Last year I had a cervical scare and my upper back was in terrible pain. Sitting, standing, and even laying down on the bed hurt.
So much so that one day I wasn’t able to get up from bed. When I woke up my upper back was in agony. I have to take a painful turn to twist my body to sit up.
I went to the doctor who told me something that I already suspected. Lack of stretching and bad posture led to swelling at the base of my neck.
The doctor recommended physiotherapy. After months of therapy, I was finally free of pain. The doctor recommended that I do a few upper back exercises and stretches daily.
Push-up is the basic exercise in every workout. You can not get through a good workout without a few push-ups.
They are a great warm-up exercise that tones the entire upper body. You can also do them as a closing ritual before cooling down.
No matter if you are a beginner or pro, you are destined to do push-ups the moment you step a foot in the gym.
It is the basic bodyweight movement without which every workout feels incomplete, that is why this year I took on the challenge to do 20 push-ups daily.
Why I took the challenge
To stay out of physiotherapy
I have had upper back issues for a long time. I had cervical symptoms earlier so my physiotherapist recommended that I do push-ups daily.
He asked me to take it slow so I started with 20 push-ups.
Push-ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises to tone and strengthen the upper back.
I transformed my noodle arms and weak back with this easy exercise in just seven months.
To tighten my waist
I get a muffin top just by smelling delicious food. No matter how much I try I never got rid of my muffin top.
So, I have learned to live with it. This Push-up challenge has helped me tremendously in keeping my waist snatched.
Push-ups are a great bodyweight exercise to shrink your muffin top. So get your thin waist out of hibernation.
To avoid the effects of a sedentary lifestyle
I sit for more than 7 hours a day. This is not a crazy statistic but a complete lie.
I sit for at least 10 hours daily. There I said it. It is my secret shame. My biggest health enemy.
Lower back pain is always on the verge. Push-ups tones the entire back they are the reason why I haven’t disintegrated in a pile of dust.
And these push-ups have given me a chance to be more active. I schedule push-ups during my break, which also compels me to take a walk.
Why only 20 push-ups
The doctor’s advice
My physiotherapist advised me to start small. He wanted me to stay in my comfort zone so that I don’t end up hurting myself.
He guided me to make a reasonable goal that I can follow daily without much effort.
Motivation is always there
You can do 20 push-ups easily in less than 5 minutes. They are easy, you don’t need any equipment or a pricey gym membership.
Just get on the floor and do the damn push-ups — my mindset for the past seven months.
There is not much resistance when you know the task at hand is easy.
Build momentum for better consistency
20 push-ups every day is a better option than 140 push-ups on Sunday.
Doing a little bit daily will help you make more progress quickly.
You need a lot of motivation to do 140 push-ups but not so much to do 20 push-ups. So, focus on the power of small efforts for bigger and better results.
My experience with this lengthy experiment
The easiest challenge ever
I am a five-foot girl with noodle arms and yet this is the easiest upper body challenge I have ever done.
If you workout regularly then you can do 20 push-ups easily without even breaking a sweat.
But if you are a beginner then you might need to take a break, but you can easily do them.
The main factor
Consistency was the best part of this challenge. It helped me keep a regular workout routine without even trying.
One easy exercise can give you the momentum to do a 30-minute workout.
On most days the push-ups were followed by a HIIT routine, run, or a yoga session.
Level up
I strive to do at least 20 push-ups daily. But now after seven months, I can easily do 50 push-ups.
So, now I have raised the stake to 50 push-ups. Now, I do 2 sets of 25 push-ups daily. My next big goal is to do 50 push-ups in one go.
The results
- Push-ups helped me end my back pain.
- A better and more erect posture.
- Push-ups completely transformed my noodle arms.
- Doing 20 push-ups every morning led to more consistent workouts.
- A stronger upper body helped me hold planks for longer.
- Push-ups demolished my muffin top.
- Stronger wrists helped me do better handstands and wheel pose.
When I do the push-ups
I have made a routine to start my day with a small workout. It only takes 10 minutes to do 20 push-ups and 20 squats in the morning.
It is an easy habit to add to your routine and it takes even less time as you get better at it.
In the beginning, it used to take me 10 minutes, but now I can do it in less than 8 minutes.
3 Easy habits that help me make this a habit
Don’t miss more than 3 days
Sometimes it is difficult to sneak in a workout. You are busy, tired, and burned out from your complicated life. You need to keep your attention on the super urgent stuff and your workout becomes less of a priority.
So, it makes sense that you miss a few days to breathe and re-energize. Take a break but make sure to never miss more than three days in a row.
You can get back to your fitness routine unscathed in three days but after that, it gets a little harder every day.
Do it at a designated time
The stepping stone for every habit is a routine. You need to decide a time for your new habit and stick to it.
I have never been a fan of morning workouts. So, I knew this easy workout is my chance to add a morning workout to my routine.
Morning workouts can help you get rid of brain fog and boost productivity.
Morning walks are good but higher intensity exercises like push-ups and squats are even better.
Keep a backlog
The days you missed should not be forgotten. You have to add 20 push-ups to your backlog every time you miss a day.
That is the only honest way to complete a fitness challenge. So, carry on with your push-ups and do them diligently.
Conclusion
Push-ups are a great exercise that you need to add to your workout.
This strength-building exercise will keep your back strong and your heart healthy.
You can do 20 push-ups easily within ten minutes. All you need is a mat and you are good to go.
So, take this challenge today to become more consistent with your workouts for better health.