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How Many Push-Ups Should You Be Able To Do? Get Your Numbers Right!

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Push-ups are a classic exercise, loved for their simplicity and effectiveness. But, how many push-ups should I be able to do? It’s a question many fitness enthusiasts ask. The answer depends on your fitness level, age, and goals. For beginners, even a few push-ups are an achievement. For more advanced athletes, it could be a large number.

But here’s another question: how many push-ups are too many? While pushing yourself is great, doing too many push-ups can lead to overtraining and injury. Understanding your limits is key. In this article, we’ll explore how to gauge your push-up ability and how to safely improve over time.

No matter where you start, push-ups offer amazing benefits for building strength and endurance. Ready to learn more about push-up targets and how to reach them? Let’s dive into the details to find what works best for you.

How Many Push-Ups Should I Be Able To Do?

The number of push-ups you should be able to do depends on your fitness level, age, and goals. This article explores push-up benchmarks for different fitness levels, explains proper form, and highlights the benefits of push-ups. 

It also covers key topics, like average push-up counts for men and women, and the importance of quality over quantity. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, push-ups are a versatile exercise you can do anywhere to build strength over time.

How Many Push-Ups Should I Be Able To Do? 

how many push ups should i be able to do
Push-up capacity can vary by age and gender. Photo: gstockstudio/Freepik

Push-ups are one of the simplest and most effective exercises. But how many should you be able to do? The answer depends on your fitness level, experience, and goals. Push-ups are versatile as they test strength, endurance, and control all at once.

For beginners, being able to do 5–10 push-ups with proper form is a solid start. Focus on keeping your body straight and lowering yourself in a controlled way. Don’t worry about speed or numbers yet. Your goal is to build a strong foundation. As you progress, gradually introduce new stimuli to challenge your muscles. 

This could mean changing hand positions, adjusting your tempo, or increasing your range of motion. These variations help engage different muscles and ensure continual growth without hitting a plateau.

For fitness enthusiasts, aiming for 15 to 30 push-ups shows solid upper body strength. This range indicates you’ve been exercising regularly. At this level, push-ups are a great way to maintain and build endurance. If you hit 30 easily, start incorporating variations. Try incline push-ups, decline push-ups, or even clapping push-ups for a challenge.

Athletes, especially those focused on sports or advanced fitness training, may perform 40 to 50 push-ups or more. Push-ups are a fantastic test of upper body strength. They target the chest, shoulders, arms, and core all at once. 

For measuring overall upper extremity strength, push-ups are highly effective, making them essential for sports performance. A strong push-up capacity reflects balanced muscle engagement, which is crucial for maintaining optimal athletic performance.

Despite their simplicity, push-ups remain a gold-standard exercise. This is because they engage multiple muscle groups at once. You don’t need fancy equipment, just your own body weight. This makes them incredibly effective for building strength, endurance, and stability. Plus, they can be done almost anywhere.

Push-ups are also a great indicator of fitness progress. They test not just strength, but also your body control. As you improve, your form gets better, and you can do more repetitions. Tracking your push-ups over time shows how much stronger you’re becoming.

Push-Up Standards By Age And Gender 

Push-up capacity can vary by age and gender due to factors like muscle development, body composition, and overall fitness. While there are no strict rules, general benchmarks can guide you in assessing your fitness level. Below are rough push-up standards for different ages and genders.

Age

Female

Male

20–2912–20 push-ups15–25 push-ups
30–398–15 push-ups12–20 push-ups
40–495–12 push-ups10–17 push-ups
50+2–8 push-ups5–12 push-ups

Medical And Scientific Standards 

Medical and scientific studies often assess push-ups as a reliable measure of upper-body strength. For example, push-ups are a great test for muscle endurance and strength in athletes.

For general health, medical standards suggest that push-up capacity is closely tied to cardiovascular health and muscle endurance. Men who perform over 40 push-ups have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those completing fewer than 10. 

This simple exercise can be a reliable indicator of overall heart health and physical fitness. Let’s get into the medical and scientific standards below. 

Age

Female

Male

20–2910–14 push-ups20–30 push-ups
30–397–10 push-ups15–20 push-ups
40–495–8 push-ups12–15 push-ups
50+2–5 push-ups7–10 push-ups

Military Standards

In the military, push-ups are a core part of fitness assessments. The required push-up counts are often higher because military personnel need to maintain peak physical conditioning. Below are some standard push-up targets based on military fitness tests.

Age

Female

Male

18–2518–35 push-ups35–50 push-ups
26–3017–32 push-ups31–45 push-ups
31–3514–30 push-ups30–40 push-ups
36–4010–25 push-ups25–35 push-ups

How Many Push-Ups Are Considered Strong?

Push-ups are one of the most versatile exercises, offering multiple benefits while requiring no equipment. Strength is a combination of endurance, control, and the ability to push your limits. Let’s break down what strong means when it comes to push-ups and their benefits.

Strength And The Benefits Of Push Ups

Push-ups provide significant benefits beyond building upper body strength. They engage your chest, shoulders, arms, and core all at once, making them a full-body workout. With regular practice, push-ups can improve muscle endurance, posture, and even core stability. Push-ups are compared to other strength compound exercises because they effectively promote muscle growth and strength.

Push-Ups Vs. Bench Press

It may surprise some that push-ups can yield results similar to the bench press when performed correctly. Push-ups with a load similar to 40% of your one-rep max bench press produce comparable strength and muscle-building results. Over 8 weeks, participants saw similar gains in muscle size and strength from push-ups as from bench pressing. 

A one-rep max (1RM) is the maximum weight you can lift for one complete repetition of an exercise. This makes push-ups a powerful, accessible alternative for those who may not have access to gym equipment.

Progressive Overload For Strength Gains

Progressive Overload For Strength Gains
It’s important to add more reps, adjust the tempo, or incorporatr variations to your push-up workout. Photo: tsyhun/Freepik

To continually build strength with push-ups, it’s important to apply progressive overload, meaning gradually increasing the difficulty of your workouts. You can achieve this by adding more reps, adjusting the tempo, or incorporating variations like diamond or decline push-ups.

This approach forces your muscles to adapt, leading to greater strength and muscle growth over time. For example, starting with 10 push-ups and progressing to 30 over several weeks shows clear improvements in strength and endurance.

Pushing Your Limits And Endurance

A true test of strength is your ability to handle high-rep push-ups while maintaining form. Being able to do 30–40 push-ups without resting demonstrates both endurance and strength. This combination of muscle stamina and upper body power is crucial for functional fitness, helping you handle daily physical demands.

Strength For Functional Fitness

Push-ups are more than just an upper-body exercise. They build functional strength, which means the ability to perform real-world tasks like lifting, carrying, and pushing. Consistently performing many push-ups shows you’ve likely developed the strength for daily activities and physical challenges. This makes push-ups an essential exercise for both athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike.

Achieving Advanced Strength

Once you’re able to perform 50 or more push-ups in a single set, you’re entering advanced strength territory. At this stage, you’ve likely mastered the basic push-ups and are ready to add challenges like plyometric or weighted push-ups. Plyometric push-ups involve explosive movements where your hands leave the ground. 

These advanced movements, when combined with progressive overload, help keep pushing your limits while promoting hypertrophy and further strength development.

A Note About Quantity Vs. Quality 

When it comes to push-ups, many people focus on how many they can do. But the real question is: are you doing them with proper technique? The quality of your push-ups is far more important than the quantity. Performing push-ups incorrectly can lead to injuries and prevent you from maximizing the benefits of this versatile exercise.

To perform a push-up correctly, start in a straight line from your head to heels, engaging your core to maintain a stable position. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, and as you lower your body, bend your elbows to about 90 degrees. This proper alignment helps target the chest, shoulders, and triceps while engaging your core muscles, including your abs.

People often ask: do push-ups work abs? Push-ups are not just for your upper body; they also strengthen your core. Holding the plank position activates your abdominal muscles, helping build a strong midsection that supports your entire body. A stable core also reduces the risk of injury and improves overall form.

Focusing on proper technique not only enhances your strength but also improves muscular endurance and flexibility. By consistently engaging the right muscles, push-ups help build coordination and body awareness. These qualities are key to improving your functional fitness, which can benefit you beyond your workouts.

Quality push-ups also help prevent injuries. Poor form can strain your shoulders, wrists, and lower back. Maintaining control and proper alignment ensures that your muscles are effectively engaged, reducing the risk of injury. Slow, controlled movements activate more muscles and lead to better overall results.

In the end, it’s better to do 10 push-ups with excellent form than 30 rushed, sloppy ones. Quality reps lead to more significant strength gains and muscle hypertrophy, as you properly activate the key muscle groups. This ensures that you’re making real progress without compromising your joints and muscles.

Conclusion

Push-ups are one of the most effective and accessible exercises for building strength. They target multiple muscle groups, including your chest, shoulders, arms, and core. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, push-ups can be adapted to fit your fitness level. They can be done anywhere, at home, at the gym, or while traveling, making them a versatile option for maintaining fitness.

It’s important to focus on quality over quantity. Doing fewer push-ups with the correct technique is better than rushing through many with poor form. Over time, as your strength and endurance improve, gradually increase the difficulty with variations or by adding more reps.

In addition to strength gains, push-ups offer great functional fitness benefits. They improve your core stability, posture, and overall body awareness. Push-ups, along with other bodyweight exercises, can also improve your cardiovascular health. By incorporating push-ups into your routine, you can make consistent progress. No matter your starting point, push-ups will help you achieve better strength, endurance, and overall health.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pushups should I be able to do in one go?

It really depends on your fitness level and goals. Do what you can comfortably, then gradually increase your reps as you build strength.

How many push-ups can the average male do?

The average male can usually complete 15–20 push-ups in one go, depending on age and fitness level. Consistency and strength training can help improve this number over time.

How many push-ups can the average female do?

On average, females can perform 5–10 push-ups. Fitness level and age play a role, but with practice, this number can increase.

Is doing 100 pushups a day bad?

Doing 100 push-ups daily can lead to overtraining. It’s better to allow a 24–48 hour rest period after high-volume push-ups to let muscles recover and prevent injury.

Resources

Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.

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About the Author

Cristian is a certified personal trainer with years of self-study and practical experience. His passion for fitness, nutrition, and setting high-expectation goals drives his commitment to helping clients achieve their fitness goals sustainably and enjoyably. Having faced challenges with bad information and advice in his own fitness journey, Cristian's philosophy.. See more

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