An old-fashioned, terrific way to build strength and fitness

With all the high-tech gadgets and shiny exercise equipment that's now routine in any big city gym, it's easy to lose sight of the many benefits to be had from old-fashioned, low-tech, equipment free body weight exercises. I'm talking specifically about the plain old push-up.

Push-ups are a terrific way to build upper body strength and endurance. They're a great symbol of fitness and vigor as anyone who remembers watching 71 year old Jack Palance drop to the floor and do his famous one-handed push-up routine during his Oscar acceptance speech. Push-ups engage multiple muscle groups including the chest, the triceps, and the shoulders, not to mention that they require abdominal strength for stability. And you can do them anywhere.

And push-ups are really important for older people as well. As science reporter Tara Parker Pope says, "The ability to do them more than once and with proper form is an important indicator of the capacity to withstand the rigors of aging".

Proper form means maintaining a straight back, putting your palms flat on the floor a little wider than the chest, bending your elbows to lower your shoulders and upper body towards the floor till your forehead and nose are almost touching the floor, then straightening your elbows to raise back up. Be sure to keep your neck in line with your body. (A good illustration of how to do them can be found at ABC-of-Fitness.com.) Women- who have about 1/5 less muscle than men to begin with- can certainly start of with their knees bent and build up to the harder version.

A forty year old woman should be able to do about 16 push-ups while a 40 year old man should be able to do 27. And if you really want to test yourself, the army standards are the way to go. Passing the test for the military requires at least 24 repetitions for a man 37-41 and 6 for a woman the same age. Want to be better than average? Go for 34 if you're a guy and 13 (or more) if you're a female.