Calisthenics Athlete Chris Heria Shares His Daily 100-Pushup Workout
Calisthenics athlete Chris Heria loves pushups. He previously created a 200-rep pushup challenge that he called "probably the hardest pushup challenge on YouTube." And now, Heria is sharing the 100-pushup workout he does every day that he credits for helping him "not only with my physique and aesthetically, but also with my strength and performance."
For Heria, the benefits also go beyond just growing your chest and triceps.
"Doing this every day is going to build discipline, and if you want to see success in anything, that's the main ingredient," says Heria. "And that's how real results are created."
He notes that you will also see benefits in other pushing exercises by keeping up the routine—for example, his full planche pushups got a lot easier thanks to his daily pushup habit. But he emphasizes the importance of balancing out the 100 pushups with an opposing pulling motion to prevent a muscle imbalance.
"Eventually this will just be part of your routine every morning for you like it is for me, just like brushing your teeth," says Heria.
For complete beginners, Heria suggests starting by doing this workout using an elevated surface (like your couch or a weight bench) to reduce the amount of resistance. If you have a more developed base of strength, you should start on the floor—but if you do get fatigued, transition to an elevated surface rather than performing reps with poor form. Check out this pushup guide for an example of perfect form.
This workout includes five different variations for 20 reps each. Want to level up the challenge? Check out our 30-Day Pushup Challenge.
The 100 Pushup Workout
Set 1: Basic Pushups, 20 reps
Your hands should be shoulder width apart, your finger tips should be aligned with your shoulders, your core should be tight, and your head should be forward.
"Squeeze your entire body. You don't want to rush these," says Heria. "Full range of motion is super important."
Set 2: Diamond Pushups, 20 reps
With your hands in a diamond, go all the way down and all the way up. Remember, you have the option to use an elevated surface if this is too difficult.
"It's been two sets and I'm already getting my pump in," says Heria.
Diamond pushups might not be the best option for everyone, especially if you have shoulder issues. Feel free to swap in close-grip pushups instead.
Set 3: Wide Pushups, 20 reps
"Get a wide grip and get completely straight, keeping your core tight," says Heria. "The more thorough you do each rep, the harder it is."
Set 4: Side to Side Pushups, 20 reps
"This is going to be a mixture of wide and diamond pushups," says Heria. "I like this one because you're putting your entire bodyweight on each arm for a second by itself."
Set 5: Basic Pushups, 20 reps
For the final set, Heria goes back to the basic pushup to finish up strong.
"Feel the concentric as well as the eccentric," says Heria. "The pump is real in just a couple minutes."
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