Ask Stew: A Former Marine Wonders How He Can Continue Pushing His Limits

I received a fun email from a former Marine who likes to push himself still and those around him. He writes:

Stew, I have been using your workouts to get my push-ups up to 100 in two minutes (as a Marine, we focused on pull-ups, as you know) and got it last week. Now I am thinking of doing push-ups for some kind of record -- thousands maybe?

Also if you would, I have laid down the challenge in my office to do 15 pull-ups/40 push-ups for three sets in under six minutes. Any ideas on how to train/strategize that one?

Good job with your goal of doing as many push-ups as you can in two minutes. The supersets, pyramids and timed rep sets work pretty well to build up to those goals, even for us 40-year-olds. But to train for the higher-rep, no-time-limit, push-up contests, you need to change your focus. For a two-minute test, it is all about speed. An above-average score is one push-up per second or faster.

I compare the two styles of push-ups to running a 100-meter sprint for time and running a marathon. Both are still running, but they involve two entirely different methods to train, as well as energy systems that are used.

For the higher goals, you want to pace yourself and go slowly so your muscles can recover during the long duration. But you actually let gravity take you down -- no exertion and come up relatively fast -- and pause at the top with arms straight (muscles relaxed), using more bones to stay up than muscle. This type of steady pace can help you last longer in the push-up contest, but you also need to practice working other muscle groups in order to stay in the up position.

Watch for tendinitis

This type of repetition will wreak havoc on your elbows and shoulders, so you need to recover well with good foods and ice after hundreds of push-up workouts. Stretch well.

Lower back and abs

Working the back and stomach muscles is critical as well. A yoga-based plank pose (up push-up position) is challenging if you try to hold it for more than 3-5 minutes. You will have to build up to several hours, it sounds like. This takes time to perfect. Give yourself a good year of this core training, and it will make push-ups a ton easier.

Push-up workouts

I would start out with multiple sets of push-ups at a steady pace. Start off with 10 minutes of push-ups nonstop, meaning you cannot place your knee on the floor for 10 minutes. But you can rest in the up position after a set number of push-ups.

This is pretty good training for you SEAL candidates out there. I remember days of hanging out in the leaning for 45-50 minutes, doing sets of 30-50 push-ups until the instructors were tired. Add a little surf zone (sand and water) for better results.

Regarding your second question on the 15 pull-ups/40 push-ups contest, it sounds like you are on a two-minute interval. I would tackle this one by doing:

• 15 pull-ups. Drop down immediately for 40 push-ups.

• This will take one minute, tops.

• Take about 30-45 seconds to rest/stretch and begin set #2.

• Repeat with one minute of rest on the last one, if needed.

But basically you have to do multiple sets of 15-20 reps of pull-ups; make your workouts that. The two exercises (pull-ups/push-ups) are opposing muscles groups so they should not tire you out from one exercise to the next.

Once you get good at this timed test with rest, decrease your rest time until you can roll through this workout with no rest at all. It can be done; it just takes practice. Then your office will say, "Don't mess with that guy; he used to be a Marine!"

Thanks for the email. I think I will challenge my group of future military guys who train with me to the same workout. For all readers, if in the Maryland area, come check out the free workouts I do for all pre-military/LE guys. We also take in former military guys, too.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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