Can you do a pushup? What about 100? How about 10,000? These were the questions that Amityville 9th grade student, Erick Mejia Zavala took upon himself in early August. He set a goal to complete 100 pushups every day for 100 days, totaling 10,000 pushups, and documented his entire journey on his Instagram account, @3rickamz, for his followers to see.

Erick is passionate about wrestling, which plays a major role in his life as a member of the Amityville wrestling team. This challenge was inspired by his desire to prepare for the upcoming wrestling season, so he called it “100 Pushups Every Day Until the Wrestling Season Starts.” He began in early August and stuck to his goal, posting a video to his social media every day, showing his successful completion of 100 pushups.

On November 18th, 2024, Erick accomplished his goal, completing Day 100 of 100 pushups in preparation for the wrestling season. He ended the journey with the caption, “Done for now, today is the time to change everything,” signaling his readiness to tackle the wrestling season. His 100-day streak was complete, marking a total of 10,000 pushups. He archived all his previous 99 posts, sharing that, “Most people will not believe a tale, just the people who saw it will.”

I had the chance to speak with Erick after he completed his challenge and learn more about his journey.

Erick said that he was inspired by seeing others on Instagram doing pushups. He took on the challenge both to prepare for wrestling and to challenge himself personally.

On Day 1, Erick felt excited and motivated, destined to start the challenge. By Day 100, he maintained the same mentality. Erick was focused on finishing and determined to complete what he started.

When asked about the obstacles he faced along the way and how he pushed through, Erick said that his motivation was key. He was determined to finish, pushing himself to keep going even when things got tough.

Along with doing pushups, Erick was also weightlifting and working out behind-the-scenes.

The biggest lesson Erick learned was that nothing comes easily, and hard work is necessary to achieving your goals. He’s committed to wrestling and has his sights set on becoming a champion.

His advice for others is to start slow and gradually work up to bigger goals. Erick began with 10 pushups per set, then moved up to 40, and eventually reached 100. He emphasized that working out is something he truly enjoys, and when asked what kept him going, he credited his motivation and love for fitness.

Erick’s friends were all very supportive of his journey, cheering him on and expressing how proud they were of his dedication. He mentioned that his journey isn’t over and that he plans to take on a similar challenge again in the future.

Erick credits his success to discipline. His ability to manage himself, follow through with his goals, and stay consistent kept him motivated throughout the challenge. His advice to others is to find love in the process and understand that discipline is the key to achieving long-term success.