Pushups: Benchmarks, Proper Form, and How to Improve Your Count

How many pushups in a row is good?

Determining a "good" number of pushups is highly individual, depending on factors like age, sex, fitness level, and the quality of execution; however, for many healthy adults, performing 20-30 pushups with proper form is often considered a strong indicator of upper body strength and endurance.

Understanding "Good": More Than Just a Number

The concept of "good" when it comes to pushups extends far beyond a simple numerical count. While benchmarks exist, true fitness assessment considers several critical elements:

• Context is Key: What constitutes "good" for a 20-year-old elite athlete will differ significantly from a 60-year-old beginner or someone recovering from an injury. Age, sex, current fitness level, and specific training goals all play a role.
• Quality Over Quantity: Performing 10 perfect pushups with full range of motion and proper technique is vastly superior to 30 sloppy ones that put undue stress on joints or fail to engage the target musculature effectively. Proper form is paramount for both effectiveness and injury prevention.

What Do Pushups Measure?

The pushup is a foundational compound exercise that assesses and develops several key components of physical fitness:

• Upper Body Strength: Primarily targeting the pectoralis major (chest), anterior deltoids (front of shoulders), and triceps brachii (back of upper arms).
• Core Stability: The ability to maintain a rigid, plank-like body position throughout the movement indicates strong engagement of the rectus abdominis, obliques, and erector spinae. This link between the upper and lower body is crucial for overall functional strength.
• Muscular Endurance: The capacity of your muscles to perform repeated contractions against resistance over an extended period. A higher number of repetitions demonstrates greater muscular endurance.

Benchmarks and General Guidelines

While specific "good" numbers vary, general fitness assessments and research provide some benchmarks for healthy adults. These are often categorized by age and sex:

• General Fitness Assessments (e.g., ACSM guidelines, various military fitness tests):
  • Adult Males (20-30 years old):
    • Average: 20-30 repetitions.
    • Excellent: 35+ repetitions.
  • Adult Females (20-30 years old):
    • Average: 10-20 repetitions.
    • Excellent: 25+ repetitions.
  • Note: These numbers generally decrease with age, reflecting natural physiological changes. For example, an "average" for a male in his 50s might be 10-15 repetitions.
• Fitness Levels:
  • Beginner: Able to perform 1-5 full pushups with good form, or successfully complete incline/knee pushups.
  • Intermediate: Able to perform 10-20 full pushups with good form.
  • Advanced: Able to perform 20+ full pushups with excellent form, or variations like clap pushups or one-arm pushups.

The Importance of Proper Form

Executing a pushup with correct biomechanics is non-negotiable for maximizing benefits and minimizing injury risk.

• Starting Position:
  • Hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward.
  • Body in a straight line from head to heels (no sagging hips or excessive arching of the lower back).
  • Core engaged, glutes squeezed.
• Descent:
  • Lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows.
  • Elbows should tuck back slightly (around a 45-degree angle to the body), not flare out to the sides.
  • Maintain a rigid body plank. Descend until your chest is a few inches from the floor, or your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
• Ascent:
  • Push through your hands and chest to return to the starting position.
  • Maintain the straight body line throughout the movement.
  • Avoid locking out your elbows excessively at the top.
• Full Range of Motion: Completing the full movement from the top (arms nearly extended) to the bottom (chest close to the floor) ensures maximal muscle activation.

Factors Influencing Your Pushup Capacity

Several physiological and anatomical factors contribute to your ability to perform pushups:

• Strength-to-Bodyweight Ratio: Since a pushup is a bodyweight exercise, the amount of force your upper body and core can generate relative to your total body mass is a primary determinant.
• Muscle Endurance: Your muscles' ability to resist fatigue over multiple repetitions. This is trainable and improves with consistent practice.
• Consistency and Progressive Overload: Regular training that gradually increases the challenge (e.g., more reps, harder variations) is essential for improvement.
• Individual Anatomy: Limb length, shoulder width, and overall body proportions can subtly influence the leverage and mechanics of the pushup for each individual.

How to Improve Your Pushup Performance

To increase your pushup count and quality, employ a systematic, progressive approach:

• Master the Basics:
  • Wall Pushups: Easiest variation, less bodyweight supported.
  • Incline Pushups: Hands elevated on a bench, table, or sturdy surface. The higher the surface, the easier the exercise. Gradually lower the incline as you get stronger.
  • Knee Pushups: Perform a pushup with your knees on the ground, maintaining a straight line from head to knees.
  • Negative Pushups: Focus on the lowering (eccentric) phase slowly and with control, then reset.
• Progressive Overload Strategies:
  • Increase Reps/Sets: Once you can comfortably perform 10-12 repetitions of a variation, aim for more reps or add another set.
  • Decrease Rest Time: Shorten the rest periods between sets to challenge muscular endurance.
  • Varying Hand Positions: Experiment with wider (more chest emphasis) or narrower (more triceps emphasis) hand placements once basic form is solid.
  • Decline Pushups: Elevate your feet to increase the load on the upper body, making the exercise harder.
  • Plyometric Pushups: Explosive variations like clap pushups for advanced strength and power.
• Strengthen Supporting Muscles: Incorporate exercises that target the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core. Examples include dumbbell presses, overhead presses, triceps extensions, planks, and crunches.
• Consistency: Regular practice (2-3 times per week) is key for adaptation and improvement.

When to Consult a Professional

If you experience persistent pain during pushups, struggle to improve despite consistent effort, or have specific fitness goals (e.g., preparing for a physical test), consulting a certified personal trainer, kinesiologist, or physical therapist can provide tailored guidance, technique correction, and a safe, effective progression plan.