Push-ups rely on your body weight for resistance and offer valuable insights into stability and control. Once you’re over 50, the focus shifts from merely building muscle to understanding how your core, joints, and nervous system work together, according to Amanda Dvorak, a certified personal trainer with Garage Gym Reviews. This exercise can highlight your areas of strength and reveal any decrease in coordination and mobility. If you can perform these five push-up variations at this age, it indicates impressive upper-body strength.

“Contrary to isolation exercises, push-ups are a compound exercise targeting the upper body,” says Caine Wilkes, an Olympian and certified USA weightlifting coach at BarBend. “Additionally, maintaining an upright and stable plank position involves controlling your torso, which helps build core strength and control. After 50, functional strength and coordination are key indicators of overall health. These variations not only test but also demonstrate your upper-body strength and the coordinated function of your muscle groups.”

Moreover, unlike machine-based exercises, push-ups demand active participation of your core, arms, shoulders, and chest, ensuring your spine remains aligned throughout the movement.

“This type of integrated strength becomes more important with age, since real-world tasks like getting up off the floor or catching yourself during a fall rely on the same coordination,” says Deb Simpson, NASM-CPT, founder of Featherweight Fitness.

Plyometric Push-ups

“Plyometric push-ups, commonly performed as clapping push-ups, challenge athletes by maintaining core strength while explosively pushing off the floor,” Caine tells us.

1. Begin in a high plank with your hands shoulder-distance apart and body straight.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the ground.
3. Press through your palms to rise back up and explosively push yourself off the floor.
4. Clap your hands mid-air, if possible.
5. Bend your elbows as you return to a pushup position.
6. Immediately flow into the next rep.

If You Can Do These 6 Moves, Your Daily Life Gets 10x Easier After 40

Decline Push-ups

“Decline push-ups increase load and test shoulder endurance,” Amanda notes.

Caine adds, “This variation ramps up the intensity and shoulder stability by increasing the amount of body weight you’re pushing.”

1. Assume a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and feet elevated on a workout bench or sturdy surface.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the ground.
3. Press through both palms to rise back up.

Slow Eccentric Push-ups

“Slow eccentric push-ups test control under fatigue by increasing the time under tension,” Caine points out. This variation emphasizes the lowering phase of a pushup.

1. Begin in a high plank with your hands shoulder-width apart and body straight.
2. Engage your core.
3. Bend your elbows as you slowly start to lower your chest toward the floor. Count to 3 to 5 seconds as you lower.
4. Press back up.

If You Can Do This Combo Without Rest, Your Core Is Decades Younger

Archer Push-ups

“Most people have a weaker side or can’t control the descent evenly, and Archer push-ups expose muscular imbalances right away,” Amanda says. “They also require more mobility through the shoulders and more tension through the core to stay balanced.”

1. Assume a wide push-up position with your hands placed outside shoulder-width and your feet hip-width apart.
2. As you lower your chest toward the floor, shift your weight to one arm, bend that elbow, and extend the opposite arm out to the side.
3. Your chest should lower toward the arm that’s bent.
4. Press through your bent arm to rise back up.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Single-Arm Push-ups

“This exercise demands full-body tension, anti-rotation core strength, and advanced motor control,” Deb says.

1. Assume a high plank, balancing on one hand, feet spread out wide to ensure a stable base.
2. Place the non-working arm behind your back or extended ahead of you.
3. Bend the elbow of the working arm to lower your chest toward the floor.
4. Press through your palm to rise back up.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Alexa Mellardo