Doing this many push-ups signals stellar upper-body strength after 60, according to a trainer.
Drop down and knock out a few push-ups, and you learn something about yourself in about thirty seconds flat. No equipment, no gym, no membership, just your own body against the floor. It’s one of the oldest strength tests there is, and it turns out to be far more telling than a simple gauge of how strong your arms are, especially once you’re past 60.
Part of what makes the push-up so interesting is that researchers have started treating it as a window into overall health, not just fitness. In a widely cited 2019 study published in JAMA Network Open, Harvard researchers followed 1,104 active, middle-aged male firefighters for a decade and found that those able to complete more than 40 push-ups had a 96 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who could crank out fewer than 10. The men were around 40 years old on average, not over 60, so the exact numbers don’t transfer directly to older adults, but the broader takeaway remains, which is that push-up ability is linked to overall health.
When performed properly, push-ups engage your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. So all at once, this classic exercise helps improve your upper-body strength, muscular endurance, and trunk stability. These qualities are what help you get up out of a low chair, catch yourself when you trip, and carry groceries up a flight of stairs well into your later years.
To find out how much many push-ups you should be able to do after 60 for elite upper body strength (and how to build toward it if you’re not there yet), we spoke with James Bickerstaff, CPT, a personal trainer at OriGym. Keep reading to learn more.
(Next up: Check out If You Can Do These 4 Exercises After 65, You’re in Better Shape Than Most.)
Quality Over Quantity
“The quality of your push-ups matters more than chasing a high number,” says Bickerstaff. “Someone over 60 who can perform 15 slow, controlled push-ups through a full range of motion is showing excellent strength, stability and muscular endurance.”
While sloppy, half-rep push-ups can inflate your rep count without building the true strength the test is meant to measure, performing a push-up through a full range of motion with your chest lowering close to the floor, elbows tracking close to your sides, and core braced throughout, will recruit far more muscle fibers than a shallow, rushed version of the same movement.
How to do it:
- Start in a high plank with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Position your body in a straight line from your head to your toes.
- Flex your core and bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
- Lower under control until your chest is a few inches off the ground.
- Push through your hands to return to the starting position, keeping your body straight throughout.
Progression Tips If You Can’t Do 15 Push-ups Yet
If 15 full push-ups feels out of reach right now, don’t feel discouraged. It’s completely normal and you can work toward 15 or more. “If full push-ups are too challenging, incline push-ups against a sturdy bench or countertop are a great alternative,” Bickerstaff says. “They train the same key muscles while reducing the amount of body weight you need to move, making them an effective way to build towards a full push-up.”
How to do it:
- Place your hands on a sturdy bench, countertop, or other elevated, stable surface.
- Walk your feet back until your body forms a straight line.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the surface.
- Lower under control while keeping your core engaged.
- Push back to the starting position, and gradually lower the surface height as you get stronger.
- Aim for three to four sets of as many reps as possible, resting for 90 to 120 seconds between sets.
The Bottom Line
Push-up ability is an accessible and effective strength test for older adults, and research suggests it may reflect more about your overall health than most people realize. If you can complete 15 push-ups with good form after 60, you’re in excellent shape according to trainers. If you’re not there yet, incline push-ups are a safe alternative to work toward building the strength required for 15 push-ups.
Adam Meyer, RHN
