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So, I recently hit the big 4-0, and let me tell you, it feels like the universe decided to slap me with a big “Welcome to Old Age!” sticker. In an attempt to shake off the cobwebs, I thought, “Why not do some pushups and get back in shape?” Of course, I was promptly reminded that “round” is indeed a shape.

That burst of motivation quickly met the cold, hard truth of physics. After years of cultivating my “mass,” I had to face the music—14 pushups was all I could muster. And this was before my morning coffee! As I grunted through the final rep on my bathroom floor, I thought, “No biggie. I’ll just do fewer reps throughout the day until I hit 50.”

 14
 12
 10
  8
  6
+--
 50

Easy, right? WRONG.

The second round started strong until I remembered how many I struggled to complete before my arms began to quiver. I managed just 3 before the shakes kicked in. In total, I barely squeezed out 12. Thank goodness that round was over!

The third wave? Pure agony. I finished, but only just. By the time the fourth and fifth waves rolled around, I waved the white flag. Here I am, two days later, typing this with pecs that feel like they’ve gone through a meat grinder—and my motivation to do more pushups? Well, it’s feeling pretty spent, too.

You might be wondering, “Why put myself through this?” To that, I say, “Why not?” I’m not 80 yet, and I’d love to slip back into the workout groove. Back in my high school days of track and field, pushups were a staple (besides running, of course). And let’s not forget P90X at 26—pushups were the name of the game there, too. The aches in various muscle groups now remind me just how effectively pushups work your entire body.

I’m committed to continuing this journey. Who knows, I might even share my progress updates here to keep myself accountable. Here’s to reclaiming fitness, one shaky pushup at a time!

  • Mar 24, 2024: 30
  • May 31, 2024: 38
  • Jun 22, 2024: 10
  • Sep 27, 2024: 30
  • Feb 16, 2025: 10

Update Nov 2, 2024: I’ve lost some weight, so I’m going to start doing weight training soom^tm. Standby for updates!