At the age of 59, people often think about increasing bone density and starting to survive on nutritional supplements, but for Canadian Donna Jean Wilde, it is not the same.
This superhero grandma did 1,575 push-ups in 60 minutes and was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. “Her victory came on the heels of her March title for the longest time in the plank position on her belly (by a woman), when she held the plank for 4 hours, 30 minutes and 11 seconds,” an official statement said. Donna took home the award for the most push-ups in one hour (female).
“I had to hold back happy tears and emotions and keep going,” Donna Jean said. “I still felt pretty strong and was aiming to do a lot of push-ups over the next 17 minutes.”
Her grandsons, ages 11 and 12, cheered her on as she tried out.
“The push-ups had to be performed to a certain standard that required the elbow to be bent 90 degrees at the bottom of the push-up, with the arm fully extended during the push-up. Independent witnesses showed her current score on the scoreboard, and as Donna Jean took periodic breaths, she kept the number of push-ups in sight,” the official Guinness World Records statement. “She started the hour strong, doing 620 push-ups in the first 20 minutes. She then alternated from 20 to five push-ups per rep over the next 15 minutes, eventually surpassing the previous record and averaging about 10 push-ups per rep before time runs out,” the post added.
To prepare for the world record, she followed an intense routine. She spent hours practicing it in Beezer, Alberta, in the foothills of the Rockies, and let the quiet power of nature inspire her to perform. Consistency and regular practices are what kept her in the mood for this daunting task.
Push-ups are great for building and maintaining upper body strength in older adults. They target key muscle groups like the chest, shoulders and triceps that are critical to everyday tasks like lifting and pushing. By engaging the abdominal muscles, push-ups improve core strength, helping improve posture and reducing the risk of back pain. A stable core is essential for seniors to maintain balance and mobility. Doing push-ups increases heart rate, improves circulation and cardiovascular health. This low-impact exercise helps older adults maintain endurance and reduce the risk of heart disease.
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