{"id":295549,"date":"2025-11-16T18:12:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T18:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/295549\/"},"modified":"2025-11-16T18:12:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T18:12:10","slug":"if-you-can-do-this-many-pushups-youre-stronger-than-most","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/295549\/","title":{"rendered":"If You Can Do This Many Pushups, You\u2019re Stronger Than Most"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pushups are a classic bodyweight exercise\u2014for good reason. They\u2019re simple yet provide a solid challenge for your upper-body and core strength in any phase of life. In fact, we spoke with Karen Ann Canham, CEO and founder of Karen Ann Wellness<\/a>, who breaks down the amount of pushups<\/a> you should be able to complete to signal top-tier fitness.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Pushups] don\u2019t just test your muscles\u2014they reflect overall body control, stability, and endurance. Because pushups require no equipment and recruit multiple large muscle groups, they\u2019re a practical, evidence-based benchmark for functional strength<\/a> and longevity,\u201d Canham tells us.<\/p>\n

By doing just one pushup, you\u2019re firing up your chest (pecs), shoulders (delts), triceps, abs, glutes, and lower back.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis combination builds integrated strength\u2014the kind that supports posture, joint health, and the ability to perform everyday movements like carrying groceries<\/a>, lifting objects, or getting up from the floor with ease,\u201d Canham explains.<\/p>\n

If You Can Do This Many Pushups, You\u2019re Stronger Than Most People Your Age
\n\"Push-upsShutterstock<\/p>\n

Research directly links pushup capacity with lower mortality and better cardiovascular health. One study<\/a> published in JAMA Network Open found that people able to perform more than 40 pushups had a substantially lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to those who did fewer than 10 pushups.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile strength isn\u2019t the only predictor of longevity, it\u2019s a key indicator of metabolic and functional health as we age,\u201d Canham says.<\/p>\n

4 Standing Exercises Men Should Do Daily to Stay Young After 50<\/a><\/p>\n

Below, she breaks down the rep ranges that indicate average-to-excellent upper-body strength. They may slightly vary based on fitness level and gender:<\/p>\n

Ages 20 to 29: 25 to 35 pushups = strong; 40+ = excellent
\nAges 30 to 39: 20 to 30 pushups = strong; 35+ = excellent
\nAges 40 to 49: 15 to 25 pushups = strong; 30+ = excellent
\nAges 50 to 59: 10 to 20 pushups = strong; 25+ = excellent
\nAges 60+: 8 to 15 pushups = strong; 20+ = excellent<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ability to perform within or above these ranges demonstrates not only muscular endurance but also joint stability and cardiovascular conditioning\u2014all vital for maintaining independence and vitality later in life,\u201d Canham tells us.<\/p>\n

5 Bodyweight Exercises That Build More Strength Than Gym Workouts After 50<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re unable to perform a full pushup, Canham recommends starting with the following variations: incline pushups, knee pushups, or negative pushups.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese variations build foundational strength without overloading the joints,\u201d she points out.<\/p>\n

For most adults, practicing pushups two to three sessions is considered ideal. Above all, prioritize quality over quantity.<\/p>\n

\u201cProper form, controlled movement, and full range of motion matter more than numbers. Allow at least one day between sessions for recovery, as overtraining can lead to shoulder and wrist strain,\u201d Canham says. \u201cYour pushup count is more than a number. It\u2019s a reflection of how well your muscles, joints, and cardiovascular system work together. Improving it not only builds physical power but also signals a body that\u2019s aging well\u2014strong, stable, and capable for the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alexa Mellardo<\/p>\n

\t\tAlexa is a content strategist, editor, and writer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has 11+ years of experience creating content for travel, lifestyle, fitness, wellness, F&B, home, and celeb news publications.\t\t\t\t\tRead more about Alexa <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pushups are a classic bodyweight exercise\u2014for good reason. They\u2019re simple yet provide a solid challenge for your upper-body…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":295550,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[674,337,75956,97],"class_list":{"0":"post-295549","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-exercise","9":"tag-fitness","10":"tag-fitness-test","11":"tag-health"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295549"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295549\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}