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?

There are lots of men and women in their 60s who can do long sets of push ups.

My
Pilates teacher suggested using a Pilates hoop as shown here it definitely makes it easier and is better than using your knees.
m.youtube.com/shorts/hKqJVh-NjYQ?ra=m

Another similar option: if you have a loop resistance band you can stretch it between your wrists, get into plank and then do a push up so your chest hits the band - the band gives you a little bit of help on the way back up. But not as much as a hoop.

honestly that’s a slightly worrying level Apricots!! You should try and work on the strength before old age or you’ll struggle getting out of the bath and stuff won’t you

Op I can do 1 or 2 proper ones, no knees and chest to floor. Maybe 7-10 with knees down.

i worked hard to get a pull up though. Figured if i was ever dangling off a bridge or something I wanted to be able to at least pull myself back up which DH thought was hilarious motvstionn

Funny enough I felt the same way with grip strength. I can’t do a pull up but I could hang on in there for long enough for DH to pull me up. Maybe once I’ve mastered the push up I will move on to the pull up and he won’t even need to save me in this hypothetical bridge situation.

I can do 3 sets of 10, they aren’t the best tbh. Can plank for 2 mins though.

58 and never been fitter, due to no longer being fat and taking up strength training. My guns are awesome for a woman of my age! 😂 Sadly this doesn’t translate into awesome push up ability, so far..

Yes i can but only after over a year of weight training

I am loving this thread, btw. All
these awesome women future proofing themselves against an unnecessarily frail old age.

Inspirational!

Yes I'm inspired too! I love MN for this. I always felt that I was active enough but I'm about to start trying that little bit harder when it comes to weight training.

Thank you for starting this thread @GreenCaterpillarOnALeaf 💖

if it helps I can now do 2/3 on a good day so should be able to get back on the bridge even with my handbag 😂😂😂

I signed up for a year at the gym 25 years ago, and the "routine" created for me to "tone up" was a lap of the resistance machines. It was not mainstream thing for women to be let loose in the free weights and just using resistance machines felt racey enough.

I've seen two generations of women in my family have their muscular-skeletal systems crumble decades before their brains and major organs, so anything to reduce/ delay that outcome is important to me.

Ironically DM gives me enough flack for going running (I shouldn't do it alone... in my mid-40s 🙄) so I haven't even mentioned my barbell habit...
I do not want to be breaking bones in my 50s/ 60s like she did after simple slips, and she's now had compromised mobility for 20+ years, but she's not the type to be persuaded that weight lifting and running is the best thing for my long term health.

Cannot agree enough, women need to be doing this regularly. I saw my grandmother stumble and break her hip, she never recovered.

My mum is 85 and goes to the gym every day, does 45 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of weights, God love her 😅

Oh and I can't do a push up BTW. It's one of the most difficult things EVER 😞

I’m physically strong overall but I’ve never been able to do even one. Even at my lightest weight. I am hyper mobile so I’m blaming that 😂

I started off doing ten a day then built up to sets of 15 but it took me a while! And I do them with my knees on the floor so the sort of cheating ones but my arms have definitely got stronger it just takes a bit of effort and persistence at the start

Thanks but I don't have anything to worry about, I have been known to beat men in the pub at arm wrestling. I've also been doing ballet classes for years and my core strength and balance are damn good for my age.

I’m 46, I can do 20 on a good day. 2 years ago I could do zero but I found it frustrating that I could do much harder stuff but not pushups so I somehow forced myself to learn, but it’s completely unnecessary!

I beat a guy a few weeks ago. Easily as well! And I was 20 ish years older than him. I would high-five you if I could! I did actually walk away from it telling him that a middle-aged woman beating a young lad was quite worrying and he might want to do some more exercise.

I think Womens Running magazine has been reading this thread, as they sent me an email the other day telling me how to do and progress press-ups!

If you've got a goal of doing a full push-up, doing variations of the move can help you build strength. Pick one that suits you, do three sets of 10 reps once or twice a week and then move up to the next one when you notice yourself getting stronger

Wall push-ups
Stand facing a wall, with your arms straight and your palms pressed against it. Walk your feet back a little until your body is at an angle to the wall. Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the wall, then straighten your arms again.

Kneeling push-ups
On hands and knees, drop your hips forward until your body is in a diagonal line from shoulders to knees. Make sure your shoulders are directly over your wrists. Bend your elbows, lowering your chest as close as you can towards the floor before pushing back up.

Banded push-ups
Grab yourself a glute band or mini band and pop it around your upper arms, across your chest. On knees or toes (wherever you're at!), do your push-up, dropping your chest down into the band. The band will support you to go down further and get back up more easily.

this is MNs so of course I can

I do push ups without using my hands or feet everyday.