Experts estimate how many push-ups the average person should be able to do

Experts at the Mayo Clinic are determining once and for all how many push-ups the average man and woman should be able to do by age group—and the answer may surprise you.

Pushing professionals said that the classic exercise is a good measure of muscular strength and endurance with age.

The true standard push-up engages most of the major muscle groups in the body, including the legs, abs, and arms.

The key is to keep your body straight with your hands in line with your shoulders, pushing all the way through until your arms are straight again while standing on your hands and toes.

The Mayo Clinic offered a target number of pushes based on age and gender, starting at age 25 and going up to age 65.

According to experts, a 25-year-old man should be able to do around 28 push-ups in one go, while women should aim for 20 to “show a good level of fitness”.

The expectation slides downhill from there over the years.

By age 35, women should be able to hold 19 push-ups – just one point short of a 25-year-old woman’s expectation – while men should be able to achieve 21 – seven fewer than men a decade younger.

The count takes a steep drop at age 45, with women expected to hit 14 and men 16 pushes.

The 55 age group puts the expectation at 10 for women and 12 for men.

Finally, the 65-year-old group, and the end line for the study, has men and women both expected to do 10 push-ups at the same time.

Fitness experts, however, caution that the study should not be taken exactly as the numbers are listed.

“I respect various experiments and studies, but in this case, I rely more on training individuals with my personal experience. “Most of my clients lead a moderate lifestyle and work out two to three times a week,” New York-based personal trainer Natalya Alexeyenko told the Daily Mail.

“With this in mind, I believe that realistic rates may be lower for women by about three to five repetitions and higher for men with an athletic background by about five to 10 repetitions compared to the Mayo Clinic recommendations. “

Regular exercise is not the only determining factor for a person’s fitness. A healthy diet is essential and combined, both can help reduce the risks of deadly conditions such as heart disease and some types of cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s official exercise guidelines recommend that people get about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, or roughly 20 minutes a day, including two days focused solely on strength-building exercises like the thrusts.