Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 100 Pushups training program? The 100 Pushups training program is a free 6-week course to pushups mastery. Training is daily, and each workout is customized to your current level. Your current level is determined by how many pushups you can currently do in one go. Simply visit 100Pushups.com daily for the duration of the training, your workout for the day is automatically updated each day, all you need to do is follow it. As you progress through the training, you'll learn all about optimal technique and optimal training. By the end of the program, you'll be a master of pushups.

What is the 100 Pushups Challenge? The 100 Pushups Challenge is the goal you work towards during your training. There are three 100 Pushups Challenges, in increasing order of difficulty. Foundation: Complete 100 pushups in 24 hours.

Intermediate: Complete 100 pushups in 5 minutes.

Advanced: Complete 100 consecutive pushups.

This site looks different all of a sudden. What happened? You were probably on the wrong website. Always make sure you are on the official 100pushups.com. Use the number '100'. There are a bunch of copycat websites out there filled with ads and bad workout advice. Stay away from them. I suggest bookmarking this site or adding this site to your phone's home screen.

Why pushups? If you could only pick one exercise to do for the rest of your life, pushups would be towards the top of the list. They are so, so much more than just a 'chest and tricep' exercise. To learn more, read our article Zen And The Art Of Pushups

Why is training daily? Training principle #1 is "train as often as possible while being as fresh as possible". It is the fastest way to progress physiologically. We don't often get to train optimally because life gets in the way - we can't spend all day at the gym training. But pushups affords us the opportunity to train optimally, because they require no equipment, and you can do them virtually anywhere, any time of day. There is built-in recovery to ensure you are fully recovered and fresh for the next day. For example, some days you will do just one set of pushups.

If you leave here with just one piece of advice, have it be the the first two minutes of this video:

Tap twice to watch.

Why is there more than one training session a day? Training principle #1 is "train as often as possible while being as fresh as possible". The first half of this principle demands multiple micro-sessions a day. The beauty of pushups is that you CAN train multiple times a day without it being a massive inconvenience. No special equipment, no special training area required. Simply drop down and do them. Two minutes and you're done. Each 'micro-session' done during is low intensity, just enough to create a training stimulus, leaving you well recovered for the next one later in the day.

Aren't normal weightlifting routines 2-3 times a week? Being able to achieve 100 pushups is not a feat of strength, it's a feat of muscular endurance. Weightlifting requires training at, or close to, muscular failure in the 6-12 rep range, which requires days of recovery.

What if I don't want to train every day and/or more than once a day? Cumulatively, each day's training adds up to less than 10 minutes per day total. If you can't commit to that, then the 100 Pushups training program isn't for you.

What if I can't do any sessions during work hours? Try and do at least one micro-session during work hours. If that is out of the question, do half your sessions before work, half after work, spaced as far apart as practical. Revert to the optimal schedule on weekends.

Common Pushup Mistakes, And How To Avoid Them

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The sets feel easy. I can do more. Should I do more? No. Train as often as possible while being as fresh as possible. As fresh as possible means low intensity, going nowhere close to muscular failure for 99% of your training. Too much intensity means too much recovery, which compromises the first part of our mantra.

How is progress monitored? Every seven days you perform an all-out effort to determine how many pushups you can do in one go. Your score determines the training intensity for the following week.

Why don't I need to register an account to track my progress? It's not how we roll, we value privacy. We don't want, nor need, any of your personal data to make this work. The pushup score you enter is saved on your computer/phone and your training plan updates automatically each day you visit 100Pushups.com.

What happens at the end of the 6-week training plan? You can continue using our free workout planner, or you can use what you've learned over the 6 weeks to create your own workouts.

Further Reading

Training Principles

Perfect Pushups Technique