Push-ups are a staple exercise in strength training, offering benefits like increased muscle endurance, strength, and core stability. But what happens to your body if you commit to doing 150 push-ups every day for a month?
While the idea may sound appealing as a challenge or way to improve your physique, it’s essential to understand the impacts, both positive and negative. In this article, we’ll explore the scientific evidence behind how your body will respond, how push-ups target specific muscle groups, and the potential risks of following this routine for an extended period.
The Science Behind Push-Ups
Push-ups are a compound exercise, engaging multiple muscle groups at once. The primary muscles worked during a push-up are the pectoralis major (chest), deltoids (shoulders), and triceps. However, the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis and obliques, are also activated to maintain body alignment.
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that compound movements like push-ups improve muscle endurance and strength in targeted areas. Push-ups also promote neuromuscular coordination, enhancing your overall fitness and ability to perform other exercises (Calatayud et al., 2015).
Week 1: Immediate Adaptations
In the first week of doing 150 push-ups daily, you’ll likely feel soreness in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. This is due to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which occurs when your muscles are exposed to more stress than they are accustomed to. DOMS is a normal part of the muscle-building process and indicates that your muscles are being challenged.
Muscle fibre recruitment increases during the early days, and you will begin to see improved neuromuscular efficiency as your brain gets better at coordinating the movement. However, research suggests that performing the same exercise without variation can lead to a plateau in progress (Behm & Sale, 1993). Therefore, while your body will adapt to the 150 push-ups, the rate of progress may slow after the initial adaptation period.
Increased Muscle Endurance
A key change in the first week is an improvement in muscle endurance. According to a study by Ratamess et al. (2009), high-repetition exercises like push-ups are effective for building muscular endurance because they require the muscle to perform under fatigue for an extended time. You may notice that after a few days, the 150 push-ups feel less challenging as your muscles become more efficient at completing the task.
Calorie Burn and Weight Loss
Doing 150 push-ups daily can also contribute to calorie burn. A 70kg individual burns approximately 7 calories per minute doing push-ups. Although this is not a high calorie-burn activity compared to aerobic exercises like running, it still contributes to overall energy expenditure. Over time, this could lead to slight fat loss, provided it’s paired with a balanced diet. However, push-ups alone are not enough to create a significant calorie deficit for weight loss.
Week 2: Strength Gains
By the second week, the initial soreness will likely have subsided as your muscles adapt to the challenge. Strength gains will become more noticeable, particularly in your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Hypertrophy: Muscle Growth
One of the most sought-after benefits of push-ups is hypertrophy, or muscle growth. Studies show that hypertrophy occurs when muscles are exposed to progressively greater loads or high-volume training (Schoenfeld, 2010). While push-ups primarily promote endurance, performing 150 a day is a high enough volume to induce some muscle growth. However, it’s important to note that hypertrophy is more pronounced when resistance is gradually increased. Since push-ups use your body weight, muscle growth might plateau after the first two weeks without additional weight or variations in difficulty.
Impact on Core Stability
Push-ups require a strong core to maintain proper form. You might find that your core feels more stable and engaged by the second week. A study published in Physical Therapy in Sport in 2014 found that exercises that engage the core muscles, like push-ups, can improve core strength and stability over time (Snarr & Esco, 2014). This can lead to better posture and reduced risk of back injuries.
Week 3: Mental and Physical Fatigue
By the third week, physical fatigue might start to set in, particularly if you haven’t been giving your body sufficient recovery time. The lack of variety in the exercise could lead to mental boredom, and your muscles may feel more tired due to the repetitive strain.
Risk of Overtraining
At this stage, the risk of overtraining becomes a concern. Overtraining occurs when the body is not given adequate time to recover between workouts, leading to diminished performance and increased injury risk. According to a study in Sports Health (Kreher & Schwartz, 2012), overtraining can lead to a range of symptoms, including fatigue, reduced immune function, and increased risk of injury. Common injuries from overtraining push-ups include shoulder impingement and wrist pain due to repetitive stress on the joints.
Strength Plateaus
As previously mentioned, performing the same exercise every day without variation can cause a plateau. This happens because your muscles adapt to the exercise, and without increasing the resistance or varying the movement, the stimulus is no longer challenging enough to induce further strength gains (Behm & Sale, 1993).
Week 4: Adaptation and Long-Term Impact
By the final week of the challenge, your body will have adapted significantly to the daily push-ups. You will likely notice visible changes in your upper body, including more defined chest, shoulders, and triceps. However, these changes may be less pronounced than you initially expected due to the lack of progressive overload.
Upper Body Definition
By week four, the consistent high volume of push-ups will have improved your muscle tone and definition. While push-ups alone may not build substantial muscle mass without added resistance, they will enhance muscle visibility and tone, especially in the upper body.
Improved Cardiovascular Health
While push-ups are not primarily a cardiovascular exercise, they do elevate your heart rate and increase circulation, benefiting cardiovascular health. A study published in JAMA Network Open in 2019 found that individuals who could complete more than 40 push-ups were significantly less likely to develop cardiovascular disease compared to those who could complete fewer than 10 (Yang et al., 2019). While the study does not directly investigate performing 150 push-ups a day, it supports the idea that higher push-up capacity is linked to better heart health.
Mental Resilience and Discipline
One often overlooked benefit of completing a push-up challenge is the mental resilience and discipline it builds. Sticking to a routine like 150 push-ups daily requires commitment, which can translate to other areas of life. This consistency in performing a challenging task can improve self-discipline and mental toughness, traits often associated with long-term success in fitness and other endeavours.
Potential Downsides of 150 Push-Ups Daily
While there are several benefits to doing 150 push-ups a day, there are also some downsides that should be considered.
Imbalance in Muscle Development
Push-ups predominantly target the chest, shoulders, and triceps, which could lead to muscle imbalances if not balanced with exercises for the back and legs. Muscle imbalances increase the risk of injury and may lead to postural issues over time. For optimal results, it’s essential to incorporate other exercises into your routine that target the posterior chain (back muscles) and legs to maintain balance in muscle development.
Overuse Injuries
Performing the same exercise every day can increase the risk of overuse injuries, particularly in the wrists, elbows, and shoulders. Repetitive strain on the joints can lead to tendonitis or other joint issues if proper form is not maintained or if you push through pain. Varying your exercise routine and allowing adequate recovery time can help prevent these injuries.
Conclusion: Is 150 Push-Ups a Day Worth It?
Performing 150 push-ups every day for a month will lead to increased muscle endurance, improved upper body definition, and enhanced core stability. However, the routine’s benefits may plateau without incorporating progressive overload or exercise variation. While you can expect some strength gains and muscle growth, the lack of variety and risk of overtraining may limit long-term progress.
For those looking to improve their fitness through push-ups, it’s advisable to incorporate variations like weighted push-ups or plyometric push-ups and include exercises that target other muscle groups to ensure balanced development. Additionally, allowing for rest days and recovery is crucial to prevent overuse injuries and maximise results.
Key Takeaways:
| Key Points | |
|---|---|
| Muscle Endurance | 150 push-ups daily improves endurance in the chest, shoulders, and triceps. |
| Strength Gains | Strength improves initially, but plateaus without added resistance or variation. |
| Muscle Growth | Some hypertrophy occurs, but limited without progressive overload. |
| Core Stability | Push-ups enhance core strength and stability. |
| Risk of Overtraining | Daily push-ups increase the risk of overuse injuries and fatigue. |
| Muscle Imbalance | Predominant focus on upper body muscles can lead to imbalances. |
| Cardiovascular Benefits | Push-ups contribute to heart health, though they are not a primary cardiovascular exercise. |
References
- Calatayud, J., Borreani, S., Colado, J.C., Martin, F., Tella, V., Andersen, L.L. (2015) ‘Bench press and push-up at comparable levels of muscle activity results in similar strength gains’, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(1), pp. 246-253.
