Beat Cancer - 1 Pushup at a Time
It’s time to give something back – to do something significant – to make a difference. Please click HERE to make a donation to the American Cancer Society.
It’s time to give something back – to do something significant – to make a difference. Please click HERE to make a donation to the American Cancer Society.
End of Year Results
In early November I realized that I was on pace to finish up the 55,000 pushups on the anniversary of my father-in-law's death - December 1, so I did. I videotaped the event, of doing 100 straight pushups with several resting moments while holding a plank with my arms fully extended, but I haven't processed the movie into a video file yet. (OK, so I'm basically lazy!) This public announcement will hopefully inspire me to finish the movie and post it here:
Completing the 55,000 pushups on December 1, I realized I was on pace to complete 60,000 by the end of the year, so this became my new goal. To celebrate completing this project, I videotaped the last 10 pushups during the 10 second countdown to the new year on December 31:
What follows is my original blog material, first posted in December of 2011 and edited as 2012 progressed:
Completing the 55,000 pushups on December 1, I realized I was on pace to complete 60,000 by the end of the year, so this became my new goal. To celebrate completing this project, I videotaped the last 10 pushups during the 10 second countdown to the new year on December 31:
What follows is my original blog material, first posted in December of 2011 and edited as 2012 progressed:
55,000 Pushups
In the year 2012, I am doing 55,000 pushups to raise cancer awareness and funding for the American Cancer Society to fight cancer. Check out my daily progress on the My Pushup Log tab.
If you would like to support my effort, click HERE to make a donation right now to the American Cancer Society. You don't have to do any pushups, but please donate today! If 40,000 people each donate only $25.00, together we will raise $1 million for cancer research!
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/55kpushups
Would you like to view a pushup demonstration?
If you would rather make a donation by check, you can do so by mailing a check to this address:
In the year 2012, I am doing 55,000 pushups to raise cancer awareness and funding for the American Cancer Society to fight cancer. Check out my daily progress on the My Pushup Log tab.
If you would like to support my effort, click HERE to make a donation right now to the American Cancer Society. You don't have to do any pushups, but please donate today! If 40,000 people each donate only $25.00, together we will raise $1 million for cancer research!
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/55kpushups
Would you like to view a pushup demonstration?
If you would rather make a donation by check, you can do so by mailing a check to this address:
American Cancer Society, South Atlantic Division
Attn: Lyndsei Pilgrim, 4A-343
P.O. Box 56567
Atlanta, GA 30343
If you send a check, please mention my name, Bob Montgomery, and the 55kpushups project to ensure your donation amount is credited towards my goal of raising 1 million dollars for cancer research in 2012.
Attn: Lyndsei Pilgrim, 4A-343
P.O. Box 56567
Atlanta, GA 30343
If you send a check, please mention my name, Bob Montgomery, and the 55kpushups project to ensure your donation amount is credited towards my goal of raising 1 million dollars for cancer research in 2012.
What's This All About?
Anybody with functional arms can do a pushup. Depending on your level of fitness, it takes a bit of time and effort to work up to doing 50 pushups without resting. Once you can do that, it isn’t much of a stretch to do a set of 50, rest for a few minutes and then do another set of 30. Work a little harder and a little longer, adding core and leg exercises and boot camp type calisthenics, and you can work up to doing 200 pushups within 45 minutes or less, interspersed throughout an all around, full body workout. Repeat this process for 5 days in a row and you’ve done 1000 pushups. If you do 1000 pushups each week (200/day for 5 days) and take 2 days off each week and 2 weeks off during the year, you’ll do 50,000 pushups in a year.
Anybody with functional arms can do a pushup. Depending on your level of fitness, it takes a bit of time and effort to work up to doing 50 pushups without resting. Once you can do that, it isn’t much of a stretch to do a set of 50, rest for a few minutes and then do another set of 30. Work a little harder and a little longer, adding core and leg exercises and boot camp type calisthenics, and you can work up to doing 200 pushups within 45 minutes or less, interspersed throughout an all around, full body workout. Repeat this process for 5 days in a row and you’ve done 1000 pushups. If you do 1000 pushups each week (200/day for 5 days) and take 2 days off each week and 2 weeks off during the year, you’ll do 50,000 pushups in a year.
So, in July of 2011 I thought, why not do 50,000 pushups in 2012 and use it as a means of raising money for cancer research or some other worthwhile charity? Realizing that doing 1000 pushups in a week is one thing, but repeating this effort week after week, and month after month is something else, I started doing 1000 pushups each week in July. A couple of months later it occurred to me that 2012 is the year when I will turn 55, so why not add 50 Saturdays of 100 pushups to make it 55,000 pushups to celebrate instead? So in September I bumped it up to 1100 a week to make sure I can do this before I put it on the line in front of the whole world.
The Purpose Becomes Too Real
My pushup exercise plan was going along just fine when everything changed on September 30. My father-in-law, Gene Rundquist, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. That was not part of the plan. He was given 9-12 months with chemotherapy. Gene died 2 months and 1 day later on December 1, 2011. He was a terrific man and a great friend.
I watched this man go from being a strong, independent, joyful character to an invalid in a matter of a few weeks. He refused to give up. I was honored to be in his presence as he fought for his life. Cancer doesn't care who you are, your background, your faith, whether you are rich or poor, sick or healthy. It just doesn't care. I hate cancer.
My father-in-law's death made it pretty easy to decide what charity to focus on and now I am more resolved than ever to complete this year long fund raising effort to raise money for cancer research. I'll do the pushups for a year and my sponsors pledge to donate money to the American Cancer Society (ACS) to fight cancer. Sounds like a good plan, right? Click to learn more about the American Cancer Society.
I’m excited about this. Now is the time to get in shape, America. At the same time, we can raise a lot of money to support a great cause. It’s time to give something back – to do something significant – to make a difference. When I was in high school, there was another guy on the swim team who did 200 - 300 pushups every day as part of his training. I thought that was pretty impressive and when I was in college I started doing 50 pushups every night before going to bed. At one point I got to where I could do 130 pushups without getting up, but I would need to rest with arms extended (in a plank) after about 70. Then I would do sets of 10 followed by a plank, and then sets of 5 alternating with planks and finally, I would squeeze out the last 5 or so, arms trembling, entire body shaking, resting for a couple of breaths with arms outstretched after each one. What fun! Alas, time went by and I gradually stopped doing my pushups.
The Purpose Becomes Too Real
My pushup exercise plan was going along just fine when everything changed on September 30. My father-in-law, Gene Rundquist, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. That was not part of the plan. He was given 9-12 months with chemotherapy. Gene died 2 months and 1 day later on December 1, 2011. He was a terrific man and a great friend.
I watched this man go from being a strong, independent, joyful character to an invalid in a matter of a few weeks. He refused to give up. I was honored to be in his presence as he fought for his life. Cancer doesn't care who you are, your background, your faith, whether you are rich or poor, sick or healthy. It just doesn't care. I hate cancer.
My father-in-law's death made it pretty easy to decide what charity to focus on and now I am more resolved than ever to complete this year long fund raising effort to raise money for cancer research. I'll do the pushups for a year and my sponsors pledge to donate money to the American Cancer Society (ACS) to fight cancer. Sounds like a good plan, right? Click to learn more about the American Cancer Society.
Moving Forward
So, I've been doing 1100 pushups each week since September of 2011. I will average 1100 pushups every week of 2012 with the option of taking 2 weeks off if I want to, possibly with occasional days off interspersed throughout the year. I'm updating the My Pushup Log tab daily to keep track of my progress and for the whole world to keep track as well.
OK, So How Do I Make a Donation?
Please click HERE to make a donation to the American Cancer Society. There are two buttons on that page. By clicking JOIN OUR TEAM you can donate a minimum of $25 or any amount above that as you become a member of Team 55kpushups and have your own page on the ACS site. Members of Team 55kpushups don't have to do any pushups! Being a member of the team only means you can send people to your page, and keep track of your own fund raising efforts! I would welcome you as a team member and challenge you to personally raise at least $1,000 over the course of the year.
If you would prefer not to join Team 55kpushups, but would rather simply make a one-time donation, click HERE and then click DONATE instead. Then you can make an immediate donation of a minimum of $25 or any amount above that. All donations are greatly appreciated and will go entirely to the American Cancer Society to fund their efforts to fight cancer.
Let's Grow This Thing
I NEED YOUR HELP!! To reach my goal, I need to reach 40,000 people or organizations who will donate at least $25 to the American Cancer Society. Every day I tell people what I'm doing and I also share it with all kinds of businesses, churches, schools - essentially any kind of organization - and ask for sponsorship.
Please help me by sharing this blogsite with everyone you know and every organization that you think might be interested in supporting the cause. Some good examples might include exercise and fitness magazines, health clubs and other health industry companies, but be creative and share this with all kinds of organizations to spread the word and seek additional sponsorship. Don't forget to share this with your friends and associates too. Feel free to leave comments on the Sponsors and Friends Comments page. I appreciate your input!
I would also welcome anyone to join me in this exercise/fund raising quest. You can join me in doing pushups or come up with your own goal - walking, running, biking, swimming, squats - whatever. If you start your own fund raising effort, I would love to hear about it and share in your successes!If you would prefer not to join Team 55kpushups, but would rather simply make a one-time donation, click HERE and then click DONATE instead. Then you can make an immediate donation of a minimum of $25 or any amount above that. All donations are greatly appreciated and will go entirely to the American Cancer Society to fund their efforts to fight cancer.
Let's Grow This Thing
I NEED YOUR HELP!! To reach my goal, I need to reach 40,000 people or organizations who will donate at least $25 to the American Cancer Society. Every day I tell people what I'm doing and I also share it with all kinds of businesses, churches, schools - essentially any kind of organization - and ask for sponsorship.
Please help me by sharing this blogsite with everyone you know and every organization that you think might be interested in supporting the cause. Some good examples might include exercise and fitness magazines, health clubs and other health industry companies, but be creative and share this with all kinds of organizations to spread the word and seek additional sponsorship. Don't forget to share this with your friends and associates too. Feel free to leave comments on the Sponsors and Friends Comments page. I appreciate your input!
I’m excited about this. Now is the time to get in shape, America. At the same time, we can raise a lot of money to support a great cause. It’s time to give something back – to do something significant – to make a difference. When I was in high school, there was another guy on the swim team who did 200 - 300 pushups every day as part of his training. I thought that was pretty impressive and when I was in college I started doing 50 pushups every night before going to bed. At one point I got to where I could do 130 pushups without getting up, but I would need to rest with arms extended (in a plank) after about 70. Then I would do sets of 10 followed by a plank, and then sets of 5 alternating with planks and finally, I would squeeze out the last 5 or so, arms trembling, entire body shaking, resting for a couple of breaths with arms outstretched after each one. What fun! Alas, time went by and I gradually stopped doing my pushups.
Over the years, I’ve had periods of good exercise and not so good exercise. Right now, I’m happy to say that I’m in a period of good exercise again. This is the place to be. It just feels good!
Click HERE to join the 55kpushups team and donate to the American Cancer Society!
Click HERE to join the 55kpushups team and donate to the American Cancer Society!
