Push-up test: how many push-ups should you do for your age?
Do as many push-ups as you can in a row with good form. See how many push-ups is good for your age and sex, and your push-up age.
Add your details to see where you stand.
Push-ups in a row by age
| Age | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 to 29 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 21 |
| 30 to 39 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 18 |
| 40 to 49 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
| 50 to 59 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| 60 to 69 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
| 70 to 79 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Age | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 to 29 | 12 | 18 | 25 | 32 | 38 |
| 30 to 39 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 33 |
| 40 to 49 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 21 | 26 |
| 50 to 59 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 21 |
| 60 to 69 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 18 |
| 70 to 79 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 13 |
Columns are percentiles of fitness, so the 50th is average and the 90th is better than 9 in 10 people that age. CSEP Physical Activity, Fitness and Lifestyle Approach rating bands, 2003 (female table adapted to full push-ups).
How to do the test
- Hands under your shoulders, body straight from head to heels.
- Lower until your chest is about a fist from the floor, then push all the way up.
- Count every rep you do with good form, without resting. Stop when your form breaks.
Why push-ups matter
In a study of 1,104 active male firefighters followed for 10 years, men who could do more than 40 push-ups had 96% fewer heart attacks and other cardiovascular events than men who could do fewer than 10. It was a narrow group, and push-ups mostly reflect overall fitness, but it's a quick, free check of upper-body strength. Fitness age is a prediction: the age at which your result would be exactly average for your sex. It isn't a medical measure, but it turns a percentile into something easier to feel.
Questions
How many push-ups should I be able to do for my age?
For men, about 21 in a row is average in your 30s and about 12 in your 50s. For women, about 10 in your 30s and 6 in your 50s. The table on this page shows each decade.
Do knee push-ups count?
Yes, but each counts as half a full push-up here, the same way the Ageon app scores them.
How can I do more push-ups?
Train them two or three times a week: a few sets that stop one or two reps short of failure. Incline push-ups against a bench help if you're starting out.
Sources
- Association between push-up exercise capacity and future cardiovascular events among active adult men. Yang et al., JAMA Network Open, 2019.
Go deeper: Strength training protects you as you age