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The push-up: it’s said to be a great indicator of good health since it uses many major muscle groups. It’s also the do-anywhere exercise that requires nothing other than your own body weight. That said, push-ups should be the go-to exercise for the whole human race, right?

Yet for many people, they’re so darn hard to do.

According to a recent NYT article, the average 40-year-old woman should be able to perform 16 push-ups, and the average man of the same age should be able to do 27.

So we want to know…

How many push-ups can you do?

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Sure, you talk the talk…but do you walk the walk?

If you’re walking without a pedometer, probably not.

See, most people aren’t all that good at monitoring their own progress. They tend to overestimate the amount of effort (or in the case of walking, the amount of steps) they’ve accumulated. It’s human nature – we like to think we’re better than we are – or at least more ambitious.

However…

According to a study by the University of Michigan, wearing a pedometer (a small computer worn on your waist which measures the amount of steps you take) may keep you moving 20 to 40 minutes longer than those who go technology free.

So for a little investment up front (you can score a basic model totally on the cheap or spring for a more tricked-out model with all the bells and whistles) the result can be great fitness success later on. Sounds like a good trade-off to me, no?

So, do you already use a pedometer while walking? Does it keep you motivated?

Are you thinking of trying it?

Let us know in the comments below…

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But are you ?

Find out with the President’s Challenge Adult Fitness Test.

It’s been designed by The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, a group of volunteers who advise the government and ultimately the President about fitness, physical activity, and sports in the U.S.

It measures your aerobic fitness, muscular strength & endurance, flexibility, and body composition by having you…

Walk one mile or run 1.5 miles and log in your time.

Count the number of half sit-ups you can do in a minute.

Count the number of push-ups you can do in a minute.

Do a sit-and-reach flexibility test.

Measure your height, weight, and waist.

The results are then entered and an evaluation and tips for improvement will be done.

As this was only launched yesterday, I doubt anyone has had the chance to try it out. But if you have, please let us know how it went…

Post from: Healthbolt