Do you know how many push-ups you should be able to do? Such an open-ended question deserves more than simply a quick reply.
The push-up is one of the most traditional bodyweight exercises a person can do and also one of the most well-rounded to build upper body strength. There are also many push-up variations, which makes this exercise arguably the best bodyweight movement that you can do anytime, anywhere.
Regardless of age, sex, or fitness level, doing push-ups are beneficial for everyone and it usually is an indication of how strong your upper body is.
In a video, sports teacher and YouTube fitness guru Alex Lorenz talked about how many push-ups a person should be able to do. He is the co-founder of Calisthenic Movement and has trained Calisthenics since 2012, uploading videos regularly for those people interested in getting in shape using only their body weight.
Check more down below.
What is the Ideal Number of Push-Ups You Should Aim For?
The answer, of course, depends on a number of factors such as age and gender. On average, men are able to do more push-ups than women, and younger people are able to do more than older folks.
Before you get angry, remember these are simply average results. Of course, some women can overperform some men, and older people are also able to do dozens of push-ups.
Bodyweight also plays an important defining factor in how many push-ups you should be able to do. On average, lighter people can do more push-ups because they have to lift less weight when doing the exercise. It also differentiates if the bodyweight consists of muscle or body fat, as more body fat percentage you have in your body, the harder it will be to do push-ups consistently.
Also, some people cheat on their reps, doing push-ups really fast without a full range of motion or leaning the body forward or backwards when doing the movement.
Source: Karl Solano on PexelsThe Perfect Push-Up Workout for Every Fitness Goal
So, how many push-ups should you be able to do? Although Lorenz uses a few research studies and the Army Combat Fitness Test as a reference, he says that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others (we see how many variables can play the end result such as age, bodyweight, body recomposition and execution of the movement).
The Army Combat Fitness Test results were through the roof with women between 17-21 years old doing 53 push-ups and with 62+ years doing 24 push-ups. Men in the same age bracket started with an average of 57 push-ups (17-21 years old) and 43 push-ups (62+ years old).
In the United States, when people were asked about how many push-ups they can do without a break, more than half answered they couldn’t do 10 push-ups. So, in a sense, if you can do 10 push-ups unbroken, you are already above average.
According to ChatGPT, “on average, an adult with a moderate level of fitness should be able to perform about 15 to 20 push-ups in a row.” So that take into consideration.
For more information, check out the video below.
10 Push-Ups Variations To Try Out
100 Push-Ups a Day Challenge – Does It Really Work?
Push-ups can be incorporated into your workout in a variety of ways, depending on your fitness level and goals. Here are some suggestions:
- As a warm-up: Start your workout with a set of push-ups to warm up your upper body and activate the muscles you’ll be using during your workout.
- In a circuit: Include push-ups as part of a circuit training workout, where you perform a series of exercises back-to-back with little to no rest in between.
- As a standalone exercise: You can do push-ups as a standalone exercise, either for a specific number of reps or for a certain amount of time.
- With variations: Add variety to your push-up routine by incorporating different variations, such as incline push-ups, decline push-ups, diamond push-ups, or plyometric push-ups.
- Superset with other exercises: Pair push-ups with other exercises that work different muscle groups, such as squats or lunges, to create a full-body workout.
- With increasing difficulty: Challenge yourself by increasing the difficulty of your push-ups over time, such as by adding weight, decreasing the rest time between sets, or increasing the number of reps.
Remember to always maintain proper form during your push-ups to avoid injury and maximize the effectiveness of the exercise.
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Image Sources
- Push up at home: Karl Solano on Pexels