Can you pass Dr. Oz's push-up test?
Oprah loves the energetic Dr. Mehmet Oz. He's making a big name for himself on the Oprah Winfrey Show, along with his sidekick, Dr. Michael Roizen. Last month on Oprah, the docs introduced their 90-Day Live Longer, Feel Younger Plan. Adhere to these three lifestyle changes and you'll see and feel results fast.
1. Do yoga and lift weights: your heart, blood pressure, strength and flexibility will thank you.
2. Walk 30 minutes every day: rain or shine.
3. Diet: adopt the attitude "food is medicine" -- skip these eleven Hall of Shame foods
Now here's a test. Dr. Oz says a 30-year-old woman should be able to nail 45 bent-leg push-ups, while a man the same age should be capable of 35 standard push-ups. Take away five push-ups for every decade thereafter. Hold on, let me take the test. My face is red and hands are shaking, but I passed ... barely. Any takers?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-17-2007 @ 8:28AM
Brad Thompson said...
Sounds like a logical test, and in reference to the above posting by Charles McMahon all I can say is "YOU ARE THE MAN"...I work out regularly but I hope I am able to persist and handle your exercise load when I am your age. Keep it up Charles
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9-17-2007 @ 9:45AM
drmofgenie said...
I am a 51 year old woman and I can do 45 straight leg push ups. What's with the bent leg standard for women, especially 30 YEAR OLD women? Bah!
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9-17-2007 @ 9:46AM
urthshaykr said...
I'm sixteen and I can nail 40 push-ups, easy, and I'm actually far out of shape. Before I stopped working out, I could do 60 push-ups alternating between knuckle and diamond form, 80 if I had the energy.
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9-17-2007 @ 10:11AM
John said...
When I started working out 4 years ago, I could barely do 10 push ups. Now at age 50, I do 4 sets of 15 inclined, declined, and standard p/u's then more chest work with dumbbells. I feel 20 again. Try a spiderman pushup by bringing one knee to elbow then go down and alternate. Great oblique workout as well.
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9-17-2007 @ 10:30AM
Kevin Beair said...
i can tell this guy is a retard, he's just making shit up to fool people and make money because he doesn't know what he's talking about, the people who would listen to him are idiots, you don't get in shape just by doing push-ups. You don't judge someones basic physical condition by how many push-ups they can do, what a clown.
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9-17-2007 @ 11:22AM
Crusader said...
Hey drmofgenie I bet your Grand kids think you are groovy!!
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9-17-2007 @ 11:22AM
Crusader said...
Hey drmofgenie I bet your Grand kids think you are groovy!!
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9-17-2007 @ 11:23AM
Crusader said...
Hey drmofgenie I bet your Grand kids think you are groovy!!
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9-17-2007 @ 11:28AM
p.k.darnall said...
I agree with Beair : Dr. Oz is a hustler, probably getting most of his cardio excitement by pushing-up Oprah, bent legged. His so called work out is a wuss out.
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9-17-2007 @ 11:40AM
NORMA said...
U KIDDING FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, I AM 82 AND SURE NOT GOING TO DO PUSH UPS AND DON'T THINK THAT MANY 30 YR OLD DO OR CAN EITHER. I GET AROUND ALMOST AS GOOD AS MOST 30 YRS DO ANY WAY. WHAT A JOKE HE IS.
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9-17-2007 @ 11:43AM
Susan said...
I am a 44 year old woman. I agree with the above, there is no need for women, especially 30 year olds, to do "bent leg" or "cop out" push ups. I did 90 once and got too bored to continue.
Yes, women don't have the same upper arm strength as men but we certainly have enough to do real push ups.
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9-17-2007 @ 12:00PM
eddie c said...
I also agree with Beair. Where are the exercises for the back? A large amount of Americans work jobs that entail working with their arms in front of them for long periods of time ie. desk jobs and manufacturing. This results in shorting of the Pectoralis muscles. When you have a shorting of the Pectoralis muscles compounded by weakness in back muscles you open the door for to neck, shoulder, and back problems. Doing pushups works your pectoralis muscles further compounding this problem. Yoga will not help either, so do not go down that road. Want to get started in the right direction? Look towards a professional for help in the form of a Ceritifed Athletic Trainer (NOT a PERSONAL TRAINER!!!) or a Physical Therapist.
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9-17-2007 @ 12:13PM
Jim said...
At 61 I lift every day, chest, lats, back, legs one day and arms, shoulders, delts, legs the next. Bench is 300, curl 160. We all have a routine that works for us. The important thing is to do something to stay in shape. The benchmark you use may or may not be the same for me. There is no "ONE" standard.
"Nice to read so many people are working out."
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9-17-2007 @ 12:38PM
Eddie said...
I am 76, play basketball with young guys every weekend for 2 -3 hours a day. Go to gym, use weight machines, pushups about 40, treadmill at maximum incline, and much more. I think that the standards mentioned are way to low for any age.
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9-17-2007 @ 1:15PM
Susan said...
I agree that the standards are too low. Thirty is way too young to expect so much less from yourself.
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9-17-2007 @ 1:32PM
Melissa said...
I agree, with all the other women out there..... i can do these "girl push-ups" till im bored with it, so what is the womens standard for a regular pushup?
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9-17-2007 @ 1:37PM
John said...
For all of those people who say that they can do 100's of push ups or whatever rediculous # they've posted here, keep in mind that there is such a thing as proper form and depth when doing a push up. Barely bending your elbows or having your ass straight up in the air doesn't count. I gaurantee with strict form your rep #'s would be alot lower.
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9-17-2007 @ 1:42PM
mick said...
When I was in extreme fitness I got cancer, cured now but just shows you that fit people die too
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9-17-2007 @ 1:44PM
Mindy said...
There seems to be a lot of arrogance out there about what kind of push-ups and how many a woman can do. We are all built differently. Just like it might be a breeze for me to pass the bar exam, it might be a breeze for some women to do 90 straight-leg push-ups. We all have our strenghts and weaknesses.
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9-17-2007 @ 1:56PM
pderoo1 said...
Well, I'm 45, in good physical shape, exercise most days, eat right about 80% of the time, but I can't do a push-up to save my life. Never have been able to do one. Not sure that the fact that I can't is something I should be concerned with either! Good for all of you that can, but that doesn't mean someone that can is in any better shape than someone who can't.
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