Pushups and the Plank: The over 40 (but 22 in my mind) edition…

I have always been — if not great at sports — quite sporty. I can throw and catch a ball. I’m not too bad at the batting cages, either. I haven’t been in quite a few years, but I did manage to whack quite a few balls. I can toss a basket ball into a net. No layups, I am still 5 feet tall.

At work, sometimes for fun, I toss a wrapper into the garbage can from a distance. I rarely miss. I can also flip (and catch) a ball by bouncing it off the inside of my elbow (this is actually very hard to describe, but trust me it’s a neat trick and takes some coordination. I developed it as a camp counsellor — it amused the kids.)

I do suck at driving in golf, but am not too bad closer to the hole. I like mini-golf like no one’s business.

Okay, this is not meant to be a “how great is Christine” post. I am going somewhere. And it’s not somewhere terrific.

Last week at work my colleague and I decided to do some push ups. (Don’t ask me how we got this idea.) So I was thinking, how hard could this be. I imagined I could do about 20.

I really thought this was not going to be a problem. I have done 20 pushups before. (Before being in the 90s, but what the heck, I’m still strong.)

So. I got into position and did……3.

Yes, 3 pushups. I could, perhaps, have done 4 but my arms we not cooperating.

Geez.

We also did a Pilates position called the Plank. I managed to hold that pose for 19 seconds. Plus, I managed to do a side Plank as well. Now 19 seconds is not very good, but I did not feel as bad as I did after the pushup fiasco.

So what’s next. Well, more Plank and more pushups. In my office this time — with the door closed. I’m not coming out until I can kick it.

Comments

  1. remember that you only improve at doing push ups by doing good pushups – all the way down, all the way up. anything else and you are convincing yourself you are improving when you are not. doing them from your knees is okay, just go all the way down and all the way up.

  2. Sean, I think I will do my next sets on my knees. I did manage some good form but the strength was not there. I am going to keep at this. I want firm arms and a flat stomach — but most of all I want to win the office pushup contest!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *