Pushups have been such a major part of my training that I likely don’t talk of them enough.
Starting late 2014 and continuing til some point in 2016 or the start of 2017 I almost exclusively did “cheat” short range of motion pumping reps as my pushups, so the majority of the set was not to lockout.
(This was done December 14 or January 15.)
However, I got the hair up my ass to do 1000+ reps without dropping.
To count it was 1-9, 1, 1-9, 2 til 1-9, 1 the 100 mark and repeat. It made it easier for me to track where I was.
I still remember the pause at 836.
I wasn’t allowed to get up. I recall shaking my hands out one at a time, but don’t recall if I shook out legs/feet. I just know I was doing pushups and being in downward dog position for far longer than most would’ve stayed there for.
I recall just being soaked with sweat. The grey cotton shorts I was wearing being shades darker than when I’d started, hands and feet spots slick, and a sizable puddle from where the drip came off my face, smaller ones where I touched chest/had sweat drip off my torso.
Please note this was done on carpet. It was a staggering amount of sweat, and that’s coming from someone who sweats profusely, my friends having told me that I sweat just thinking about exercising.
I was at the time good for 100 good reps in a minute.
The 1000+ (I believe I stopped at 1376, yes that’s the number I recall) had a good number of strict reps thrown in as I had to get to the top to rest, and with each miniset I’d get less and less “pump” style reps as fatigue set in.
It’s been too long for me to remember how long it took. Low balling it would put it at 12 minutes minimum being all cheat reps.
I’d guess it was 18-22 minutes. At the time I still watched TV, and I recall it taking up most of the half hour between programs. (1030pm-11pm gap if you were wondering.)
At the very least it was a good experience and makes for a good story, though it was so much more than that.
What though you ask? I’ll leave that for you to discover, though I might say my chest is indestructible and cannot tire. However that is not the “secret” you’re looking for.
-J