The Art of the Push-Up
Jack LaLanne Fitness guru Jack LaLanne knows push-ups. During his 30-plus years on television, he regularly demonstrated the proper push-up technique and wowed us with feats of strength like finger-tip push-ups and one-armed push-ups.
Video
Mr. LaLanne, 93, still does push-ups during his daily 90-minute workout. “I hate it,'’ he said of working out. “But I like the results. Exercise is something you’ve got to do the rest of your life.'’
I was fortunate to speak with Mr. LaLanne for my Well column in this week’s Science Times, which explores why the push-up remains an enduring symbol of fitness. The article also explains why your ability to do a push-up is linked to how well you age. Here’s a calculator to tell you how many push-ups you should be doing.
Read the full column here, and be sure to check out our new Well video segment, “Drop and Give Me Twenty!,” above.
How’s your push-up performance? Post your comments here.
18 comments so far...
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2008
10:36 am
From the calculator it appears that the “standard” pushup for women, from which the calculation is made, is with knees on the floor. Is that correct? What accounts for the different techniques for men and women?
From TPP — Many women are capable of doing regular push-ups. However, women are often advised to do push-ups from the knees if they can’t do the regular form (plank body, weight on the toes). For men and women, whether they can do a regular push-up depends on their upper body strength relative to their body weight. Women start off at a disadvantage because they have more body fat, less muscle and less strength per unit of body weight compared to men. Doing the pushup from the knees takes some of the weight off. Your body will get more out of doing 10 good “girl” push-ups rather than struggling with just a few regular push-ups. You get most of your muscle benefit on the way down, so being able to get your chin and chest close to the ground is important.
— Posted by Susanne
2008
10:42 am
I’m a 50-year old woman who goes to the gym 5 times a week and strength trains 3 of those days. I could probably drop and give you… oh, 3 or 4… but my arms would really ache tomorrow…
— Posted by Cynthia
2008
10:44 am
Is that actually a picture of Jack LaLanne at 93?
From TPP — I’m not sure of his age in that picture but I believe it’s recent. I’ll check and post an update here if i find out. He’s amazing. There’s a great YouTube video of his fingertip push-ups. Check it out here..
— Posted by SG
2008
10:51 am
I normally do push ups on my knuckles and touch my chest to the floor.
Are there any advantages/disadvantages to this type of push up?
Am I over-stressing some muscles or joints?
— Posted by Steve
2008
10:55 am
Awesome post. I do push ups daily, too. I like them on an incline. For women that don’t want to work out, it is great one exercise movement that will help their strength.
Thanks again.
— Posted by ej
2008
11:05 am
Doing fewer of them slowly with proper breathing is probably more beneficial and less stressful than doing many of them.
Just try lowering and then raising yourself in plank position as slowly as you can. Each one of those is worth 10 regular ones.
— Posted by jack
2008
11:05 am
There are plenty of metrics for physical fitness. Why give the push-up so much due? Although I’ve mastered other physical feats, I’ve always struggled with push-ups- in fact even during a brief youthful period in ROTC where I really had to drop and give them 20! (I was like Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin - I think they were thrilled when I dropped out, and no, I never mastered push-ups!)
— Posted by Lynn from Organicmania.com
2008
11:06 am
The push-up calculator and animation suggest that women should do pushups resting on their knees rather than toes. The article suggests they should rest on their toes. Which is correct, or does it depend on the individual’s level of fitness?
From TPP — It just depends on her fitness. There is no reason women shouldn’t do push-ups from their toes — it’s simply that many don’t have the upper body strength. These days, i bet plenty of men don’t either.
— Posted by anne
2008
11:10 am
Why are women’s pushups done from the knees? We can do “regular” ones!!!
— Posted by Elena
2008
11:13 am
According to that calculator, the average 3 year old can do 66 pushups.
— Posted by Ron
2008
11:14 am
The push-up calculator is claiming that the “population average” for 27 year old males is 37 push-ups! That can’t be right.
— Posted by Alex
2008
11:15 am
With the help of Victoria’s Secret, my push up performance has been very successful.
— Posted by Col. Jimmie Sue Fox
2008
11:25 am
I just closed my office door to try some push ups in my silk shirt, slacks and heels (well, okay, I took my shoes off). I thought I would try regular ones, but I could only do about 3. When I tried the suggested women’s push ups, I could at least do 20 (average for my 39 years). I always thought I was in pretty good shape because I run 3-4 times a week and do some weights, but I am definitely adding push ups to my routine starting today!
— Posted by Lisa
2008
11:28 am
While I admire Jack LaLanne and think its probably a good idea for people to be able to do push-up for the reasons listed in the article, the average American would be better served doing aerobic exercise lasting 30 minutes or more. Push-ups don’t tell anything about the health of your heart and lungs.
The problem with promoting push-ups as a yardstick for health is that you can improve how many push-ups you do with about 10 minutes commitment 3 days per week, but that won’t improve any of your risks to the major diseases you are likely to develop later in life.
— Posted by Nik