If You Can Do This Many Pushups After 50, Your Arm Strength Is Top 10%

Upper body strength becomes increasingly important after 50 because it supports far more than gym performance. Your arms help you push yourself up from the floor, brace during slips, carry loads, and stabilize your shoulders during daily movement. When arm strength declines, those tasks quietly demand more effort and often place added stress on the joints.

Muscle strength and endurance in the upper body also tie closely to long-term resilience. Strong arms help preserve lean muscle, support shoulder health, and improve posture as activity levels change with age. Endurance matters because most real-life tasks require repeated effort rather than one maximal push.

That’s why the pushup remains such a valuable test. In under a minute, it...