The 2023 10,000 push-up challenge is officially closed, and this Physical Friday is my celebration of everyone who stepped to the line — as a team or solo, for clean water or just to test themselves. The standout numbers floored me: my 84-year-old dad finished in 21 days, my friend Greg McHale set the record at 10 days, and I did it in 12. In this episode I recognize the community and explain how to claim your certificate.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
The challenge runs every February. You have the calendar month to complete ten thousand push-ups, either as an individual or as part of a team, on whatever schedule works for your fitness level and recovery. Some people spread the reps evenly across all 28 days, and others attack it fast — this year several finished well inside the month.
Greg McHale set what is, to my knowledge, the all-time record by finishing in just ten days. He took on the challenge after February had already started and still completed all ten thousand push-ups in ten days, which is incredibly impressive. I did mine in twelve days this year, cutting a couple of days off my time from the year before.
The oldest finisher I know is my own dad, who is 84 years old and completed all ten thousand push-ups in 21 days. His sheet showed five or more sets of about 80 push-ups per day. What impresses me even more than the push-ups is that an 84-year-old got down on the ground and back up that many times — there is a direct correlation between that ability and a long, high-quality life.
It is on the honor system. If you completed the challenge and did not receive the email with the certificate link, just reach out: text me at 305-930-7346 or email podcast@saltwaterexperience.com and let me know you finished. I will send you the link to the certificate, which you can download, put your name on, and display wherever you would like.
Absolutely — my 84-year-old father is proof. He worked in sets of about 80, doing five or more sets a day, and finished in 21 days. The challenge scales to wherever you are; you can do the push-ups elevated or at your own pace. The ability to get to the floor and back up repeatedly is one of the best things you can maintain for longevity, which makes this challenge valuable at any age.
Yes. We do the 10,000 push-up challenge every February, and we will run it again next year, hopefully alongside some other challenges through the year. If you did it this year, congratulations — it is a real accomplishment to do ten thousand push-ups in a month, and even better if you can do it in fewer days. Reach out for your certificate and start thinking about your goal for next February.
If you finished the challenge, here is how to make sure you get recognized. I cover the results and standout performances in the episode.
I walk through the details in the episode. Press play in the player above.
The most personal moment of this year’s challenge was my dad finishing all ten thousand push-ups in 21 days at age 84, in sets of about 80. Beyond the reps, getting to the floor and back up that many times is exactly the movement tied to a long, high-quality life. I talk about what his result means in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Greg McHale jumped in after the month had started and still finished in ten days — the fastest time I am aware of. I did mine in twelve, trimming a couple of days off last year. Records like that give the whole community something to chase. I break down the standout numbers in the episode, so press play in the player above.
This challenge runs on trust and community. The people who show up and do the work are the ones who want the certificate for the right reasons, and the shared experience carries through the rest of the year. I explain how to claim your certificate in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Congratulations to everyone who finished the 2023 challenge — whether it took you ten days or all thirty, you proved something about what you are capable of.
If you have not gotten your certificate yet, text me at 305-930-7346 or email podcast@saltwaterexperience.com. We will do it again next February. Press play in the player above.
Physical Friday is my weekly fitness series for fishing guides, anglers, hunters, and outdoorsmen — the training, nutrition, and mindset to stay in the game for life. Watch and listen to every Physical Friday episode from Tom Rowland.
10,000 Push-Up Challenge · Greg McHale · Tom Rowland’s father · Captains for Clean Water · Physical Friday · Saltwater Experience
I’m Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. Physical Friday is my weekly fitness series where I share the training, nutrition, and mindset that keep fishing guides, anglers, hunters, and outdoorsmen strong enough to keep doing what they love for life.
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