September 4, 2026 06:00
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Ten Years ago, I set a goal to do 1000 pushups on my 57th birthday. But when I actually started training for that challenge, I quickly realized that my mouth had written a check my body couldn’t cash. My training methods at the time were not going to get me there, so I did some research and came up with an idea that ultimately worked.
I started a structured training plan in January of that year, and a month into it, I had produced enough of a result to see some faint light at the end of a very long tunnel. I trained push-ups 3 days per week, and the workouts went like this:
- Decide on a push-up goal for the day. (Week one I started with 50 per workout; week two was 100, then 200, 250, and I continued to work that number up over 6 months until I could do 800 or more per workout.)
- Set up a stopwatch on the floor in front of me, get into position, and start the stopwatch.
- Start doing full push-ups, chest to the floor, arms to full extension, and do as many as possible until I wasn’t physically able to complete a push-up with proper form. That usually happens in less than one minute.
- Rest for whatever is left of that first minute.
- When the next minute begins, start doing push-ups to failure again.
- Repeat this process until you hit your push-up goal for that day.
- I would also add some high-intensity (30 seconds go as hard as possible, then rest 30 seconds) assistance work for shoulders, triceps, abs, and chest.
Six months later, on June 26th 2016, I completed 1007 full push-ups in 70 minutes.
This year I set a goal to do a “Murph” next Memorial Day. It consists of a one-mile run, then 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and another one-mile run. And it’s supposed to be done while wearing a 20lb tactical vest.
Countless others across our country and beyond will be doing the “Murph” that day to honor Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Michael Murphy, who selflessly sacrificed his life to save his men. This was the workout he performed while deployed. I think it’s a worthy physical challenge, and I want to honor Lt. Murphy and others like him.
Training has started, and I am following a regimen similar to what I used to reach my push-up goal. One wrinkle I need to get past is a chronic shoulder injury that has dramatically weakened the upper back and shoulder muscles needed for the pull-ups. My first four weeks were all about rehabilitating the injury and strengthening the areas affected by it. I am almost pain-free now, and while my pull-up game is not worth mentioning, my squats and push-ups are well ahead of schedule.
The difference this time is that I am doing far more assistance and conditioning training along with the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats. I am focusing less effort on running right now because I am prone to shin splints and want to avoid any setbacks.
Stretching is an absolute must, so is proper rest and hydration. I am also taking a B-vitamin complex and supplementing with protein powder to aid in recovery.
categories
Human Performance
