If you are a fitness freak, then you might already have multiple encounters with push-ups. Push-ups along with few other exercises are considered a natural way of toning down body fat without paying a hefty fee for a gym.
But have you ever considered push-ups as an omen to your future health? Well, it might take a little to sink this in, but as per a study published in Jama network open, there is a direct correlation between the number of pushups a person can do and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
The experiment
In this research, around 1,104 adult male firefighters went under a physical test in a 10-year period between 2000 to 2010. The participants were asked to do a varying number of push-ups and each of them was evaluated against the risk of CVD.
The findings
After comparing the results, researches find out that people who can do 40 or more push ups have 96% less chances of having a CVD when compared against those who can only do ten or less.
The caveats
Though some health experts have agreed with the findings to some extent but many have also raised caveats around the experiment due to the limited nature of the participants. The group only includes men from a particular occupation and was not having any representation from women. Also, the ability of people with respect to stamina and potential to fight diseases might vary from person to person and hence, cannot be generalised.
The findings and the scope of the research might be expended in the future to derive more generic and scientifically oriented finding. But regularly practicing push-ups without pushing your body’s tolerance limit might not be a bad idea at all. And with your continued efforts and dedication, once you reach the threshold of the magic number 40, you may have your own reasons to smile 🙂
Also read : Lost and found – simple rules to a satisfied life