This weekend I want you to take the Men’s Health 3-minute push-up challenge designed by Martin Rooney (from page 46, April 2010 Men’s Health). Martin is one of the most experienced strength and conditioning coaches in the world.
It’s a really cool test, and you’ll not only love the numbers you get, but also how you feel right after the test. It’s amazing, one second you’ll be doing push-ups and the next second your triceps will be fatigued. It is a lesson in humility, but a great test. And you can also try it with other exercises, like squats, pull-ups, bodyweight rows, pull-ups, and even lunges. But train safely: these tests are difficult.
In the test, you will try to do as many push-ups as you can in 3 minutes. But make sure you know the rules before you try it.
Rule 1) Rest whenever you want, but the clock is ticking.
Rule 2) Perfect Shape…all the way to the top and all the way to 2 inches above the ground.
Rule 3) Pace yourself… Rooney says to take a 15-second break once you start to slow down after your first burst. Then take longer breaks as he gets more tired. DO NOT go to total fatigue.
Proper form of push-ups:
Keep your abs tight and your body in a straight line from your toes/knees to your shoulders. Place your hands on the ground slightly wider than shoulder width. Slowly lower yourself until you are two inches off the ground. Push through your chest, shoulders, and triceps to return to the starting position. Keep your body in a straight line at all times and your elbows in.
In scoring the 3-minute push-up challenge, here’s what Martin Rooney suggests as categories. If you get less than 55 repetitions in 3 minutes, you are below average. If you get 55-74, that’s average. More than 75 but less than 99, that’s good. To be great, you need to get 100 to 110. And if you get 111 or more, that’s awesome!
A lot of people will be surprised by their results… in a recent challenge, one woman did 91 and another did 110. I personally did 114, but our best man did 138 reps. We are proud of everyone who took the test!
But no matter what you get, just make sure you use this great tip.
DO NOT overdo it in the first set. If you’re a man and can do 40 pushups in a row, don’t do more than 15 or 20 in your first set. I can do 57 in a row and I stopped at 20 and said:
20-20-20-15-10-10-10-5-4 = 114
If you do 30 on your first set, you’ll jerk off too quickly.
Don’t settle for the norm if you want more. It’s okay to want to achieve special results. The world needs people who dream and achieve great things. Keep striving to reach your full potential. Persevere. Never give up. And don’t let anyone stop you.