I've agreed to a plank challenge for January with my runner girls. 20 seconds isn't too bad. 270 seconds might be tough at the end of the month though!

Consecutively?? Yeah, that might be rough. I don't think I could do over 2.5 minutes right now, let alone 4.5!

Technically it's supposed to be consecutively. The girls were talking about how "easy" 20 seconds was until I reminded them that they couldn't just be in the position. They had to engage everything (shoulders, core, glutes, etc). When I do, I'm shaking by the end of 20 seconds. The trainer usually tries to push me over with his foot, I suggested they have their kids do that. Everyone suddenly didn't think it was so easy. Proper form is KEY!

I can do 45, but that's about it.

The trainer never has us do more than about 30 seconds consecutively because he wants us to maintain perfect form. We do about 5 of them though with a short rest in between.

Ok, so I wanted to try the pushup challenge in 2015 for my morning warm-up - but with a different twist. For the month of January up to the 30th I'm doing the number of pushups for the day and once I get to day 30 my plan is to stick with 30 every day for the rest of the year. I'm also doing the same for squats and crunches.

I'm trying my best to do "real" pushups and not knees down but I realized this morning I'm holding my breath. Question for the experts: Should I be breathing in on the way down and breathing out on the way up or the other way around?

My PT wants me to work up to 3 minutes each, front and both sides. I'm at 1 minute 10 seconds as of this morning, and adding a second every day.

Awesome!! Great goal, and a reasonable way to get there!

I am not at all missing pushups. I think I did one set of 25 (by accident) last week, otherwise none this year so far.

I'm up to 1 minute front and 45 seconds side. Those side ones are tough!

I like this plan a lot! I've got nothing on the breathing, other than I know you're supposed to do it. Sorry!

I have never once thought about my breathing while doing push ups. Some unconscious part of your brain is supposed to do that. My conscious brain is more worried about whether anyone is laughing at me.

OOPS! Sorry.

Yup! Although this morning I zoned out and realized I did a minute 30 on the left, so I pushed for a minute 30 on the right as well. The bummer is now I won't let myself go back!!!

I will offer my non-professional opinion. I always inhale going down, and exhale going up. It seems more natural, and you can convince yourself your vigorous exhaling is propelling you upwards! I will also find myself not breathing if I don't think about it. At 50, not that bad, but hitting 75 without a breath, you suddenly feel like you're about to die!

Are you doing them on your forearms or fully extended? I was on my forearms, but for some reason decided to do the side ones fully extended last time and they seemed easier.

Thanks Matt! This morning I think I was breathing that way. For me, I can't get past 3 without a breath and feeling like I'm dying

Forearms. I just don't have the balance to do them fully extended--I fall over! When I asked the PT about it, she said she wants me to do them on the forearms anyway. Easier on the shoulders, tougher on the core.

I Googled it (listen to Matt):

What's the Proper Push-Up Form?


Common mistakes most people make when performing a push-up include going too fast and using only partial range of motion. In the video above, Darin Steen demonstrates the perfect push-up. First, slow it down and use a three-second contraction. Try to really feel the muscle groups you're targeting, and do a full range of motion -- starting all the way down at the floor and pushing all the way up.

Pay particular attention to the alignment of your elbows. The ideal angle from your sides is about 45 degrees. This allows you to effectively work your chest muscles and prevent injuries from overextension. I recommend watching Darin's demonstration of the proper form, but here's a summary of key points to remember:
•Keep your body stiff and straight as a plank
•Elbows at a 45-degree angle from your sides
•Breathe in on the way down
•Lower your body all the way down, allowing your sternum to gently touch the floor
•Breathe out on the way up

Thank you Freak! Think I need to watch the video...

I have talked a bunch of the people in the running group that I am coaching into the pushup challenge.
They already hate me!

I was hating my new routine at day 12 - and still hating it. I'm glad I'm only planning to doing 30 and sticking with that the whole year. Will I ever stop hating it? Will they ever get easier? I'm such a girlie whimp!

They will get easier, but if you hate them you're not likely to continue. Is there an alternative you might like better and be more likely to stick with?

Robin, think in terms of the potential result, eye on the prize as it were.
By doing pushups, you are expanding yourself physically, mentally and spiritually. Yes, I'm serious.
There is a point (if you allow it) in which you find an amazement with yourself anytime that you push beyond a given thresh hold. It doesn't have to be 100 pushups, or 50 or even 30. Its realizing that you have attained somnething new and are now stronger for it. If you can do it with pushups, what else might be attainable?
That's about as much Zen as I can muster today.

I'm impressed. It's much more than I had. Good job dude.

For contrast, 28 days ago I did about 700 pushups. Today, I had 48 in my workout, and had to switch to my knees for the last dozen or so. (this was after 4 other chest exercises) But what I'm doing today is largely because of what I did last year in that area. So while it wasn't really fun or easy, it got me somewhere and it was totally worth it!

Push through, it will absolutely get easier as you keep with it!