How many pushups can you do?

[Bill Douglas]

Gone in 60 seconds.

And I'm talking neither sex nor the movie. I'd like to do more but I'm an old man.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by Skytrooper

I used to do lots of them, then I retired from the army. No more, I've done my share...and then some.

What's your opinion on the new ACRT?

[cabmandone]

All depends on why type of pushup I have to do. If you really want to see what kind of shape you're in, try pull ups. A few years ago I did the Recon Ron pull up program and was getting pretty good at it until my shoulder started hurting and I stopped.

[stuartj]

The great thing about push-ups is that you dont need

A gym membership
Expensive machines
Lycra
Nikes
Supplements
Carbon Fibre
DVDs
Gurus
Celebrities
The Internet

You just need a floor.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by PorscheGAL

Interesting fact: When doing a push up on your feet you are lifting the equivalent of 85% of your weight. On your knees it is 75%

I think that study has a lot of weaknesses. First and most important: Men who can do 40 real pushup (I'm talking if I put my fist under your chest you touch it and go back up) are working out on a regular basis. Pushups are not the cause of them not having heart disease, being fit and regular exercise is.

Kind of a captain obvious post there, no offense. Then entire point was not pushups it was overall fitness. The point made in the article was the pushup observation was more accurate regarding who would have heart problems vs. the treadmill.

Also important to note, the test was performed on guys in their 40's or right at 40 years old. If someone in their 50's or 60's could drop and do 40 that is good.

Originally Posted by epbrown

The advice is good and it actually is pretty simple. I'm 56 and the 20-somethings at work are always asking how I stay in shape. I tell them I exercise 20 minutes a day, 6 days a week. They always say "No way - you can't look like you do with 20 minutes a day." "Over the years, it adds up" I tell them.

That amount seems like nothing, but it comes out to 3 hours (and 600 pushups, to stay on topic) a week. If my schedule's hectic, I'll even drop it to just 10 minutes and try to fit in another 10 later in the day. Consistency is much more important that duration and volume, ime.

And considering that over 90% of the people you meet over 40 do nothing, doing even a little puts you way ahead of the pack. In the land of the blind, a one-eyed guy does pretty good even if he needs glasses.

My Grandfather did 100 pushups and situps every morning his entire life, could still fit in his army uniform from WW2 when he was 80 years old. A lot to be said for a little bit every day.

20+ years ago I was just starting my own business, I went around to some competitors and offered my services as a sub contractor if they found themselves needing help. I was thrown out of most every office except one. I did jobs to help him, and eventually I would rent a room in his office. Imagine competitors sharing an office. He was a really great guy.

We moved to an office in a downtown area, once a week we would walk over to a British Pub after work, I would have a pint he would have a glass of chardonnay.

Richard was 52 years old at the time, I was 33 years old. One afternoon I asked him if he could give some advice to a younger guy starting out on his own, anything he learned that I could benefit from.

Richard told me to take care of myself, exercise, stay fit, do not drink or eat in excess and be sure to manage the stress well. He then went on to tell me his story. In his early 40's he started killing a 12 pack of beer every evening after work. He was 60 lbs over weight, depressed, stressed out and either working or drinking.

When he was 43 he had a heart attack, a pace maker was installed, doc put him on blood thinners and told him if he wanted to die, keep it up. He went on a diet, joined a gym and when I met him almost 10 years later he was fit and trim.

One afternoon I was in the office doing some drafting, Richard was supposed to meet a client at the office to go over a project. The client showed up a tad early, I told him Rich was probably on his way. Richard never showed up.

Seems he was standing in line at a grocery store, had a massive aneurysm and dropped dead in the middle of a Winn-Dixie. He was put on life support for 2 weeks, family said goodby, and he was unplugged. 53 years old.

I ended up purchasing his company from his widow and have owned it since July 2000. I honestly did not want it, I told his widow that too, it killed him and I did not want to be next. Once I purchased it I had to immediately hire on 2 people then 2 more a few months later to manage the workload.

Because of Richard I always keep an eye on myself, I try to always have some sort of exercise regiment and maintain my weight. I never let myself gain more than 10 lbs before I get into a diet mode.

Men in my family tend to have large beer bellies, my father does and my brother has battled weight all his life with it causing him problems like high blood pressure and migraines all the time.

At 53 I am on no meds, have no health issues and am grateful to Richard for that advice. That article was interesting to me and I was pleased I could bang out 40 push ups, seems the last 20 years of being conscious about my health is paying off.


EDit - My chest and triceps are in pain this morning 1 day later. Time to step up the gym game.

[flatbutt]

60... in boot camp, now 0...but I only have one fully functioning arm. Cycling is my savior.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

.... entire point was not pushups it was overall fitness...

At 53 I am on no meds, have no health issues and am grateful to Richard for that advice. That article was interesting to me and I was pleased I could bang out 40 push ups....

I too am grateful for Keef's advice on fitness

I'm in the best shape I've been in years....25lbs lost from corporate daze ten years ago....down to my playing weight when I trashed a knee a few times. Mother Nature, Stihls, walking a LOT...6 years ahead of you. How much do ya get per pushup....I just ain't motivated

Get yer fat azzes movin' boyz....good thread!

[livi]

I can do only 4. But they are beautiful.

[CurtEgerer]

Looking forward to the follow-up thread: Best Injury Sustained by Old Out-of-Shape Guy Attempting an Internet Forum Push-Up Challenge

[rfuerst911sc]

I can easily do 100 to 120 ........ a year ! Maybe more if I train .

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by livi

I can do only 4. But they are beautiful.

I'm good for at least 0....if style counts

[Bill Douglas]

Besides pushups, who can do pull ups/chin ups?

I can do nine then that's it. Three lots of three.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by Skytrooper

I used to do lots of them, then I retired from the army. No more, I've done my share...and then some.

When I joined the Navy, I was a seventeen years old smart ass who did not know when to shut up... so 300 to 500 a day was the norm.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

I can easily do 100 to 120 ........ a year ! Maybe more if I train .

2020 - The year of the pushup

No mas

....as in ONE!

[Rodsrsr]

Originally Posted by peteremsley

wondering what difference body shape makes to the challenge/ability to knock out hundreds? I'm using long arms as my excuse

True...Long arms will make it more difficult simply due to physics, however the main thing that helps is a lower body weight and healthy shoulder mobility. Unfortunately these are both attributed in a large part to youth. I used to do 100 in 60 sec as a bet just for fun, (before I suffered an AC separation) but I really don't see the benefit of excessive reps. If your over 40 you need to lift heavy weights a few times per week to maintain muscle mass and keep testosterone levels from dropping. (at least slow the rate at which the levels drop) Excessive muscle or super ripped abbs as a primary goal really wont yield much benefit, other than looking cool.

[Bob's Project]

This thread has motivated me to do push ups. I may report back on my progress.
Today's performance was less than I would have hoped.

[widebody911]

About 5 and then I go into a sugar coma

[hughc]

Originally Posted by speeder

Very timely. I'm turning 60 later this year and out of shape, really do not exercise regularly at all. I do a few push-ups once in a while and plank but it's really minimal. I have too sedentary of a lifestyle and lower back/disc issues and it's taking its toll. At least 10 lbs. over weight, maybe more.

I'm committed to changing my diet to a Paleo or similar, as plant-based as I can hack and see what the results are. I really like to eat so it will be a challenge and take discipline. I also need to really exercise, I've been skating on my good genetics too long, meaning I do not have a tendency for obesity and people in my family tend to live to be very old.

I use to be able to do many push-ups and pull-ups, particularly pull-ups. not anymore.

You might enjoy reading "Younger Next Year".
At your local book store for about $15.
Well worth the read.