In an era of expensive gym memberships, complicated workout splits, and high-tech fitness trackers, one fitness influencer is urging people to return to the basics: pushups, planks, and a simple walk around the block.
Mark Langowski, known on social media as @bodybymark to nearly two million Instagram followers, hosted a pushup and plank competition this week at Washington Square Park in New York City, in partnership with Oikos yogurt. The event brought together in-shape New Yorkers and curious bystanders alike, with a male and female winner each receiving $500 for achieving the most pushups or holding the longest plank.
But beyond the cash prize, Langowski said the real goal was inspiration.
“It’s a way to encourage strength and overall fitness in New York City and all around the country,” he told Fox News Digital during an interview at the event. “We had a guy just do 111 pushups. We’re just getting people moving.”
The Humble Pushup as a Fitness Benchmark
According to Langowski, pushups and planks serve as a “good general baseline” for measuring fitness level. Other basic benchmarks include pull-ups, squats, and endurance challenges like running a mile—the kind of fundamentals included in an elementary school fitness assessment.
The trainer noted that the best competitors at the event shared a common trait: humility.
“The people who did the most, they didn’t say they were going to do the most,” Langowski observed. “And there were other people who said they could do 150, and they did 70.”
One Simple Habit: Just Start
For those who haven’t yet mastered these basics but want to get back in shape, Langowski offered straightforward advice that requires no expensive equipment or gym membership.
“You’ve just got to get out there,” he said. “I know that’s easy for me to say—I’ve been in fitness and been relatively fit most of my life. And I know a lot of people are sitting on the couch and they either feel sorry for themselves or they’re going through a tough time.”
His recommended first step? A simple walk—even just around the block.
“You don’t need an expensive gym membership to get in good shape,” Langowski emphasized. “Most of the people that I stop on the street, they don’t have a gym membership at all. They do it in their living room. And that’s where you can do the exercises I mentioned—the squats, the lunges, the pushups.”
Progress, Not Perfection
Langowski acknowledged that many people feel discouraged because they cannot do a single standard pushup. His response: start somewhere else.
“A lot of people are like, ‘I can’t do a pushup, so I’m never going to do one.’ That’s not the way,” he said.
He recommends beginning with pushups on your knees or against a wall. From there, gradually progress to standard pushups by moving onto your toes and lowering yourself fully to the ground before pushing back up.
“You’ll be surprised after you do that for a couple weeks, a couple months, a couple years—you’re going to be able to do a lot,” Langowski said. “Nobody was born being able to do 111 pushups. They put in the work and they started somewhere.”
Rest, Protein, and Support
In addition to consistent practice, Langowski stressed the importance of rest and proper nutrition. Giving the body time to recover and supporting muscle growth with adequate protein intake—along with an overall healthy diet—are essential components of any fitness journey.
Perhaps most importantly, he advised against going it alone.
“I would encourage people just to start, but also to get some friends or get a trainer, someone to support you and do it safely,” he said.
The Takeaway
For the millions of people who have fallen out of their fitness routine or never started one at all, Langowski’s message is simple: stop waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect gym, or the perfect body. Start with what you have, where you are.
“You’ve just got to get out there,” he repeated. “Get with a trainer or someone who knows how to progress you. And then just begin.”