How many pushups should a 62 year old man be able to do who exercises 3 days per week
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Executive summary
A specific “should” number for push-ups at age 62 depends on which standard you use: popular media charts suggest broad age-based ranges and websites with norms report widely varying results (e.g., some sources present charts for “good” scores by age” and user-reported anecdotes) [1] [2] [3]. Public-health guidance stresses strength training twice weekly as part of overall activity for older adults rather than a single rep-count target [4] [5].
1. What the available standards actually say — inconsistent benchmarks
There is no single authoritative universal push‑up target for a 62‑year‑old: commercial norm tables and fitness sites publish age‑group charts and “strength standards” that vary by methodology and bodyweight (StrengthLevel, PushUpGuide) [6] [3]. Popular outlets that summarize “how many pushups you should be able to do” present age‑based charts and label some counts as “good” or “great,” but the underlying bases differ and aren’t uniform across sources (EatThis, People) [1] [2].
2. Military and institutional tests give context but not a general fitness “should”
Armed forces and education programs publish strict age‑graded tests (for example, Navy and Army score tables) that set pass/outstanding cutoffs for specific age bands, showing push‑up expectations tied to mission standards rather than public‑health guidance [7] [8]. Those charts can be used as reference points, but they measure performance under test conditions and are not intended as universal health targets (not found in current reporting).
3. What “exercises 3 days per week” implies for older adults
Clinical and guideline literature defines “physically active” older adults as those doing planned moderate activity at least 3 days per week; guidelines also recommend muscle‑strengthening on 2 or more days weekly, which is the practical route to improving push‑up counts (ACSM/clinical reviews and AAFP summaries) [9] [5]. The implication: a 62‑year‑old who trains three days weekly is plausibly meeting minimum activity frequency to build and maintain muscle, so push‑up capacity should improve with targeted strength work [9] [5].
4. How to translate those guidelines into a realistic push‑up goal
Fitness writers often offer pragmatic rules (e.g., age‑adjusted “standards”), and community guides recommend progressive training; an attainable, health‑oriented goal for a 62‑year‑old who trains regularly is to focus on progressive overload (sets/reps, easier progressions to full push‑ups) rather than a single magic number [10] [11]. Strength training recommendations in guidelines—8–12 reps per exercise, 2–3 sets, 2 days/week for older adults—map directly to structured push‑up programming to raise single‑set maxes over months [12] [13].
5. What the data and anecdotes reveal — wide individual spread
User‑reported accounts and forums show large variance: some 60+ individuals report doing dozens of push‑ups in a set while other normative tables put median values much lower (Topend Sports anecdote, PushUpGuide norms) [3] [14]. That variance underscores fitness determinants—body weight, prior training history, joint issues, and test style (timed vs. max reps)—so comparisons across individuals are unreliable without context [6] [10].
6. Practical target and progression advice journalists would give
Given guideline recommendations and the variety of norms, set individualized, measurable goals: if you already exercise three days per week, aim first to achieve two structured strength sessions that include push‑up progressions (modified, incline, or negatives) using 2–3 sets of 8–12 effortful reps twice weekly; reassess single‑set max after 8–12 weeks [5] [12]. Use institutional charts only as optional benchmarks — they can motivate but are not clinical prescriptions [7] [8].
7. Limitations, disagreements and missing evidence
Available sources do not present a single evidence‑based “should” number for a 62‑year‑old who trains thrice weekly; instead they offer varied norms, military test tables, clinical exercise‑frequency guidance, and anecdotal reports [6] [7] [9]. There is disagreement between fitness‑media charts and clinical guidelines about how to frame targets: media gives rep counts by age [1] while health authorities emphasize weekly frequency and muscle‑strengthening twice weekly over a single rep standard [4] [5].
8. Bottom line for readers: target the program, not a single rep count
Do not fixate on one universal number. For a 62‑year‑old exercising three days weekly, public‑health sources and exercise science recommend prioritizing consistent strength training twice weekly and measuring progress (reps per set, form, fatigue) over months [5] [9]. If you want a numerical benchmark, consult specific norm charts for your age/weight as a reference [6] [2], but treat them as comparative guides, not health mandates.