How Many Push-Ups Should You Do by Age?

Push-ups are a classic bodyweight exercise for a reason. They can be done anywhere, require no equipment, and engage multiple muscle groups at once. Because of this, push-ups are often used as a simple way to measure upper-body strength, endurance, and overall fitness.

Why Push-Ups Matter for Your Health

Push-ups are considered a highly functional movement because they mirror actions you perform in everyday life.

key benefits of push-ups

Build upper-body strength
Improve muscular endurance
Support daily pushing movements
Strengthen and stabilize the core

This exercise doesn’t just target the chest—it also activates several other muscle groups:

muscles worked

Shoulders and stabilizing muscles around the shoulder blades
Triceps
Core stabilizers

Some research suggests that the ability to perform more push-ups may be linked to better cardiovascular health, although this likely reflects overall fitness rather than push-ups directly preventing disease.

How Many Push-Ups Should You Be Able to Do?

There’s no universal number that applies to everyone. Your push-up performance depends on factors such as age, body weight, strength, and training experience.

Here are general benchmarks considered “good” by age:

good performance by age

Ages 20–29: 22–28 (men), 15–20 (women)
Ages 30–39: 17–21 (men), 13–19 (women)
Ages 40–49: 13–16 (men), 11–14 (women)
Ages 50–59: 10–12 (men), 7–10 (women)
Ages 60–69: 8–10 (men), 5–11 (women)

For “excellent” performance:

excellent performance by age

Ages 20–29: 35–45+ (men), 25–35+ (women)
Ages 30–39: 32–40+ (men), 20–30+ (women)
Ages 40–49: 28–35+ (men), 18–25+ (women)
Ages 50–59: 22–30+ (men), 15–20+ (women)
Ages 60–69: 18–22+ (men), 11–15+ (women)

What If You Can’t Do That Many?

Struggling with push-ups is very common, especially for beginners.

why push-ups are challenging
A standard push-up requires lifting about 60–70% of your body weight, which can be difficult if you’re new to strength training.

You can start with easier variations:

beginner-friendly modifications

Incline push-ups (hands on a wall or bench)
Knee push-ups
Partial range push-ups

These variations help build strength gradually and improve your technique.

How to Do a Proper Push-Up

Proper form is more important than the number of reps.

correct form checklist

Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels
Engage your core, glutes, and legs
Place hands slightly wider than shoulder-width
Keep elbows at a 30–45° angle
Lower your chest close to the floor, then push back up

common mistakes

Letting the lower back sag
Raising the hips too high
Collapsing the shoulders
Flaring elbows too wide

How to Improve Your Push-Up Count

Improving push-ups requires consistent practice.

how to get better

Train push-ups 2–4 times per week
Perform 3–4 sets per session
Add supporting exercises:
- Chest presses
- Shoulder presses
- Triceps dips
- Resistance band work

strengthen your core