It’s time to push yourself.
A recent study found that middle-aged men who are able to do 40 or more consecutive pushups have a significantly lower risk of heart problems, .
“The pushup is one of the easiest, no-equipment exercises that you can do anywhere that also provides a good benchmark for your overall fitness and wellness,” says Joe Holder, 28, a Union Square-based trainer whose celebrity clients include “Russian Doll” star Natasha Lyonne.
The military-style exercise not only builds up muscles in your arms and core, it also requires the kind of cardiovascular endurance that can be so beneficial to your heart.
But if the thought of doing 40 pushups gives you minor heart palpitations, fret not: Holder says there are a few easy ways to work your way up to the magic number — and beyond — whether you’re a man or woman.
First, find your form: Position your arms under your shoulders, or slightly wider, depending on what feels comfortable. If you’re just starting out, your feet can be wide apart, but if you’re looking for a challenge, do the pushup with your feet together. Your fingers should be splayed out, so the weight is evenly distributed across your whole hand, Holder says. Make sure your spine is forming a straight line. Direct your gaze about a foot in front of you so that your neck is relaxed but aligned with your spine. And, “your hips shouldn’t be sinking, nor should your butt be too high in the air,” Holder says.
If you’re new to working your upper body, consider some modifications. The best one, Holder says, is an elevated push-up, with your hands on a bench or a chair.
“The elevation makes it easier [than modifying a push-up on your knees], which sometimes leads to people having incorrect form,” Holder says.
Next, “you need to get a pushup schedule,” Holder says. Take stock of how many pushups you can do before you’re totally exhausted or out of breath. In the first week, do three sets of pushups — the number of repetitions should be about 70 percent of your capacity — three or four times a week. For instance, if you can do 10 pushups, do three sets of seven pushups. Rest 20 seconds or so in between.
In the second week, bump up that number to about 90 percent — so, if the number of pushups you could do before stopping or running out of breath was 10, try three sets of nine pushups.
Continue increasing your sets until you reach your desired pushup number. Meanwhile, add in other exercises to strengthen the arm and core muscles you’ll need to crush your pushup schedule, such as dumbbell bench presses, shoulder presses, pullups and dumbbell rows. Cardio exercise such as running or cycling can also boost endurance.
From there, mix up your pushup pacing: “For some of the sets, you could try going down for 3 seconds, instead of just 1 second,” Holder says. Or, give yourself less rest time between sets so that you’re really tired by the last one.
“It’s not complicated,” Holder says. But improving your pushup game “can go a long way.”