Mark Langowski, the fitness influencer known as @bodybymark, staged a pushup and plank contest in New York City to push people off the couch and into motion, handing out cash prizes and practical coaching along the way.
The Washington Square Park event drew in local fitness fans and curious passersby, and Langowski used the meetup, held on May 12 in partnership with a yogurt brand, to show that strength challenges can be public, fun, and inclusive. He routinely asks his nearly two million Instagram followers to share workouts, and this live gathering was an easy way to turn online encouragement into street-level energy. The vibe was competitive but welcoming, and the goal was simple: get more people moving.
Two winners walked away with $500 apiece for the most pushups and the longest plank hold, a straightforward incentive that nudged folks to try their limits. The informal competition proved entertaining and motivating, with one attendee managing an impressive 111 pushups. Beyond the prize money, the real win was seeing ordinary people test themselves and surprise themselves.
“[It’s] a way to encourage strength and overall fitness in New York City and all around the country,” he said. Langowski emphasized community and accountability rather than elite performance alone, framing the event as a nudge toward healthier habits. The meet-up mixed casual spectators with committed competitors, creating a low-pressure environment for trying new things.
“We got together and we’re doing a plank competition, pushup competition. We had a guy just do 111 pushups. We’re just getting people moving.” That line sums up the point: small public events can spark big personal wins. People who had never tried a timed plank or a pushup contest suddenly found themselves cheering one another on.
Langowski described the traits of a standout competitor as strength blended with humility and confidence, noting how actions mattered more than talk. “The people who … did the most, they didn’t say they were going to do the most,” he said. “And there were other people who said they could do 150, and they did 70.”
He pointed to pushups and planks as solid, no-frills ways to gauge general fitness, alongside basics like pull-ups, squats and a simple mile run. Those movements form the backbone of many school fitness assessments and they translate directly into everyday strength. Using these benchmarks helps people know where they are and where to focus first when building a program.
For beginners, Langowski offered practical progression advice instead of discouraging absolutes. “Get with a trainer or someone who knows how to progress you,” he advised. “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.”
His step-by-step approach is hands-on and realistic: start with incline or knee pushups, then shift toward full pushups by practicing form and range of motion before chasing reps. “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,” he said. “Nobody was born being able to do 111 pushups. They put in the work and they started somewhere.”
Langowski also reminded people that training needs rest and nutritional support to work, calling out protein and overall healthy eating as part of the picture. Motivation, he argued, is the key spark that gets everything else moving. “I know that’s easy for me to say – I’ve been in fitness and been relatively fit most of my life,” he said. “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 … You’ve just got to get out there.”
He suggested tiny first steps: a walk around the block or a few living-room sets of squats and lunges make a difference without any gym membership. “You don’t need an expensive gym membership to get in good shape,” he said. “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,” Langowski went on. “So, 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.” The message landed clear and simple: begin modestly, progress intentionally, and lean on community for consistency and safety.
