If You Can Do This Many Pushups After 60, Your Arm Strength Is Elite
Have you ever stopped to consider how strong your arm strength is, and whether you’ll have the strength you need to complete daily tasks independently as you age? Having strong arms is critical for just about every aspect of life. Think about how many times you take out the trash, lift groceries out of the trunk, or put laundry away. You may be fine now, but you naturally lose lean muscle mass with age, and it’s crucial to get ahead of this loss.
If your wheels are turning and we’ve made you curious, there’s an easy way to check. We learned from Luka Hocevar, Founder and Co-Owner of the Vigor Ground Gym in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and owner of the Vigor Ground Fitness and Performance in Seattle, WA, who has been a coach for 21 years, that if you can do this many pushups after 60, your arm strength is considered “elite.” If you have difficulty completing this test, Hocevar shares modifications to consider.
What Does a Pushup Actually Measure?
Pushups are a stellar exercise that helps you build total-body strength. They channel a “moving plank,” using just your body weight in order to achieve results.
“A pushup measures relative upper-body strength, muscular endurance, but also core strength, [along with] shoulder and scapular stability,” Hocevar explains.
How Can Good Pushup Performance Translate to Daily Life?
Solid pushup performance signals great upper-body and core strength. It directly translates to everyday tasks and chores, like pushing things, being able to stabilize yourself using your upper body, and catching yourself if you trip or fall. All of these things require a strong, stable upper-body and core.
How To Do Pushups
- Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and your body straight from head to heels.
- Activate your core.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor. Maintain a long, straight body as you lower.
- Press back up, straightening your arms.
Modifications To Consider
If you’re unable to perform a standard pushup, Hocevar recommends elevating the surface you are doing it from.
“If you’re at the gym, you can elevate a barbell on a rig and complete the reps. As you get stronger, you can lower the barbell to challenge yourself, eventually, over time, getting to the floor,” he explains. “If you are doing pushups at home, you can start from a wall (with very little lean) and then work down to a chair, sturdy table, or sofa, and work your way down to the floor.”
Benchmarks To Strive For
According to Hocevar, these are some standards he has at his gym for clients aged 60+ regarding classic pushups:
Men
- Fair / Average: 5 to 10 reps
- Good (Above Average): 12 to 18 reps
- Elite (Excellent / Top 10%): 20 to 30+ reps
Being able to perform 20 or more classic pushups without sacrificing form places you in an “elite category” for overall physical conditioning.
Women
- Fair / Average: 2 to 5 reps
- Good (Above Average): 6 to 10 reps
- Elite (Excellent / Top 10%): 12 to 16+ reps
Modified / Knee Pushups
- Fair / Average: 5 to 10 reps
- Good (Above Average): 12 to 18 reps
- Elite (Excellent / Top 10%): 19 to 25+ reps