This 30-Day Pushup Challenge Will Make You Stronger
Jessica Cortez THINK BACK TO the first exercise you ever learned. Back before you ever entered a weight room, or even thought about working out or training as something you might be interested in doing. We're talking the very basics here. Chances are, that exercise was the pushup.
The bodyweight movement is a staple everywhere, from elementary school gym classes to advanced strength training programs, and for good reason. Pushups are so simple that just about everyone can at least try to do them—but they're also an effective way to build strength and muscle, no matter your level of training.
Since the pushup is such a simple, effective movement with so many variations to scale up or down, it's the perfect base exercise to use for a challenge. From timed pushup stunts to record attempts to a specific allotment of reps over a set period of time, there are seemingly endless formats to choose.
But none of these challenges are truly Men's Health-certified. This 30-day pushup program, created by MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. is. Instead of blindly dropping down and pushing up every morning for a month with no real endpoint in mind, you'll have a specific goal: completing 50 pushups in a single, unbroken set by the end of the month.
The going will be tough, but everyone can at least give it a try. "There’s a lot of volume in this program, but that’s what it takes to train your body to absorb volume," says Samuel. "So you’re constantly doing 30, 40, 50 pushup reps daily. There are rest periods between sets, but we keep them brisk, gradually shrinking them as the days wear on, to add challenge. You’ll work a variety of principles as you go, challenging new muscle groups to get involved and shoulder more of a load on every pushup rep."
The 30-Day Pushup Challenge Program Structure
The program is structured the same way, week in and week out, so that you can build systematically from Day 1 to Day 30. You'll perform the same type of exercise every day of each week, gradually progressing to more challenging variations and adding more volume.
- Day 1: Standard Pushups/Max Reps in a Single Set
Your goal is to establish a baseline for the total number of pushups you can do in a single set in the first week. Each subsequent week, you’ll test that number. On the final day of the month, you should hit your goal (if you haven’t done it by then) of 50 pushups in a set.
- Day 2: Paused Pushups
Focus on pushup discipline and form mastery, prolonging each rep at the hardest point of the rep (the bottom). Each week, we’ll up this number to build increasing time-under-tension, preparing your muscles for the tension you’ll experience every time you take the max-reps pushup test.
- Day 3: Close-Grip Pushup Variation
Challenge your triceps to drive the pushup (and give your chest a bit of a break) with these close-grip variations. Building triceps strength will assist you as you lock out at the top of every pushup rep.
- Day 4: Standard Pushups, Sets
Go back to the basic pushup, aiming to do your reps in sets with short breaks in between each set. This teaches your body to deal with the full breadth of volume it’ll need to reach to handle 50 total pushups.
- Day 5: Pushups with Back and Core Integration
A pushup is, first and foremost, targeting your chest—but it’s not all chest. Core, glutes, and midback muscles must also fire to help you get through each rep. These variations remind you of that.
- Day 6: Pushups at Tempo
Explore and own your full pushup range of motion by playing with double-explode pushups, half-full pushups, and other variations that’ll challenge your chest and triceps in different ways. You’re still piling up reps, though, continuing to condition your body for your ultimate goal.
- Day 7: Challenge
Take a break from all the pushups you’ve been piling up and take a stab at a new move.
How to Do a Proper Pushup
Even though your ultimate goal is to do 50 reps in a row, your most immediate aim should be to learn how to do perfect reps. Even if you think you're a pushup pro, it helps to review the basics. Check out this video and guide for the most important tips to remember when you drop down to do your reps.
Remember:
Own the Plank
Squeeze your glutes and core to maintain tension, don't let your butt rise or droop.
Get Your Hands Right
Start with your hands under your shoulders, don't flare your elbows.
Finish the Rep
Lower your chest all the way to the ground, then push all the way up. No half reps.
Hands Up, Not Knees Down
Need to adjust? Elevate your hands on a raised surface instead of dropping to your knees.
WEEK 1
▲ Day 1: Max Reps in 1 set
Do as many reps—with good form—as you can.
EB SAYS: Remember to squeeze your glutes and keep your core engaged.
▲ Day 2: Paused Pushups
Do 20 total reps.
EB SAYS: Can’t do them all one shot? That’s fine. Do as many as you can, then rest for 10 seconds. Jump back in and continue. Do this as many times as you need to get to 20.
▲ Day 3: Close-Grip Pushups
Do 3 sets of as many reps as you can each set. Rest 30 seconds between sets.
EB SAYS: Your close-grip should never look like a diamond.
▲ Day 4: Pushups
Do 5 sets of 10 pushup reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
EB SAYS: If you’re struggling, rest briefly on a rep, then reset and fight through.
▲ Day 5: Hand-Release Pushup
Do 3 sets of 10 reps. Rest 20 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 6: Double-Explode Pushups
Do 3 sets of 10 reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 7: Archer Pushup
2 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side
EB SAYS: Need a refresher (or an intro) on how to do the Archer? This guide can help.
WEEK 2
▲ Day 1: Max Reps in 1 set
This week, try to build on the foundations of Week 1.
▲ Day 2: Paused Pushups
Do 25 total reps.
EB SAYS: Can’t do them all one shot? That’s fine. Do as many as you can, then rest for 8 seconds. Jump back in and continue. Do this as many times as you need to get to 25.
▲ Day 3: Close-Grip Pushups
Do 3 sets of as many reps as you can in each set. Rest 20 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 4: Pushups
Do 4 sets of 12 reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
EB SAYS: If you’re struggling, rest briefly on a rep, then reset and fight through.
▲ Day 5: Hand-Release Pushups
Do 3 sets of 15 reps. Rest 20 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 6: Half-Full Pushup
Do 3 sets of 10 reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 7: Two-Step Archer
Do 2 sets of 4 to 6 reps per side.
WEEK 3
▲ Day 1: Max Reps in 1 set
You've built even more strength over the past two weeks. Let's put that to the test.
▲ Day 2: Paused Pushups
Do 30 total reps.
EB SAYS: Can’t do them all one shot? That’s fine. Do as many as you can, then rest for 5 seconds. Jump back in and continue. Do this as many times as you need to get to 30.
▲ Day 3: Close-Grip pushups
Do 3 sets of 15 reps. Rest 20 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 4: Pushups
Do 3 sets of 15 reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set. Then do 1 sets of 10 reps.
▲ Day 5: Hand-Release Pushups
Do 2 sets of 20 reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 6: Half-Full Pushup
Do 4 sets of 10 reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 7: Half-Typewriter Pushup
Do 2 sets of 4 to 6 reps per side.
WEEK 4
▲ Day 1: Max Reps in 1 set.
We're closer to the finish line. As you test your max this week, keep perfect form at the front of your mind.
▲ Day 2: Paused Pushups
Do 40 total reps.
EB SAYS: Can’t do them all one shot? That’s fine. Do as many as you can, then rest for 5 seconds. Jump back in and continue. Do this as many times as you need to get to 40.
▲ Day 3: Mixed-Style Close-Grip Pushups
Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 total reps per set. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 4: Pushups
Do 3 sets of 20 reps. Rest 45 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 5: Hand-Release Clap Pushup
Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set. Fatiguing from the clap pushups? Then do regular pushups in your final set.
▲ Day 6: Double-Explode Pushup
Do 5 sets of 10 reps. Rest 30 seconds between each set.
▲ Day 7: Clap Pushup
Do 2 sets of 8 to 10.
WEEK 5
▲ Day 1: Max Reps in 1 set
Do as many reps as you can, trying to take down your goal of 50.
EB SAYS: Can't quite make it? Don't worry: You get one more shot before the challenge is up.
▲ Day 2: Testing Day! Max Reps in 1 set
Do as many good form reps as you can. This is test day, so go all out.
▲ Day 3: Superman Pushup
Can you do it?
EB SAYS: Need some help? Check out this guide to the movement.
