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Working Towards 100+ Pushups
Written by Robert C. Shouse and reprinted from misc.fitness.weights. Through multi-staged training with different types of pushups, one should be able to increase the number of pushups you can do significantly.
DISCLAIMER: Below are the things I have practiced and the results I've achieved. The same results/effects will not necessarily be achieved by anyone practicing the same way. No physical responsibility is assumed for anyone attempting this routine.
From past experience with martial arts one way to increase the amount of push-ups you can do is by doing partials while alternating with different types of push-ups. This routine assumes that you are able to do 30 complete push-ups with out resting. By partials I mean restricting the range of motion to just under 1/2 of a complete rep. Always touch the floor with your chest (when possible) and come up almost half-way then back down. A sample routine would look like this:
- Week 1 & 2: Every other day
- POSITION #1
Triangle push-ups (you should touch your thumbs to your xiphoid process (lightly!) when trying to touch your chest to the ground)- 5 partials
- 5 complete
- 7 partials
- 7 complete
- rest 90 seconds
- POSITION #2
Move hands to shoulder length apart (the tips of your fingers should be aligned with the tops of your sholders)- 5 partials
- 5 complete
- 7 partials
- 7 complete
- rest 90 seconds
- POSITION #3
Move your hands out until, during mid rep, your upper arms will be perpendicular to your forearms. The hands should remain in the same position relative to the shoulders (ie move them "out" in a straight line)- 5 partials
- 5 complete
- 7 partials
- 7 complete
- POSITION #1
- Week 3: 2 days on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
- POSITION #1
- Until failure
- POSITION #1
- Week 4 & 5: 1 on, 2 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 2 off; 1 on, 1 off
- POSITION #1
- 7 partials
- 7 complete
- 12 partials
- 12 complete
- rest 120 seconds
- POSITION #2
- 7 partials
- 7 complete
- 12 partials
- 12 complete
- rest 120 seconds
- POSITION #3
- 7 partials
- 7 complete
- 12 partials
- 12 complete
- POSITION #1
- Week 6: 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
- POSITION #1
- Until failure
- rest 240 seconds
- POSITION #2
- Until failure
- POSITION #1
- Week 7 & 8: 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 2 on; 1 off, 1 on; 1 off
- POSITION #1
- 15 partials
- 15 complete
- rest 90 seconds
- 40 complete
- rest 240 seconds
- POSITION #2
- 15 partials
- 15 complete
- rest 90 seconds
- 40 complete
- rest 240 seconds
- POSITION #3
- 15 partials
- 15 complete
- rest 90 seconds
- 40 complete
- rest 240 seconds
- POSITION #1
- Week 9: 2 on, 1 off; 2 on, 1 off; 1 on
- POSITION #1
- Until failure
- rest 240 seconds
- POSITION #2
- Until failure
- rest 240 seconds
- POSITION #3
- Until failure
- rest 240 seconds
- POSITION #1
- Week 10: 1 off, 1 on; 2 off, 1 on; 1 off, 1 on
- POSITION #2
- 100 complete
- POSITION #2
- Maintenance: Twice a week
- POSITION #2
- 100 complete
- POSITION #2

Reader's Comments:
Please leave your comments or suggestions below!This is my programme, if your looking for steady, progressive stregnth gains then do this programme.
Note- My programme does build super strength but the method stated on this site is alot more effective, mine is purely to get lean and improve reps.
I am 14 years old so you b*****ds who think you are too young to exercise get off your arse and work! If it helps think of girls ;-) It helped me!
thanks
are you supposed to do sets of 3 for each position? or do u just do each position and you're done for the day?
Pz Happy New year from SPain!
I just finished week 10, rested for 5 days, and yesterday I tested my max.
70 push ups! Which is not quite 100 put I am still very impressed.
I would definitely recommend this program!
I modified this into a 13 week program. Week 1 I started off doing as many pushups as I could in position 2 every day, bringing my chest to about an inch off the ground, adding at least 1 each day. This got me from 14 to 25 or so.
For Weeks 2 and 3 I did a mod on the program's week 1, lowering the numbers to 3 partials/3completes, 5 partials/5completes with ~5-7 minutes rest between positions, and then to 4 partials/4completes, 6 partials/6completes with 2-3 minutes rest between. I did these every day, again not fully touching my chest to the ground.
I'm now going on week 4, following the program starting from week 1, doing complete chest to ground pushups.
I've also been doing other daily exercises to get my cardiovascular going, which is probably my weakest point right now. Jumping jacks and pull ups in the morning, abs and squats after pushups when I get home. In about 2 weeks when my heart is good enough I'm going to take up jogging as well.
Did I fail out of week 6 and should I repeat the grade? What should I do?
Thanks,
Zach
I was doing 30 in a row of position #1 in the last week.
If I can't do them all at once, should I just stop for the day? Or should I come back in an hour?
Curious if I should do multiple sets in one day in general or if that would help...
Thanks!