When your teenager challenges you to a test of strength

[Gryphon Rider]

It's been a few years since I've been anywhere close to "in shape".  I haven't had a gym membership in maybe 5-6 years.  Two days ago, while I was wiping the table after supper, my 14-almost-15-year-old son says, "Hey Dad, wanna have a push-up contest?"

"I just had supper and I'm full.  I'll do it with you later."

"I just had supper too.  It'll be an even playing field," with a challenge in his eye and his tone, as if he was saying, "Are you chicken?"

After defining what a full push-up was, he went first, doing 12.  I remember at 14 having no trouble doing 30-50 at a time, resting, then 30-50 more, but don't voice this to him.

I did 13, just to egg him on.

He struggled to do another 5 or 6, just so he could beat me.

Then I did another 15, to unequivocally sink his battleship.

I, of course, made sure the entire family know all about this contest.

He's not going to find out how sore my pecs are today.

[Jess from VA]

Good story Gryph.   

From a young age, I could push out 50 or 60 (proper ones) anytime.  And a decent percentage of those for many years.  But none for 15 years. 

My mom started a tradition of dad and I foot racing every 4th of July.  I was the fastest kid in my elementary, but I couldn't beat dad (the Marine) until 8th grade (I had younger parents than most of my peers).  After that, the racing stopped.  My 12yrs younger (and very fit) wife wanted to race, and I blew her doors off in my 50s (sprint, she'd whip me in distance) .    

I don't do that anymore either.  I might double time to the head, but that's it.   

[The emperor has no clothes]

Great story. I'd start coming up with a plan for any future challenges. He is likely to get stronger and quicker. You, maybe not so much.  My son and I used to have some pretty serious pool volleyball competitions. I could anticipate his strategy and always pull out the win on a 3 out 5 match. I made the mistake of telling my wife how I was beating him, and she let him in on his weakness. I never won another match. 

[Beardo]

We used to have arm wrestling contests every Christmas Eve. I remember the first time I beat my dad. Was the same year I beat my older brother. Dad tried to pretend he was disappointed in losing...but I’m pretty sure he was proud. 

[cookiedough]

I am impressed able to still do 15+ push ups.  Even in high school I am sure I would have had trouble doing over 20 or so.

I told my kid when age 16 when he got heavily into competitive powerlifting if he ever did what I did I would be impressed being around 1000 lbs. total bench, deadlift, squat, at my best in high school about same weight me tad bit heavier back then at 195, him around 185ish.

He has even when age 17 blew that outta the water and now pushing age 19 still around 185ish but all muscle is pushing 1300 total lbs.  and as a senior in high school ranked 2nd in the state of WI and 4th in the nation (who showed up at least in that event) at the 200lb. weight class him being on the very, very lighter side of that 200 lb. range around  185 near the 181 lb. next lower class weight.   

I never could climb the rope in high school without using the knots with legs in gym class up to the top nor do much of hardly any chin ups, just was never good at each.  My kid can climb the rope with just his hands NO legs really and several dozen chin ups.  NO matter how hard I tried, could never do either very well. 

[John Schmidt]

Yup, best not to challenge the "old man" when just a teenager, something I discovered while a young know-it-all. The churches in our town of about 27k had a winter basketball league with different age levels that took place in the local YMCA gym, and dad and I officiated the majority of them. We had a system worked out whereby we worked opposite sides of the floor but only from the halfway line to the end and across one end under the basket. The person on the other side worked from the halfway line to the other basket. That way neither of us had to cover/run more than half the length and part of the end of the floor. What finally got to me was during a time-out or during the half, I'm sitting there catching my breath while dad is out on the floor shooting baskets alone and hitting from all angles. Don't think I ever beat him in a game of "horse" but if I did, it was more by accident than on purpose. He was nearing 50 at the time.

The other humbling occurance was right in our basement while I was lifting weights. Again, I was about 17 and was working on the legs during the winter, hoping to build more spring in them. It was working cuz our indoor track was put to use and I was matching the state record at the time of 5.4 for 50yds. My hope was to bust a 10sec. 100 yd. dash by spring which I did with ease....but I digress. Dad came downstairs and "whatcha doing son?" as I was setting up for some dead lifts. I had been working up to 3 sets of 10 reps using 250 lbs but this night I had bumped it up to 300 as a personal test. I told him all about it in great detail hoping to impress him with my knowledge and strength. So he said for me to demonstrate a dead lift which I did with great flourish and some noise meant to accentuate the difficulty. He then walked over and asked could he try it....yeah sure, but be careful cuz it's 300 lbs. That big barrel chested German bent over and grabbed it with one hand, stood up asked...."what now?"  I said to put it down and leave me alone. I later heard him telling mom about it and she fussed at him, saying he shouldn't humiliate me like that. The man was powerful, had forearms like small tree trunks and a grip to go with it.

He was bitten by a Brown Recluse spider when 88 yrs old, I asked what he was doing when that happened. Pulling fence posts since his dog died and the fence was no longer needed. I'm 81 and have no interest in trying pull one fence post....let alone a couple dozen around a back yard.  

[..]

It's been a few years since I've been anywhere close to "in shape".  I haven't had a gym membership in maybe 5-6 years.  Two days ago, while I was wiping the table after supper, my 14-almost-15-year-old son says, "Hey Dad, wanna have a push-up contest?"

"I just had supper and I'm full.  I'll do it with you later."

"I just had supper too.  It'll be an even playing field," with a challenge in his eye and his tone, as if he was saying, "Are you chicken?"

After defining what a full push-up was, he went first, doing 12.  I remember at 14 having no trouble doing 30-50 at a time, resting, then 30-50 more, but don't voice this to him.

I did 13, just to egg him on.

He struggled to do another 5 or 6, just so he could beat me.

Then I did another 15, to unequivocally sink his battleship.

I, of course, made sure the entire family know all about this contest.

He's not going to find out how sore my pecs are today.

Well done. In another 5-7 years just accept he might, could beat you. 

[Robert]

Yup memorialize it so that there will be no future challenges 

[Wizzard]

You will reach a point when you will do like I did and tell them "Well you should beat me, I am an old man."

[Chrisj CMA]

You will reach a point when you will do like I did and tell them "Well you should beat me, I am an old man."

You’re only old if you agree to be old. At 60 I don’t agree to being old. We’ll see what happens at 70

[98valk]

Careful boy, I'm old for good reason

https://www.amazon.com/Careful-Reason-Knight-Templar-T-Shirt/dp/B07TFJTJG9?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B07TFJTJG9

[0leman]

Last Christmas our family went to Hawaii.  My youngest daughter sort of challenged me to a pushup test.  She works out all the time and does teach a few workout classes.   I matched her pushups.  Yeah my 72 year body still has it.  We did 4o, with out feet raised on a bench in a park. 

[f6john]

My only “teenager” turns 40 this year, I think he can take me. My only hope would be to strike first and get on top of him while he’s down.

And Chris, better stay on top of it (your conditioning) as at 60 I could put in a full day no problem. At 67, I have to take several breaks during the day. I’ve been grouting floors for the last two days and I’m sore all over.

[MarkT]

He's not going to find out how sore my pecs are today.

Good story.

You know he's probably already read this.  After all, he's 14.

BTW, in high school I could climb the rope to the ceiling with just my hands.  But then I was on the swim team with huge pecs and otherwise trim.

John, I pulled the fence posts behind the pole barn with my Explorer in 4 low with a chain.  The truck broke down sometime after that and I replaced it with a 4runner.

Reminds me, my son had a confrontational adulescence.  After that, he took up Thai-Kwon-Do so he would be able to kick my ass.  He's now a black belt and an instructor.  With lethal weapon hands.

Kind of defeated that whole idea with my CCW.  I have even more lethal weapons than his hands (just incidentally, not due to the karate).  He's never tried to use that stuff on me.  Neither of us will ever go there.  And now he's getting older too, in his 40's.  I helped him build an AR though he doesn't have any carry arms.  Generally doesn't need them for personal security I'm thinkin (except against guns).  Expect he'll get one or two when I kick the bucket.  As for me - don't F with the old man - he's too old to fight he'll just shoot you.  

BTW he trained his cousin before he went into the Marines about 18 months ago.  Tanner is a great kid.  They promoted him as a leader and E-3 immediately after boot.

About 2 years ago, Tanner and I had a foosball series when he and my son visited here for some skiing for a week.  I'm 46 years his senior.  I SMOKED his ass every game on my tournament table.  I've been a tournament player in the past, had this table since my 20's.

Until it counted. We did a tournament, for the record, first with 9 wins.  He pulled a ringer out of his hat and beat me every game.  One was a SKUNK.

Now I've told him, get leave sometime and cruise on by.  We'll have a rematch.  Meanwhile I don't know anybody who can compete, so I don't get practice.  So my table has a plywood board on it and it serves as my packing table.

[Wizzard]

You will reach a point when you will do like I did and tell them "Well you should beat me, I am an old man."

You’re only old if you agree to be old. At 60 I don’t agree to being old. We’ll see what happens at 70

But I am enjoying being old. Many advantages. 

[..]

Had too much respect for my father to challenge him.

PLUS he was a career Army soldier. Fought in WWII, Malaya and Cyprus.

I'm sure he coulda whipped my ass in his sleep.

[Serk]

I'm still able to beat my kids in duels on World of Warcraft at least..... 

[Jess from VA]

When your teenager challenges you to a test of strength

Have him go shovel the snow off the driveway. 

Then tell him he wins. 

[cookiedough]

When your teenager challenges you to a test of strength

Have him go shovel the snow off the driveway. 

Then tell him he wins. 

that is a good one,  how come it never worked for my kids?

I told them both when living at home to get off that darn computer playing video games or on that cell phone and help us out.  They did, but gingerly at best....

was funny though recent 2 inch snowfall at most,  my older neighbor who has more money than brains got out his ATV with snow plow attachment fiddling for about 1 hour in his dinky 16x30 foot driveway (mine 20x50) backing up again and again and again while my snow shovel did my driveway in 1/2 his time with big machinery ONLY good for longer/wider driveways and much more snowfall like over 6 inches which only HOPEFULLY happens a few times each winter.