the push ups and heavy bench presses to relieve it. It's not really an injury, but a condition that can be created over the years by creating muscle imbalances.
So if you are going to set a goal of 100 push ups, I think the answer to NOT developing TOS is concurrently work on those pull up goals as well!
And the first time I did a real, unassisted pull up, I ran around the gym telling everyone I knew! It is exciting Congratulations!
And the first time I did a real, unassisted pull up, I ran around the gym telling everyone I knew! It is exciting Congratulations!
Mel! That's because your short like me. At the top of the pullup you were able to see the world the way the rest of the people do. Or at least that was my thought when I got up there. Oh...hey...look at that...so this is what I've been missing!
Eliana, I did your push up challenge today with my boot camp class. YOU BEAT ME!!!!!!!!!!
I did 30 deep regular and 5 modified. I now have a goal to do your 38 by next week. Gonna be hard!
There were only 2 ppl in class today (spring break for some). A male 41 yr old did 38. The really fit 63 year old did 19. I told them "my friend" did 38 and they were floored.
I love it! Keep up the good work! You ROCK! But...I'm right on your trail, so your next goal should be +40. Let me know whatcha get the next time you do it!
A brag: 38 pushups in 1:00 plus 1 pullup
Good luck with your 100!
Congratulations!
Mel! That's because your short like me. At the top of the pullup you were able to see the world the way the rest of the people do. Or at least that was my thought when I got up there. Oh...hey...look at that...so this is what I've been missing!
Thanks.
