BILL KOBER PLANS to still be doing daily push-ups when he turns 100 – and the 40 he’s currently clocking up every day at 98 puts him in good stead to reach that goal.
In fact, he does ‘at least’ 40 a day – an average of 20 in the morning, and 20 in the evening. Paired with a bit of pilates (apparently, he recently mastered the crow pose), it’s a routine built around maintaining strength and mobility so he can enjoy life for as long as possible.
‘Only in my later years have I realised that I’ve got this ability, and so I do it because I’m able to,’ Kober told BBC Suffolk. ‘As they say, use it or lose it, and I don’t want to lose it.’
The Benefits of Daily Push-Ups
As well as being one of the most effective ways to improve your upper-body strength using bodyweight, push-ups can improve core stability and boost cardiovascular capacity: making them a fantastic exercise to build an exercise habit around, especially as you age.
A higher push-up capacity is also associated with greater longevity and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease – so being able to do more will help you stay healthy for longer.
Kober’s Top Tip
Kober’s routine is incredibly simple.
‘I do it until I can’t do it anymore. And then I get up and relax – and that’s it,’ he said. ‘I’ve never followed [fitness] religiously, but I dabbled in a little bit of weight training and I tried running, although I didn’t like that very much.’
He says his push-up routine is what keeps him ‘breathing well’ but credits his ‘good genes’ as the key to his long life.
‘Obviously they’re working well,’ he added.
With push-ups being such a big part of his daily routine, Kober has honed his technique carefully over the years, and has one key tip for nailing the perfect push-up.
So, what is it?
‘A good straight back which gives you a nice tight buttock,’ he said. ‘If I stuck a £20 note in between your buttocks, you’ve got to grip over it so that no-one can take it.’
Of course, while Kober’s two times a day, 20-rep routine is a great way to maintain mobility and strength, building muscle may require a slightly different approach. Evidence supports aiming for 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps – but if you find press-ups easy, then up that to around 20.
Ready to build muscle, burn fat and come out the other side looking, feeling and performing better? Click here to get a digital download of Men’s Health’s 30-Minute Workouts Bookazine.
Related:
Meet The 100-Year-Old WW2 Veteran Who Just Smashed The Centenarian 100m World Record
Mark Bouris wants to live to 100 – this is how he plans on doing it
