How Many Push Ups Should I Be Able to Do? 💪

 

 

 Table of Contents

 

- Introduction

- Benefits of Push Ups

  - Builds Upper Body Strength

  - Improves Posture

  - Enhances Shoulder Stability

  - Increases Bone Density

  - Boosts Sports Performance

  - Burns Calories

  - Convenient and Equipment Free

- Muscle Groups Targeted

  - Chest

  - Shoulders

  - Triceps

  - Core

  - Back

  - Legs

- Push Up Variations

  - Standard Push Ups

  - Incline Push Ups

  - Decline Push Ups

  - Diamond Push Ups

  - Wide Arm Push Ups

  - One Arm Push Ups

  - Fingertip Push Ups

  - Pike Push Ups

  - Spiderman Push Ups

  - Staggered Hands Push Ups

  - Push Up and Rotation

  - Negatives

- Proper Push Up Form and Technique

  - Hand Positioning

  - Foot Positioning

  - Engage Core

  - Back Straight

  - Elbow Positioning

  - Depth

  - Tempo

- How Many Push Ups Based on Age and Gender

  - Children

  - Teenagers

  - 20s and 30s

  - 40s and 50s

  - 60s and Beyond

- Tips for Increasing Your Push Up Count

  - Use Proper Form and Full Range of Motion

  - Start with Incline Push Ups

  - Perform Push Up Negatives

  - Use Push Up Variations

  - Allow Proper Recovery

  - Train Close to Failure

  - Use Push Up Bars

  - Do Weighted Push Ups

  - Work on Chest and Triceps Strength

  - Follow a Progressive Overload Program

- Mistakes to Avoid

  - Not Engaging Your Core

  - Going Too Fast

  - Limited Range of Motion

  - Overarching Your Back

  - Flaring Elbows

  - Forgetting to Breathe

  - Pushing from the Balls of Your Feet

  - Overtraining

  - Ignoring Shoulder or Wrist Pain

- Benefits of Higher Push Up Volume

  - Increased Muscle Size

  - Improved Cardiovascular Endurance

  - Greater Calorie Burn

  - Enhanced Metabolic Rate

  - Hormone Modulation

- Integrating Push Ups into Your Routine

  - Upper Body Workouts

  - CrossFit Style Training

  - Bodyweight Circuits

  - Supersets

  - As Cardio

- Conclusion

- FAQs

 

 Introduction

 

Push ups are one of the most effective bodyweight exercises you can do to build upper body strength. They work multiple muscle groups, can be done virtually anywhere, and don't require any equipment. But exactly how many push ups should you be able to do?

 

The number of push ups considered "normal" or adequate can vary quite a bit depending on factors like your age, gender, current fitness level, and goals. In this complete guide, we’ll provide push up standards for different demographics. We’ll also go over proper push up form, muscles worked, plus tips and strategies for increasing your push up count over time. Let’s dive in and start pumping out some reps! 💪

 

 Benefits of Push Ups

 

Before diving into specific rep standards, it’s helpful to first understand all the excellent benefits that come from practicing push ups regularly:

 

 Builds Upper Body Strength

 

First and foremost, push ups are highly effective for building strength throughout the upper body, particularly in the chest, shoulders, triceps, and anterior core. They provide resistance against gravity that challenges all these muscle groups as you lower and raise your body. Over time, practicing push ups progressively leads to noticeable muscle growth and strength gains.

 

 Improves Posture

 

Many people have poor posture these days from sitting at desks and slouching over devices. Rounded shoulders and a protruding head are common postural flaws. By strengthening the muscles of the upper back and shoulders, push ups can help pull the shoulders back and improve overall positioning.

 

 Enhances Shoulder Stability

 

Performing push ups requires stabilizing the shoulder joint through a large range of motion. This enhances shoulder joint stability and function. Push ups can help prevent shoulder impingement and other joint issues.

 

 Increases Bone Density

 

The load placed on the bones of the upper body during push ups stimulates increased bone density over time. This is highly beneficial for preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life.

 

 Boosts Sports Performance 

 

Because push ups hit so many muscle groups at once, they are very applicable for boosting performance in sports like martial arts, wrestling, boxing, swimming, rock climbing, and gymnastics. The upper body strength, power, and endurance transfers directly.

 

 Burns Calories

 

Although not quite as intense as some forms of cardio, performing high reps of push ups absolutely helps burn calories and body fat. This is especially true with challenging push up variations and sets to failure.

 

 Convenient and Equipment Free

 

One of the best things about push ups is that they can be performed anywhere at any time. No gym or equipment required! Knock out some reps first thing in the morning to get your blood pumping.

 

Now that you know some of the great benefits this exercise provides, let’s look at the specific muscles targeted during push ups.

 

 Muscle Groups Targeted

 

One reason push ups are so effective is that they engage multiple muscle groups at the same time. When done with proper form, here are the major muscles worked:

 

 Chest

 

The pectoralis major of the chest is the prime mover during push ups. Push ups build significant chest strength and size. As you lower down, the chest muscles eccentrically contract, then concentrically push back up. Decline push ups in particular really overload the lower chest.

 

 Shoulders

 

Although not worked dynamically, the anterior shoulder muscles like the front deltoids are statically contracted to stabilize the shoulder joints throughout the motion. This strengthens the entire shoulder complex.

 

 Triceps

 

The triceps muscles in the back of the arms contract to straighten the elbows against resistance on the push up motion. Push ups build impressive triceps strength and definition.

 

 Core

 

To maintain proper rigid alignment during a push up, the anterior core muscles must brace continuously. This engages the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques isometrically. A strong solid core prevents the hips from sagging.

 

 Back

 

Although push ups primarily target the front of the body, muscles of the upper back like the latissimus dorsi and rhomboids activate to stabilize the scapula and spine during the motion.

 

 Legs

 

The lower body is not dynamically activated during push ups, but the quadriceps, glutes, and calves all contract isometrically to maintain stability and balance.

 

Now let’s overview the various kinds of push up techniques and hand positions you can utilize before diving into rep standards.

 

 Push Up Variations

 

Beyond the standard push up with hands below the shoulders, there are numerous push up variations that alter the hand positioning, body angle, and emphasis on particular muscles. Some examples include:

 

 Standard Push Ups

 

The traditional push up with hands positioned directly beneath the shoulders is ideal for beginners to master proper form. It provides a flat platform reducing strain on the wrists. Your body moves in a straight rigid line up and down.

 

 Incline Push Ups

 

Elevating the hands on an object like a bench, stair, or wall at around hip height reduces resistance, making incline push ups easier for beginners. This allows greater range of motion for those lacking flexibility.

 

 Decline Push Ups

 

Elevating the feet increases the resistance and range of motion compared to standard push ups. Declines emphasize the lower chest muscles more. Use a box, bed, or other elevated surface.

 

 Diamond Push Ups

 

Placing the hands together in the shape of a diamond directly under the sternum increases triceps activation since the elbows stay closer to the torso. Hand position can gradually widen as you progress.

 

 Wide Arm Push Ups

 

Positioning the hands wider than shoulder-width apart puts greater emphasis on the chest muscles during the motion. Just be sure to avoid flaring the elbows too far out.

 

 One Arm Push Ups

 

This advanced variation involves performing a push up while lifting one hand off the ground. Keep the body straight and prevent twisting. This requires significant core strength.

 

 Fingertip Push Ups

 

Resting only the fingers on the ground transfers load onto the wrists and forearms to a greater degree. Use caution and build gradually.

 

 Pike Push Ups

 

Pike push ups begin in a downward dog position, then lower the head between the arms, forming an upside down "V" shape. Also called jackknife push ups.

 

 Spiderman Push Ups

 

Add complexity by bringing one knee up outside the elbow as you lower down into each rep. Alternate sides each rep to get a core rotation.

 

 Staggered Hands Push Ups

 

Perform push ups with one hand slightly ahead of the other a few inches to introduce an off-balance component. Alternate hand positions each set.

 

 Push Up and Rotation

 

As you come up from a push up, rotate your body to one side bringing the arm overhead before returning to the center for the next rep. Keeps abs engaged.

 

 Negatives

 

Eccentrically lower yourself as slowly as possible through the full push up range of motion. Helps build strength to complete full reps later.

 

This list gives you plenty of options to incorporate variation into your push up training for more well-rounded results. Let's go over proper form next.

 

 Proper Push Up Form and Technique 

 

In order to maximize results and avoid injury, it’s crucial to maintain proper form on all your push up reps. Here are some key technique tips:

 

 Hand Positioning

 

Generally place the hands just outside shoulder-width apart at a very slight angle. This allows your elbows to track straight back rather than flaring outward, putting less strain on the joints.

 

 Foot Positioning

 

The feet should be set hip-width apart or slightly wider with the legs extended straight throughout the motion. Point the feet diagonally at 45 degrees for balance.

 

 Engage Your Core

 

Brace your abdominals to keep the body rigid in a straight line without sagging or bending at the hips. A solid engaged core is key.

 

 Back Straight

 

Maintain a straight flat back. Avoid rounding or over-arching the spine, which can lead to back pain and injury over time.

 

 Elbow Positioning

 

Keep elbows pointed straight back toward the feet as you lower down rather than allowing them to flare outward. This focuses work on the chest muscles.

 

 Depth

 

Descend until your chest nearly grazes the ground, then reverse back up. Control both the down and up motion for full range of motion.

 

 Tempo

 

A controlled tempo of around 3 seconds down, hold for 1 second, and 2 seconds up is ideal. The eccentric and concentric should be smooth.

 

Now that you know proper push up form, let’s overview some push up goals based on your age and current fitness level.

 

 How Many Push Ups Based on Age and Gender

 

The number of push ups considered normal or adequate can vary widely based on factors like your age, gender, and current fitness level. Here are some general push up goals and guidelines based on age and gender:

 

 Children 

 

For children under 10, push ups can help develop initial upper body strength and coordination. But proper form and control is far more important than reps. Focus on keeping the core engaged and back flat with a full range of motion. Children can work up to sets of 5-10 controlled push ups initially.

 

 Teenagers

 

As teens go through growth spurts, consistent push up practice helps strengthen muscles and bones. Teenage boys may be able to perform sets of 15-25 bodyweight push ups with proper pacing. Girls can work up to 10-20 controlled reps per set thanks to increased estrogen levels. However, teens should focus on quality form over increasing reps.

 

 20s and 30s

 

For men in their 20s or 30s who exercise regularly, sets of 30-50 push ups are considered decent. Women in this age range can strive for 20-35 reps with good form. Your upper body strength peaks during this stage of life, allowing greater push up capacity if training consistently.

 

 40s and 50s

 

After 40, maintaining strength and muscle mass becomes more challenging with declining hormones and recovery ability. 40-50 year old men should shoot for 25-35 solid push ups per set. Women at this age can work up to 15-25 reps. Reduce intensity if joints become irritated.

 

 60s and Beyond

 

During the senior years, focusing on maintaining mobility should be the priority over maximizing strength. High-repetition push ups with lighter resistance enhance joint health. Men over 60 should perform 15-25 controlled push ups while women can aim for 10-20 reps while maintaining proper alignment.

 

These ranges provide a broad goal to work towards. But in reality, push up capacity varies widely based on an individual’s genetics, lifting experience, and current program. Progress at a measured pace and adjust as needed.

 

Now let’s go over some helpful tips and strategies for gradually increasing your push up count over time.

 

 Tips for Increasing Your Push Up Count

 

Here are 10 tips to safely and progressively boost your push up reps:

 

 Use Proper Form and Full Range of Motion

 

First and foremost, use proper push up form aligning joints while descending with control through a full range of motion. Partial reps won’t maximize strength gains.

 

 Start with Incline Push Ups 

 

If you can’t complete full push ups from the floor yet, start with incline push ups at an angle of 45 degrees or less. This allows you to engage the top portion of the movement until you build strength.

 

 Perform Push Up Negatives

 

Negatives involve taking 4-5 seconds to lower yourself in a slow controlled manner through the full range of motion. This strengthens the muscles for eventual full reps.

 

 Use Push Up Variations

 

Incorporate different hand positions like diamonds or stagger your hands to engage new angles and muscle groups. Changing the stimulus helps continual progression.

 

 Allow Proper Recovery

 

Avoid pushing to complete failure every session. Take 1-2 days between push up workouts for full muscular and nervous system recovery to maximize strength gains long-term.

 

 Train Close to Failure

 

Perform push up sets within 2-3 reps of failure by a given rep range. Over time, increase the target rep range as your strength improves to spur continued gains.

 

 Use Push Up Bars

 

Elevating hands on push up bars or parallettes takes strain off the wrists and allows greater range of motion for more reps. Can enable higher volume.

 

 Do Weighted Push Ups

 

Adding resistance by wearing a weight vest or having a partner place a plate on your back boosts intensity allowing further overload over time.

 

 Work on Chest and Triceps Strength

 

Use exercises like bench press, dips, and chest flyes to build greater muscle mass and strength in the chest and triceps. This transfers to increased push up capacity.

 

 Follow a Progressive Overload Program

 

Structure your push up training by gradually increasing volume or intensity week-to-week and allowing your body to adapt. This long-term programming is key for building strength.

 

 Mistakes to Avoid

 

While proper push up form is critical for maximizing benefits, it’s also important to avoid these common mistakes:

 

 Not Engaging Your Core

 

Allowing the hips to sag or bending at the waist puts strain on the lower back. Keep the core tightly contracted.

 

 Going Too Fast

 

Bouncing or quickly repurposing out push ups can injure joints and shoulder muscles over time due to momentum.

 

 Limited Range of Motion

 

Failing to descend fully until the chest nearly touches the ground shortchanges potential muscle gains. Control both ends of the motion.

 

 Overarching Your Back

 

Overarching the lower back places more stress on the spine. Maintain a neutral flat back position instead.

 

 Flaring Elbows

 

Allowing elbows to flare out to the sides puts more strain on them compared to keeping elbows tucked close pointing back.

 

 Forgetting to Breathe

 

Holding your breath leads to Valsalva maneuver which spikes blood pressure. Exhale on exertion.

 

 Pushing from the Balls of Your Feet

 

Balance pressure evenly between the balls and heels of feet instead of coming up onto the toes.

 

 Overtraining

 

Avoid training to failure or maximizing reps every workout. Factor in rest days for proper recovery between sessions.

 

 Ignoring Shoulder or Wrist Pain

 

Tingling, numbness or sharp joint pains are warning signs to stop and avoid aggravating injuries.

 

Now that you know how to prevent common mistakes, let’s examine the benefits that come from increasing your push up volume over time.

 

 Benefits of Higher Push Up Volume

 

Assuming proper form is maintained, being able to complete higher volumes of push ups in the 15-50 rep range can provide the following supplemental benefits:

 

 Increased Muscle Size

 

Higher rep ranges with shorter rest periods spur metabolic stress and accumulation of metabolites like lactate. This facilitates greater muscle size gains over time, particularly in the pecs, delts and triceps.

 

 Improved Cardiovascular Endurance

 

Scaling up to 20 or more reps challenges your heart and lungs leading to gains in VO2 max and conditioning just like aerobic cardio work.

 

 Greater Calorie Burn

 

Completing 3-4 sets of 30 reps elevates your heart rate more significantly than lower rep sets, resulting in extra calories burned during both the workout and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.

 

 Enhanced Metabolic Rate

 

The metabolic disturbance and EPOC from high volume push up sessions can lead to an increased metabolic rate for 18-24 hours post-workout. This burns additional fat.

 

 Hormone Modulation

 

The combination of short rest periods and muscle fatigue when hitting higher rep ranges releases greater levels of anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone.

 

Now that you understand the value of increasing volume done properly, let’s explore how to integrate push ups into your current routine.

 

 Integrating Push Ups into Your Routine

 

Push ups are versatile enough to incorporate into most workout splits or programs. Here are some effective ways to integrate them:

 

 Upper Body Workouts

 

Use push ups as a mass-building compound exercise in your chest, shoulders, or arms focused upper body workouts either at the start or end.

 

 CrossFit Style Training

 

Many CrossFit WODs include high rep bodyweight moves like push ups for metabolic conditioning. Program them into a circuit or AMRAP.

 

 Bodyweight Circuits

 

Combine push ups with other bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, planks, and burpees in a high intensity circuit with little rest.

 

 Supersets

 

Superset push ups with an upper body isolation lift like bicep curls, lateral raises, or tricep extensions for enhanced muscle fatigue.

 

 As Cardio

 

Knock out 100+ total reps with shorter rest periods to get heart rate up. You can even do timed push up sets.

 

The key is finding creative ways to implement push ups that complement your current goals and program to reap the benefits while avoiding overuse injuries.

 

 Conclusion

 

Being able to complete a decent number of proper push ups is an excellent marker of upper body strength and function. But how many you should be able to do depends greatly on your age, current fitness level, and training experience. Focus initially on mastering form and gradually building volume by incorporating variations, overload, and recovery. Tracking progressive improvements rather than comparing to others will help you reach new push up achievements. Just be patient and keep those chest flyes soaring!

 

 FAQs

 

Q1: What are good push up goals for a 12 year old boy?

 

For a 12 year old boy just starting to workout, a solid goal would be 3 sets of 8-10 push ups with proper form. Focus on controlled reps, bracing the core, and full range of motion rather than maximizing reps. Progression will come by practicing consistently 2-3 times per week.

 

Q2: How many decline push ups should a 40 year old woman strive for?

 

A reasonable goal for a 40 year old woman in moderate fitness performing decline push ups would be 10-15 reps per set. Declines increase resistance so start conservatively and progress gradually. Proper alignment becomes even more important to avoid back strain. Work up to 3 sets total.

 

Q3: Can overweight beginners build muscle mass with push ups?

 

Yes, through progressive overload even overweight beginners can build muscle mass over time with push ups. Start with incline and knee push ups to enable higher volume with good form. Increase reps weekly and gradually introduce more challenging variations like decline push ups as strength improves.

 

Q4: Is it safe to do push ups every day?

 

Doing high-intensity push ups daily is not recommended for most people. The muscles activated during push ups need at least 1 full day of rest between workouts to recover and strengthen. Take at least 1-2 days off per week from intense push up training to avoid overuse injuries.

 

Q5: How can I prevent wrist pain during push ups?

 

Using push up handles or bars helps take pressure off the wrists by elevating them. Also ensure hands are positioned directly under the shoulders and weight is distributed evenly through the palm rather than on the heel of the hands. Avoid going too low if wrist mobility is limited.

 

Q6: Should I feel push ups in my shoulders?

 

Properly performed push ups require static shoulder muscle activation to stabilize the joint, so feeling it in the front deltoids is normal. However, sharp shoulder pain could signal injury. Check form and reduce range of motion if needed. Consider decline push ups to reduce shoulder strain.

 

Q7: Can push ups help me get a six pack?

 

Yes, by bracing the core properly during push ups, the rectus abdominis receives constant isometric contraction. When combined with proper diet for fat loss, this can help enhance abdominal muscle definition over time for six pack aesthetics.

 

Q8: How wide should my hands be for standard push ups?

 

Generally around shoulder-width apart is ideal hand positioning for standard push ups. If you place hands wider than that, be sure not to allow elbows to flare out. Bring hands in closer together for diamond push ups to increase triceps work.

 

Q9: Should I do push ups fast or slow?

 

Control is key. Descend slowly taking 2-3 seconds to lower down while bracing the core. Hold for a 1 second pause at the bottom, then press back up steadily over 2 seconds. Avoid bouncing or quickly repurposing out reps as this can strain joints.

 

Q10: Can I build mass with push ups and dumbbells only?

 

Yes, it’s certainly possible to build muscle mass through a program of progressive push ups combined with dumbbell chest flyes, shoulder presses, bicep curls, and tricep extensions over time. Just ensure you are eating enough protein and calories to facilitate muscle growth.