# Push-Up Challenge Debrief

- Link: https://brianejohns.com/2024/09/18/push-up-challenge-debrief/
- Published: 2024-09-18T11:00:00-04:00
- Author: Brian Johns

## I announced my 󠀁[goals for my 60th birthday](https://brianejohns.com/2023/07/26/400-day-countdown-to-60/)󠁿 a year ago. The motto for the past year was “160 and 60 by 60.”

I wanted to get my weight down to 160 lbs and perform 60 push-ups by my 60th birthday.
I managed to get my weight from 192 lbs to 171 lbs. In that regard, I failed in 
my weight goal. More on that later.

As for the push-ups, I fell short, as seen in the two videos below. However, 57 
is my personal best. So, on the one hand, I am somewhat disappointed that I did 
not crack 60 on my birthday. On the other hand, I did beat my previous personal 
best of 54.

## Part 1:

> View this post on Instagram
> [A post shared by Brian Johns, Instructor (@brianejohns)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_wDy4nOiTD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)

## Part 2:

> View this post on Instagram
> [A post shared by Brian Johns, Instructor (@brianejohns)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_xx08YOPPF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)

So, I want to de-brief on what I did well and where I went wrong during my year-
long journey.

First, let’s look at the spreadsheet below. You will notice two things.

![](https://i0.wp.com/brianejohns.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Screenshot-2024-
09-10-at-11.11.18%E2%80%AFAM.png?resize=596%2C682&ssl=1)

First, you will notice that my progress from September 30th through June 3rd was
glacial. During those months, I was engaged in the [push-and-pull routine](https://brianejohns.com/2023/08/09/killer-pushing-and-pulling-exercises/)
at the local gym, which I enjoyed. However, after the June 3rd push-up test, I realized
I had to make a mid-course correction.

## What was my mid-course correction?

To reach my push-up goal, I decided to ditch the aforementioned push-and-pull routine
in favour of a bodyweight routine consisting of pull-ups, push-ups, bodyweight leg
exercises, and a few martial exercises I picked up over the years. This resulted
in immediate improvement up to my birthday. I made the change for three reasons:(
1) I needed to do more push-ups to reach my push-up goal. DUH. (2) I do not have
a lifting buddy at the gym. That alone is a huge factor and inhibited my progress,
and (3) bodyweight exercises have grown on me. I love the challenge of moving my
body through difficult exercises.

I used the video below to guide my push-up routine, and I loved it!

If you’re not able to view the video, go [here](https://youtu.be/TgrLuHOLXf4?si=0vealCqTKmiscNHk).

## What if I had made the change a month or two earlier?

I would have cracked 60 push-ups on my birthday. No doubt in my mind. Bolstering
this belief is an impromptu test I did a week before my 60th birthday. I cranked
out 53 despite having worked out hard for several days. I put in a killer workout
the day before the impromptu test. Consequently, I felt confident I would hit 60
with a few days’ rest. No problem.

Wrong.

I knew I was in trouble when I hit 45. The lactic acid build-up was hitting me hard
at that point. Holy crap, I needed to gut my way through it. While I fell short 
of my goal, I set a personal best of 57. So I will have to settle for that.

As of now, I’m somewhat burned out from the year-long build-up to my birthday. I
put a lot of work and energy into the push-up challenge. Lordy, I was pretty focused,
particularly in the last few months. Thinking about the push-up challenge, I barely
slept the night before my birthday.

## So what now?

I know I can’t afford to lose or forfeit my gains over the past year. I have decided
on a year-end goal and a goal for my 61st birthday.

I have decided to modify my goal to “_160 and 60 and 10 by 60_” and see if I can
meet them by the end of the year, preferably before the Christmas season.

Wait a minute, what’s the 10 about? Read on.

First, I want to see how I feel at 160 lbs. To reach this goal, I need to lose 11
more pounds. I have a sneaking suspicion that I might not be comfortable at 160.
On the other hand, how would I know unless I get down to that weight? So, let’s 
go for it.

And I’m going to keep going until I get to 60 push-ups. I set that as a goal for
my 60th birthday. Why stop? I might as well keep going.

The 10 refers to the number of pull-ups I want to achieve before Christmas. Quick
background: I had never done regular pull-ups in my entire life until June of this
year. My record high as of now is 6 on August 6th. I haven’t gotten to 6 since then,
which is frustrating.

## My goals for my 61st birthday? It’s a moonshot goal. Stay tuned! 🙂

## Read Other Stuff I’ve Written

 * [400 Day Countdown to 60!](https://brianejohns.com/2023/07/26/400-day-countdown-to-60/)
 * [Six Month Countdown](https://brianejohns.com/2024/03/14/six-month-countdown/)
 * [Friday Recommendation #4](https://brianejohns.com/2021/03/19/blog-friday-recommendation-4/)
 * [5 Reasons to Challenge Yourself](https://brianejohns.com/2022/08/03/blog-5-reasons-to-challenge-yourself/)
 * [Happy New Year 2024!](https://brianejohns.com/2024/01/03/happy-new-year-2024/)

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