Can you do a push up?

[GreenCaterpillarOnALeaf]

I am 26 and I cannot and never have been able to do a push up. DH says most women my age could do at least one, I think that’s BS. Btw other than my lanky arms I am quiet strong, I can leg press a lot and squat a decent amount, I am a healthy weight as well. I can pick up my kids so really I think I can do all I need to do.

So, can you do a push up? Either the one where you’re on your knees or the normal one. If you’re older then I guess my question is could you do one when you were at your peak physical fitness?

Late 50s and chronically ill and yes I can do a few push ups.

Yes! I can do about 40 (and I am late 50s) proper push ups (so not on my knees) - and started about 20 years ago - but it’s not pretty 🤩! I worked up to it because my Mum has osteoporosis and I want to do all I can to maintain my strength.

Im 54 and can do push ups, probably about 10 but I do find them hard these days due to arthritis in my wrists. I cant do pull ups though and never have been able to.

Yep. I’m 50 and can do 15 working to get to 20

I just tried, I could do 15 without straining too much. I'm 46, a bit underweight, reasonably active, but not "I go to the gym 5 times a week" active. I just walk loads and go to reformer pilates twice a week, I guess that helps.

Nope. I can deadlift 85k and I can push up from a bar or bench but can not do it from the ground. Wrists are too weak and tits too heavy. 😆

Couldn’t when I was your age but I’m now 55 and can do multiple push ups now and do multiple fitness and strength classes plus remember Pilates ( game changer)

Early 50s and can do at least 10, usually 15 and sometimes when I’m feeling energetic 20. I do do them on my fists though as I can’t bend my wrists to 90 degrees for very long.

I became stronger in later life, I was too reliant on natural health of youth when I was younger. Keep building up!

I'm just loving all the 40s/50s/60s women in this thread who are really strong and can do proper push ups.

💪💪💪

I have certainly noticed a shift in mindset in people in recent years, and we know at our age how important it is to prioritise strength. My gym classes are full of women my age. Progressively lifting heavier weights, and being so supportive and encouraging to each other. We get some younger people too and I think it's a fantastic cultural shift, to not be afraid of building muscle and strength as women.

I don't think peri/meno women focussed on strength as much in previous generations.

Before being pregnant, I was fit: I could do 10 Pull ups but only 1 (bad/wobbly) push up.

It must be physiology to some extent though I look like a normal? woman

I always thought it was how you were built. If you have wide hips and slender shoulders I would have thought it would be more difficult to do pushups and also monkey bar type exercises? That’s my excuse 😂

@PurpleCoo absolutely, it is changing. I see a ton of younger women strenth training, so they will hopefully keep it up. But us middle aged ones, we were told not to touch any weight as you will immediately get bulky and look like a man. It is SO hard to build muscle for women, it's ridiculous to suggest you can do so accidentally. Like saying that oh no I won't go for a Parkrun, I might accidentally run a marathon.

So true. There were a lot of women on my dad’s side of the family (7 sisters!) and although they were all very sporty in their younger years and remained very active as they got older, it was mostly walking, gardening and racket sports that they were doing. Once in their 70s, all of them developed osteoporosis, as their mother did before them.

They all lived to a good age, but the last decade or so of their lives were difficult as the osteoporosis affected their posture and obviously caused pain.

I realise these conditions often have a genetic component and so I’m prepared that it might happen to me. I’m really hopeful though that my strength training will help stave off the worst of it. Having said that, I’m already having problems with my wrists and I’m not even 50 yet 😔 I’m planning to ask for a Dexa scan at some point but already asking the GP for a referral for something unrelated so I think I’ll get that out of the way first!

I'm just loving all the 40s/50s/60s women in this thread who are really strong and can do proper push ups.

70s thank you very much! Get it right so you can flatter me too! 😂
And yeah, I watched my mum not do anything and get more unhealthy, watched my gran having arthritis problems, hoping if I keep active it’ll be less. 🙏 You can do these at home - when you get time.

70s indeed!! This is what I did as part of a 75 minute workout today…

I love it and have no intention of slowing down. Hope to continue weight training in my 80s…

That's my body shape and even when I was superfit, I couldn't do a single pull up or proper press up. I always wanted to put hefty saddlebags on my trainer, around his hips, to see how he would manage with the same build.

I’m 50 and can do 16. I do lots of strength training and I’m a Pilates instructor so my job to stay strong.

Definitely work up to them. Start on knees and do daily! Strength will come quickly at that age.

Body shape will come in to it (it helps). I have wide shoulders and narrow hips.

I don't get the 'start on your knees' advice. I could do 60 'on your knees' press ups and still fail to achieve a single proper press up. It's not the same muscle engagement.

Imo, the best training I've found that brings me closer to the real things is:
laydown press ups; full body press ups on raised surface and - best of all - proper press ups but with a booty band across the upper arms, as that gives you proper form but that extra bit of upward momentum.

I've been unable to train as I have a bad wrist injury that has stopped any weight-bearing floor work, but when it heals, I'm going back to the booty band press ups.

Well you do use the same muscles you are just shortening the lever and lowering the weight. But I get that is a big jump and other intermediate moves may help. Ultimately it is a strength issue and anything that increases strength in the muscles you need will work.

Don’t quite understand the lay down press up but great that is works for you and yes form is very important.

Yes, I’m 39 and can do decent sets and did 200 split in 5s for a workout. Would be interesting to know the standard people are counting because I’ve seen many a video of dodgy no reps (often men being the culprits!). Chest touches floor and body moves at the same time, no saggy hips and no ‘worming’ out of the bottom!

Don’t quite understand the lay down press up…

https://youtube.com/shorts/6aTesh3MwIs?is=4Px5wzsHnSAHWqxp

Just a variation, but some people - me included - find it easier.

Nope!!!!

In my 50s and can do 10 in a row but that’s because I work hard, it doesn’t come naturally, not for me anyway. I think men have around twice the upper body strength as women, if all things are equal (same percentile, etc).

Do you mean with your knees on the floor? There are not many men that can do 15 proper push ups.