What Happens To Your Body When You Do ![]
100 Push Ups Every Day
Push-ups are a fundamental bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the upper body muscles, such as the chest and triceps. Many fitness enthusiasts have tried the challenge of doing 100 push-ups every day for 30 days to test their physical limits and achieve significant gains in strength and muscle mass. In this article, we will dive deep into the effects, benefits, and potential risks of taking on this challenge. We will also explore various opinions from fitness experts and provide recommendations on how to approach this exercise routine.
1. The Immediate Effects of 100 Push Ups Every Day
1.1. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
When you first begin the 100 push-ups a day challenge, you will likely experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) during the first week. DOMS is the sensation of tenderness and soreness in the muscles, usually felt one to two days after exercise. As your body adapts to the new routine, the soreness in your chest, shoulders, and arms will gradually decrease.
1.2. Fatigue
Your muscles generally require around 48 hours of rest to fully recover after a workout. By doing 100 push-ups every day, you may not give your muscles enough time to recover, leading to increased fatigue, especially during the third and fourth weeks of the challenge.
1.3. Wrist Discomfort
Performing push-ups on the floor can cause discomfort or pain in your wrists. To alleviate this issue, use equipment like dumbbells or parallettes that allows for a neutral grip during push-ups.
2. The Physical Changes After 30 Days
2.1. Increase in Muscle Thickness
After completing the 100 push-ups a day challenge, you can expect to see an increase in muscle thickness. Fitness trainer and kinesiologist Jeremy Ethier estimates that the challenge may result in roughly 3 millimeters of growth in both chest and triceps thickness.
2.2. Muscle Imbalances
Focusing solely on push-ups may lead to muscle imbalances, as you are primarily working the front muscles of your chest, arms, and core. To prevent issues like a hunched-over posture with rounded shoulders, it’s important to incorporate exercises that target the back and shoulders, such as pull-ups and rows.
3. Strength Improvements and Progression
As you continue with the 100 push-ups a day challenge, your strength will improve. However, you may eventually reach a plateau where further muscle growth and strength gains become minimal. To continue making progress, you’ll need to incorporate more challenging exercises or variations of push-ups.
4. Benefits of the 100 Push Ups Every Day Challenge
4.1. Habit Formation
One of the most significant benefits of doing 100 push-ups daily is that it encourages you to stick to a consistent workout routine. Even if the challenge itself isn’t ideal for long-term progression, the discipline and motivation it instills can be carried over to other more balanced workout programs.
4.2. Improved Upper Body Strength
As mentioned earlier, push-ups are an effective exercise for building strength in your chest, triceps, and shoulders. By consistently performing 100 push-ups every day, you will undoubtedly see improvements in your upper body strength.
4.3. Mental Toughness
The 100 push-ups a day challenge will test your mental fortitude and resilience. Sticking to the challenge and pushing through the physical discomfort will help develop mental toughness that can be applied to other aspects of your life.
5. Risks and Drawbacks of the 100 Push Ups Every Day Challenge
5.1. Overtraining
By doing 100 push-ups daily without giving your body adequate time to rest and recover, you run the risk of overtraining. Overtraining can lead to a decline in performance, increased risk of injury, and diminished immune function.
5.2. Lack of Overall Fitness
Focusing solely on push-ups means neglecting other essential aspects of fitness, such as cardiovascular health, flexibility, and lower body strength. A well-rounded fitness program should address all components of physical fitness.
5.3. Plateau
As previously mentioned, your body will eventually hit a plateau as it becomes accustomed to the challenge. To continue seeing results and making progress, it’s necessary to introduce more challenging exercises or variations.
6. Expert Opinions on the 100 Push Ups Every Day Challenge
6.1. Jeremy Ethier
Jeremy Ethier, a kinesiologist, and fitness trainer, believes that the 100 push-ups a day challenge is not worth it. He explains that it leads to too many recovery issues and lacks the progression needed for continuous results beyond the initial 30 days.
6.2. Jeff Cavaliere (Athlean X)
Jeff Cavaliere, the creator of the Athlean X program, shares a similar opinion with Ethier. He emphasizes that the challenge is not sustainable in the long run and that a more balanced approach to fitness is needed for optimal results.
7. Alternatives to the 100 Push Ups Every Day Challenge
Instead of focusing solely on push-ups, consider incorporating a more balanced workout routine that targets various muscle groups and aspects of fitness. Some alternatives include:
7.1. Full-Body Workouts
Design a full-body workout routine that includes exercises for your chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, and core. This approach will help you develop overall strength and muscle balance.
7.2. Push-Pull-Legs Split
A push-pull-legs split is a popular workout approach that divides your training into three days: push day (chest, shoulders, and triceps), pull day (back and biceps), and legs day (quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves). This split allows for adequate recovery time and balanced muscle development.
7.3. Circuit Training
Circuit training involves performing a series of exercises in quick succession with minimal rest in between. This approach not only helps build strength but also improves cardiovascular endurance.
8. Push Up Variations for Continued Progress
To keep making progress and avoid plateaus, consider incorporating these push-up variations into your workout routine:
- Diamond push-ups
- Wide-grip push-ups
- Decline push-ups
- Incline push-ups
- One-arm push-ups
- Clapping push-ups
- Spiderman push-ups
- Archer push-ups
- Pseudo planche push-ups
- T-push-ups
9. Proper Push Up Form and Technique
To avoid injury and maximize the benefits of push-ups, ensure you are using the correct form and technique:
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
- Position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground.
- Keep your elbows close to your body.
- Push back up to the starting position.
10. Conclusion
While the 100 push-ups a day challenge can yield some benefits, such as improved upper body strength and habit formation, it is not the most efficient or sustainable approach to fitness. To achieve long-term success and well-rounded physical development, consider incorporating a more balanced workout routine that targets multiple muscle groups and aspects of fitness. Remember to listen to your body and prioritize proper form and technique to avoid injury and maximize the benefits of your workouts.
