I'm working hard now to get fit or in some semblance of a shape that does not require Pi to compute my size. So I set some goals and in the process of doing so found this cool site at
hundredpushups.com It's all free and worth the visit.
Years ago without grey hair and when I trained diligently I would make a calendar and on the first day I started my pushup quest I set the number of perfect pushups I could do. Then I would add 1 on each weekday and record my progress. I found it easier to do this first thing in the morning. Somehow it's easier to procrastinate after the day wears on or training takes a back seat to the activities necessary to keep a job and the boss happy. On the weekends I would do three sets or five sets of what I left off at on Friday. On Monday--I added another, then 1 on each subsequent work day. In 12 weeks time I was well over a 100 and my suit coats were a bit tighter. I still have that problem with suits... but lately it's at the waist instead of the chest.
Pushups during commercials are a great way to watch a football game. Every commercial (not each commercial break--each product or thing being advertised) gets 10 pushups and you can't do the same type of pushup in a row. One commercial do standard pushups, then knuckle, then diamond (close hands) the japanese (dive bombers or something like a downward dog to cobra and back), mae-geri then push-up and up agin for the other side to kick and down, etc., and then static holds somewhere between a straight arm plank and the floor. I also like adding a t-stand to alternating sides after each rep. Those will make you sweat a bit during the game. The variations are only limited by our creativity.
Of course there are so many variations using equipment and if you have a swiss ball or a medicine ball you can use them as well. With a swiss ball either on one end or the other, and you can get some core work in by putting the swiss ball under your feet and doing a pike as you finish the rep back up. One of my favorites was putting a medicine ball under just one hand and doing a lop-sided two handed pushup, then before the next rep at the top of the plank, roll the ball to the other hand and down again. Your making great progress if you can do ten then do a static low plank on the ground for a minute (body two inches from the ground in perfect low plank) at the end of your set. You can do the same thing with a bongo board which in pinch you can make with a dough roller and a 24-32" 2x4. As you go down with your hands at each end you slowly balance on the board as it rolls from one side to the other during each part of the rep.
Right now I'm slowing building to 100; one day and one rep at a time.
I'd like to hear how everyone else works at staying fit or getting fit with everything that competes for our attention.
Osu!
Mike
It's now or it's never now again.
EDIT: I edited the link in. If this was the wrong link, please let me know! ~ Nix