Man left shocked after completing 500 push-ups in one hour and noticing the dramatic impact it has on his body

A man who completed 500 push-ups in an hour has revealed the impact it’s had on his body, and it’s pretty impressive to say the least.

Completing gruelling fitness challenges and pushing your body to its limits is what some gym rats live for.

For some, they’re driven to wake up at 5.00am every day so they can train hard to hit that elusive sub-hour Hyrox time.

Others just want to continue their daily running streak or sculpt their body to mimic that of Hercules.

A YouTuber showed pictures before and after a 500 push-up challenge (YouTube/JacksonHunter91)

Whether your goals are small or larger-than-life, they’re definitely (probably) achievable with the right amount of grit, determination and discipline.

A couple of years ago, one YouTuber showed off his version of athletic prowess by completing a staggering 500 push-ups in an hour.

Now that’s no mean feat, and we can bet he trained for some time to achieve it.

But what’s even more amazing is the fact his body looked completely different before and after the workout.

In 2023, Jackson Hunter, who boasts 8,450 YouTube subscribers, uploaded a nine-second clip to the video-sharing platform titled 500 PUSH-UPS in 1 Hour | Before vs. After.

In the opening seconds of the video, Hunter posed, signalling that this was what he looked like before getting a serious sweat on.

The clip then cut to a sped-up video of him completing the gruelling 500 push-up workout on what appeared to be a kitchen floor.

Then, another picture of Hunter was posted—this time after completing the workout.

Social media users were quick to comment on the man's appearance (YouTube/JacksonHunter91)

The after image saw the YouTuber looking much more broad, with both his arms and ab muscles looking much more defined.

Viewers were also quick to comment on Hunter’s progress photos, with one typing: “Dayum! Wish I could do that! You gonna be one of the greats.”

A second commented: “Ya thats what happens when you get a pump.”

“Supporting every effort get it going bro,” said someone else.

Hunter’s dramatic appearance change is what some gym-goers call a ‘pump’.

Legion Aesthetics says a ‘pump’ is when your muscles temporarily swell after completing an intense workout.

The condition is caused by increased blood flow to the muscles you are working, often as a response to metabolic byproducts like lactic acid being created.

This increased blood flow leads to what is known as vasodilation, which is a widening of the blood cells, writes the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Gym Gear claims this process causes your muscles to swell up and feel harder for a certain period of time, leading to the ‘pumped’ feeling.

So, that’s why Hunter’s substantial appearance change took place between the two photographs—he had an insane pump from completing the 500 push-up challenge.

Benefits of push-ups

If you too want to be swoll then incorporating push-ups into your fitness routine is an excellent way to do it.

Not only are you likely to experience a temporary muscle pump, but you’ll also build up your upper body strength, and also improve your body’s overall composition.

Healthline reports that adding strength exercises like push-ups to an aerobic exercise program can increase your metabolism, thus resulting in more calories burned and eventually fat loss.

Aine Thomas, a nutrition-certified trainer with The Edge Fitness Clubs. also says that the exercise can help contribute to core stability.

"Your core keeps your body in a straight line during push-ups. Over time, this leads to better balance, reduced lower back pain and increased overall stability for other movements, whether in the gym or in daily life,” she told Nike.