How fit do you consider yourself? There are a variety of ways to measure it and push-ups are one of them. The classic exercise is a good measurement of muscle strength and endurance as we age, according to the experts, because they engage most muscle groups in the body. And thanks to the Mayo Clinic, we now have a guideline for how many we should be able to do, depending on age.
Experts with the medical center revealed the target number of push-ups men and women should be able to do based on age, from 25 years old to 65.
- A 25-year-old male should be able to do somewhere around 28 push-ups in one session, while women should try for 20 to “show a good fitness level.”
- For 35-year-old women, the goal is 19, only one less than a 25-year-old’s expectation. But men who are 35 should be able to do 21, seven less than men 10 years younger.
- There’s a big drop at 45, when women should aim for 14 push-ups and guys should go for 16.
- At age 55, the expectation for women is 10 and for men, it’s 12.
- And by age 65, both men and women should be able to do 10 push-ups at a time.
Of course, how well you do one exercise isn’t the only thing influencing someone’s fitness level. A healthy diet is also important, and combined with regular exercise they can help lower risks for conditions like heart disease and some types of cancer.
Source: NY Post