Week 3. Week. F*cking. 3!! Life’s been throwing my schedule curve balls left and right. I can’t even keep track of what day it is right now I’m juggling so much. And that’s really the challenge isn’t it? It’s not about how many push ups I can do, but that I can find a way to maintain the discipline to continue doing them at all.

Life is rarely constant. Especially in an economy where you may be forced to work odd and inconsistent schedules to make ends meat. For some of us that involves working multiple jobs, and for others it’s just a matter of working a job where the hours vary from week to week. Consistency and routine are two of the rarest commodities we’re afforded anymore. That’s one reason it can be tougher than a vibranium shield to stick to the plan to stay healthy.

So, pondering aside, let’s get to the review of how things have been going: Pretty damn good!

I’m now actually doing MORE than 100 push ups per day. Not a lot more but in the neighborhood of 110 to 120. Because…I can do more at a time!!!

When I started, I was barely able to get 30 out of my body before meeting the floor face first. Now, I’m in the 35-40 range, and last night I made it to 42 for my final set.

I’ve started the clapping push ups. OUCH! Holy f*ck balls, ouch. It’s that kind of divine pain. I can get somewhere from 12-15 per set of them. I’ve also been doing 3-point push ups, which is where you put one leg over the other, thus you only have 1 toe supporting you. It’s kind of like upping the incline on the treadmill.

Despite experimenting and integrating the new kinds of push ups into my routine, I’ve also been making sure I have one set that’s still the good ol’ fashioned, as much to keep up my morale as anything else. Staying motivated by feeling like progress is being made, that’s as important as any other aspect.

Still breaking them up into 3 sessions throughout the day. However, due to exhaustion, my first set is usually around noon in my office and my boss gets some entertainment out of it. Because he’s a cool boss that is amused by randomness.

1 more week and the challenge ends. Can I keep up the momentum? Can I add more claps? Will I be brave enough to attempt a 1 arm? Tune in to find out!

Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel,

The Dude

To anyone who’ll listen!!!!!

Damnation and tar nation week 2 has been a mess for me with this challenge. My work schedule’s ramped up like never before. You’d think there would be enough hours in the day but every time I think I’ve got a few minutes to put in another set of 30 I’ve been getting called up for this, that, the other thing, and that thing nobody really wants to do so I have to do it.

In other words, the second week has been a freaking hectic one, people! Fortunately, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.

Bad news first: I’ve been getting pains in my lower back that weren’t there before. Comes upward from the back of my hip. This is probably as much a reflection of poor posture, sitting at a desk all day, and lack of stretching the muscle group in the lower lumbar region. But it’s a hindrance nonetheless.

General soreness is something I’m getting used to, it’s eased a bit as the week’s progressed but the rule of thumb is: if you’re not sore then you’re not working the muscle.

Good news: I’m up to doing reps of 35 at a time which allows me to do only 3 sets a day instead of my previous 4, which saves a bit of scheduling.

Definitely noticing a difference in tone from pecks down through my biceps, around to my triceps, and up to my traps. It’s phenomenal how many different muscle groups are getting worked out! This is without a doubt the biggest plus and best discovery that drives me to want to continue to meet this challenge.

I’ve also been experimenting with different kinds of push ups this week:
Triangles. This is where you put your hands into the shape of a triangle and push up from there. You narrow your shoulder doing so and work a completely different group of muscles, very much feeling my triceps and deltoids getting worked doing this. I can push myself (PUN TIME!) to do about 18 before stopping.

I’ve also experimented with having my arms be much farther apart from each other.

The amount of difference in terms of work and changing focus of which groups you’re working on by moving your arms just 6 inches wider or narrower is astounding and shows the versatility and amount you can accomplish.

Ultimate goal: Looking better naked
Progress: Mild.
Next week: Clapping!

Just bring it!

The Dude

A Dude’s confession: I’m no longer in the most immaculate shape of my life. I was at one point. Second semester of Freshman year I was in that frickin’ gym 4 times a week, sometimes 5. I had pecks that make The Rock’s surgically enhanced ones seem like, like, something, uh, less impressive as the pecks as I had! Yeah! And abs? 6 pack. That’s right. 6 pack.

But not only did I look good, I felt good, 8 hours of sleep per night, never got sick, never got tired, soreness was a constant validation for the better quality of life I was living. Now, years later, I have a job — 3 jobs in fact — and I’ve got bills to pay, and an apartment to not get kicked out of, and what’s one of the first things that went by the wayside as I entered adulthood? Gym membership! I’m not The Blob, but I’m not The Great One anymore either. So here’s what’s going to happen: For the next 30 days, I’m going to do 100 push ups every day.

At the peak of my physically prowess I actually could do over 50 without stopping, now…well let’s say at one of my jobs last week, we had a push-up contest and…I didn’t win…really didn’t…but flab be damned!

For one month I’m proving that you don’t have be a member of Equinox to stay in shape! My theory is that a bit of discipline, effective time management, and effort is enough to keep you on a healthier track. I’m going to get my pecks back if it kills me (and based on the first week, it might). The question is: how to do it? Will I be able to stick to it?

Let me give you an idea of what I’m currently working with through a before pic and video:

The first week has been a humbling one. I can’t do a rep of more than 31 push ups. It’s f*cking embarrassing! And having seen myself on that terrible video, my form has slacked off also. How easy it is to fall and not realize how far you’ve fallen. BUT! Despite a sad sack of a beginning, I’ve come up with a schedule for the push ups.

The first couple of days I simply attempted to do them all at once. A rep of 30, then 25, 20, 15, 10. But getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night and arriving home after 10pm most nights made that a bit time consuming and trying to do it in the morning actually gave me less energy during the next several hours. So, another tactic was necessary.

For the rest of this first week I’ve begun each morning by doing 30. Knock it out, get some blood flowing but not exhausting myself.

On my lunch half-hour to hour, somewhere between noon and 2pm, I’ll do another 30. It’s actually been a nice break up of the monotony of my office job. Gives me a quick break to feel a bit productive if I’m a bit swamped with things to get done and helps burn off a couple, I mean that literally, calories from lunch.

My third set of 30 I do right after clocking out (figuratively). This means somewhere from 6 to 6:30pm. So here it is, dinner time, and I’m only 10 away from my daily goal!

I do my last 10, or more as I find is possible, at about 10pm when I’m enjoying a few minutes of downtime or taking a break from other work. And there ya go! 100 a day. A cinch, right? WRONG!

By day 6, it ain’t as easy as it was on day 4. My usual reps were getting harder. Definitely feeling the burning in my peck minor, major, and traps on top of my shoulders. What’s so fantastic about push ups is that they can work several different muscle groups and develop your arms, shoulders, and upper back. I’m started to get a hint of how everything’s connected biologically…

I haven’t noticed a major difference in terms of sleep pattern but during the day I feel like my energy has picked up a bit (we’ll see if it’s a placebo effect), and my pecks have definitely gained some tone.

Next week will be to experiment with doing different varieties of push ups: that’s right, there’s more than one kind of push ups. In fact, I’ve learned of at least a dozen! That’s right, 12 different kinds of push ups. And gosh darn it, I’m going hurt myself doing all of them!

Keep you posted,

The Dude

[Lead image via Supri Suharjoto/Shutterstock]

I get asked about my diet a whole lot. As my peers are getting older every year (because I am…and you are, too), it’s become progressively more difficult for lots of my lady friends to keep the figures that they want. But, some way or another, it’s become easier for me.

I used to eat whatever I wanted and exercised only when I wanted to. My metabolism was sickly fast and I just figured I was healthy because I was skinny. Over the past few years, I have slowly learned to eat right and to exercise right, too. Now that it’s a part of my routine, it’s easier than ever to be healthy.

BUT I still need to be unhealthy here and there. Some people I know can eat healthy 24-7 without any screw-ups. I am not one of those people. My diet regime that I get asked about so much actually DOES include days where I eat all of the wrong stuff. I have these days maybe once every week or two and nothing sets me back on track for healthy eating faster than a day filled with fried food and chocolate treats.

Are they good for my arteries and liver? Hell no.

Am I being unhealthy by indulging in these days? Hell yes.

But I still feel as though I am better off throwing these days in here and there (and savoring my sweets) than to always wonder what I’m missing, or living a bland life full of carrots and bottled water.

Here is a typical day’s worth of food for me:

BREAKFAST

1 or 2 packets of oatmeal and Iced Coffee with nonfat creamer.

LUNCH

Fruit: 1/2 a cantelope, an apple, a banana, strawberries, or whatever else. Water.

DINNER

Huge Salad: Spinach, hard boiled egg, tomato, cucumber, mushrooms, string beans, reduced fat feta cheese, low fat or nonfat dressing. Water.

SNACKS

If I want snacks, I usually go for carrots and hummus or nuts. Lots of water.

As you can see, I am typically pretty on cue with my health. But every so often, I throw days like the one below in the mix:

BREAKFAST

Turkey Bacon, Eggs, Cheese, Croissant, Coffee with *regular* creamer

LUNCH

Cheeseburger, Fries, LOTS OF KETCHUP, beer/wine spritzer

DINNER

Lots of pizza, wings, tons of beer

SNACKS

Beer. Chocolate. Cupcakes. Cookies. You name it.

Somehow, I feel like adding in these days makes me complete. I feel like I live my life to the fullest and yet I’m still BASICALLY healthy. I feel like if I didn’t have a beer or a burger smothered with cheese every now and then I would die.

What do you guys think?

(Photo from: besthangovercure.com)