Five days in, and I keep waiting for this 30-Day Push-Up Challenge to punch me in the face.
So far, it hasn’t.
That’s not to say the workouts have been effortless. Push-ups and I have never exactly been friends, which is part of the reason I started this challenge in the first place. I’ve done a version of this pyramid before, working my way up to 23 minutes during COVID, so I know how ugly things can get when the numbers start climbing.
But Day 5 arrived and…I feel fine.
Actually, I feel better than fine.
I’m excited.
Part of that is probably because it’s a new month, a new year of life after my birthday, and a new challenge to sink my teeth into. Part of it is because I genuinely enjoy having a goal to chase. But part of it is because I haven’t hit the wall yet.
I expected the challenge to start fighting back sooner.
Instead, I find myself looking ahead and wondering when things are finally going to get interesting.
The thing I’m most surprised about so far, however, is how much I actually enjoy diamond push-ups.
I wasn’t expecting that.
Traditional push-ups are still traditional push-ups, but there’s something about bringing my hands closer together that feels stronger and more controlled. Maybe it’s the added focus. Maybe it’s the way they challenge my triceps. Whatever the reason, I’ve found myself looking forward to them in a way I definitely didn’t expect when this challenge began.
Heading into Descension
Today also marks the end of the first Ascension block before I switch over to Descension Days.
I’ll admit, I’m curious.
When I completed the 23-minute version of this challenge years ago, I only did it in ascending order. Starting with one push-up and adding another every minute is familiar territory. Descension Days are one of the reasons I wanted to revisit this challenge in the first place. Starting with the hardest set first and working backward sounds completely different mentally, and I’m interested to see how it feels.
For now, though, I’m feeling confident but cautious.
I know this challenge gets harder.
I know triple-digit push-up days are coming.
I know there will probably be a day—likely a few—when I don’t feel nearly this enthusiastic about the whole thing.
But that day isn’t today.
Today, I’m five days in, 35 push-ups down, and feeling surprisingly strong.
We’ll see how long that lasts.
Related Posts
40 days ago, I hit record on my phone, got down into plank, and started a challenge I honestly wasn’t sure I could finish.
Today, I did.
I still can’t believe it’s over, and I can’t believe even more that I actually completed it. At that, as had been the case since Day 25, I also finished all 465 on time. 30 minutes. Six intervals. Five minutes per interval. No make-ups. No other challenge. Just the monster finally conquered.