When I was 39, I set a goal to do my age in pushups on my 40th birthday in one minute.  I could already do 30-some-odd, so it wasn’t a problem.  I’ve made this goal part of my general fitness routine and do it every year.  You’d think it would get harder as the years pass, but it doesn’t.  Adding one pushup every year is a tiny, incremental increase.  
Lately I’ve been doing 87 to 88 pushups in a minute, being careful to maintain the standard military PT-test form.  I did 91 a few weeks ago, but my form wasn’t the best.
Man, I can remember when I had to stop and rest in the “up” position after 30 pushups.  Then it was 40, then 50, then 70 and so on.  Now I just go, full speed to the end.  
My doctor has commented on the big veins in my arms and chest.  The increased circulation has improved my endurance tremendously.

I turned 71 today.  I alternate between 4 workout routines and my pushup routine came around two days ago.  I had three gym buddies and two staff watching to make sure my form was good.  It was hard to concentrate with them doing “Energizer Bunny” jokes.  I did 89, but the staff lady doing the counting disallowed 3 of them because I didn’t go down far enough.  Well, that’s fair.  86 in 60 seconds will have to do.

It’ll be interesting to see how long I can keep this up.  I’m well ahead of where I need to be.  I feel as good as I did 35 years ago.  Too bad I don’t look as good!

Keep at it, that's damn impressive for anyone let alone 71.

Shit ! Congrats ! You got abs ! Your in better shape than any, if not all your peers. 

That is out-freakin-standing!  I have a new hero.

I'm quite a bit younger than him and I don't look that good. 

Congratulations, keep up the good work! 

Now I need to start doing push ups. 

Calves need some work.  

In all seriousness, great work!  I hope to maintain that level of fitness and dedication for my entire lifetime.  What do you do throughout the year to specifically build or maintain your pushup ability?

Awesome job!! You inspire me to do better @ 41 yrs. old. Just proves anyone can do anything if they put there mind to it.  ??

I have 4 pretty basic workout routines, 2 “push” and 2 “pull” and I alternate, working out every Mon, Wed & Fri morning.

The “pull” routines involve pull-ups, low rows, bent DB rows, shrugs, cable twists and the hated Stairmaster.
“Push” routines include pushups (every other “push”), bench machine, triceps press, overhead press, crunch machine, cable twists and the hated Stairmaster.

As you can see, I don’t do a lot of exercises.  I learned a long time ago that doing too much causes burnout.  I do 20-25 minutes on weights/machines and 25 min on the Stairmaster.  45-50 minutes and I’m out of there.

I only do my pushups every other “push” or every 9-10 days.  No warmup, no stretching, just GO – max speed and no holding back.  I never warm up for any exercise.  If I need strength in an emergency, there won’t be time for any damn warmups, so I don’t do ‘em.  

Interesting factoid:  When I was on active duty many years ago, I tore the tendon connecting my front right deltoid to my humerus (upper arm bone).  I was nowhere near medical help at the time and when I got help, it was too late to reconnect it.  The front deltoid atrophied to nothing, so I have a big slot where the muscle should be.
The doctors put an entry in my medical records that I couldn’t be required to do more than 15 pushups.
HA!!

You probably already know this, but you are so far ahead of the game it is nuts.

My dad has always said that you need to exercise both body and brain. He just turned 75 and is a hiking/mountain climbing/elk hunting mad man, but he could use some upper body stuff.

You are breaking a lot of stereotypes.

Keep it up.

It makes me sad to see so many men my age who can barely get around.  

At a rehearsal last night, a guy who’s a year younger than me fell off his stool (he wasn’t even playing!) and cut his arm.  He needed help getting up.  
WTF was that all about?  That’s not me, for damn sure.  Shit, I’m making arrangements to go skydiving in the next few weeks.  
EDIT:  I went with my brother-in-law.  Free-fall from 14,000 to 3,000 feet and popped the chute.  It was a blast!!

Next fall, my wife and I are driving (well, I’m driving) from Amsterdam to Venice by way of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Zurich, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and Monza.  Can’t wait to drive through the Swiss, French and Italian Alps!    

Never, never let yourself get out of shape.  The rewards you’ll see when you retire and can still do any damn thing you want make it worth the sweat.

 I am inspired.
  Thank you.

Good job, sir.

I'm 16 years behind you, and hope to be able to maintain a similar goal.