Can you do a press up and how old are you?

[BarrelOfOtters]

I’m 55 and do an awesome plank. But my press-up is an apologetic little dip you’d hardly notice. I don’t know hoe you get better at it…

I can do those half press ups so I'm on my knees if that counts.

A full one - I can do 1 or 2, I'm 41 X

Yes you can be strong and fit and still have weak hip flexors. A desk job will often make them weak/tight. Many people have weak hip flexors. It’s not something we think of working out in the gym!

Yes 44, many of them

I can...I'm 65. I have an hour with a PT once a week and she has given me so much confidence. I'm very strong!!

Ballet and Pilates will sort that out !

Yes Pilates is great for hip flexor strength!

53 and yes.

i would skip doing them from your knees. Start doing them with your hands on a chair or box and then gradually get lower until you are doing them from the floor. Better still, go to the gym and ask them to put a program together for you with one your aims to improve push ups. That way you’ll get a better all round increase in performance.

67. No and never have been able to. However, inspired by this thread I got back to planking and did some press ups against the windowsill this morning. I can touch my toes, hands flat on the floor, do squats etc but never press ups.

No, I can’t. I’m 58.

I'm 38 (and a half) and I've never been able to do a full press up, it's one of my goals to achieve before I'm 40 but I'm trying to lose the weight first as it will be a lot easier when I'm 4 or 5 stone lighter!

Turning 70 soon a d can do 15 easily, 20 if I push myself, 25 if/when I'm truly determined.

Thanks to:

• Caroline Girvan strength work almost every day
• watching Redefining Strength to get the form right and do them properly.
• and I do lots of planks as well.

Apparently, I can do just the one. I'm 49.

But I can touch my nose to my knees (without bending them) and place my palms flat on the ground by my feet without bending my knees.

I can still get one foot behind my head too!

Go me! 😅

I'm 61 and can do about 5 now. I'm building them up slowly after injuring my shoulder.

I used to be able to do about 20 at a time a year or so ago.

Soon, soon...

40 . I could probably do ' a' press up , but not several.

Me too. I do pilates and PiYo. Press ups are sad things!

55 and yes. Can you Slav Squat though?

I don't understand how to do a plank. I have a feeling I'd need a 3 hour 1-to-1 lesson to understand it.

Never could do press-ups, at any age.

Perimenopause didn't happen to me so that's a Win.

I do them on my knees. My adviser (during lockdown the karate club started fitness sessions, which a few of us carried on with and for a little while it was just me and one other) said that for a lot of women it's better that way. Not entirely sure why, but for me it's the difference between "not doing it at all" and "being able to manage a few with pretty good form".

Though I still can't get my nose to touch the floor.

Way back in 2012 when I had Edina Monsoon abs I started by doing lean-ups against the worktop ;-)

Very nearly 49 and yes. I can do full press ups relatively easily. I think it's something to do with being short. Shorter arms or something! I am generally quite fit though and have good upper body strength.

I'm a strength and conditioning coach

I much prefer elevated or body assisted push ups to push ups on knees which are typically done with poor form

One of the main barriers to developing good push up form is pride. People would rather knock out poor form full ones than adapt to begin with and develop the proper muscle engagement

I used to run a class and it would actually frustrate me that despite my best advice most would be doing full ones with hips dipping or bum in the air, elbows flared out etc

One lady forgot her pride and would use a box to develop beautiful elevated ones. She eventually got to full ones, moving plank and chest to floor. I was so proud

Meanwhile the others were still knocking out rubbish ones.

60 can do a few full ones and more on my knees

I am 41 and have never ever been able to do a press up even when I was younger and much slimmer.

Here you go - do this every day and a strong core will be your reward:

Plus some ab work if you want to be really strong. Try Rebecca Louise's Best Abs and Caroline Girvan's Braced Core & Abs.

42 and yes.

I'm 28, always been fit and healthy but never been able to do a push up!

I can hold a 3 minute plank so in theory I should be able to but don't even come close.