Push-ups are a great full-body exercise, but let’s be honest–they’re not easy. It takes a lot of upper body strength to do a proper push-up, but with some practice, they can be perfectly performed no matter your fitness level. Whether you’re a gym junkie or just squeze in a workout when you can, the number of push-ups you can do in one minute says a lot about your overall strength and stamina. So, exactly how many should you aim to do in 60 seconds? The answer is it depends. Read on.
Push-Ups Are a Great Exercise as an Indicator of Fitness
Push-ups are an excellent measure of fitness because they require strength, endurance, and stability across multiple muscle groups, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, core, and even the lower body. Performing push-ups also reflects your body’s ability to manage its weight effectively, showcasing overall muscular endurance and cardiovascular efficiency. Additionally, they can indicate posture, joint mobility, and core strength, all of which are essential components of physical fitness.
How Many Push-Ups to Aim For in 60 seconds?
This depends on their level of fitness. Exact numbers will depend on age, sex, fitness level but here are some benchmarks to use as a starting point.
Beginner: 10–15 push-ups
Intermediate: 20–30 push-ups
Advanced: 40–50+ push-ups
Why Push-ups Are the Ultimate Test of Endurance and Fitness
Push-ups are a versatile, full-body exercise that requires no equipment, making them accessible to everyone. They challenge both muscular and cardiovascular endurance simultaneously. Since they engage multiple muscle groups, they reflect overall strength and coordination. Push-ups also emphasize core stability and posture, which are critical for functional fitness. Testing your ability to perform push-ups over time provides a simple yet powerful snapshot of your fitness level, endurance, and progression.
Building Endurance for Push-ups: Exercises and Techniques
To build up to being able to perform proper push-ups for a full minute may require some exercises to support strength and endurance. Here are some examples:
Incline Push-ups
-Perform incline push-ups with your hands on an elevated surface, such as a bench or countertop.
-This reduces the load on your upper body, making the movement easier while still engaging the same muscles.
-Gradually decrease the incline as you gain strength.
Knee Push-ups
-Perform push-ups on your knees instead of your toes, which reduces the weight you have to lift.
-Keep your core tight and maintain a straight line from your knees to your head.
Swiss Ball Push-Ups
-Perform Swiss Ball push-ups by laying over the top of the ball so the ball is supporting your hips which decreases the load.
-Keep your core tight.
-As you get stronger walk your hands further out on the Swiss Ball to make them harder.
Negative Push-ups
-Start in a high plank position and slowly lower your body to the floor over 3–5 seconds.
-Reset and repeat without pushing back up.
-This focuses on the eccentric phase of the movement, building strength.
Plank Holds
-Hold a plank position on your forearms or hands, ensuring your body forms a straight line. -Planks improve core strength and stability, which are crucial for proper push-up form.
Chest Press with Dumbbells
-Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
_Push the weights upward until your arms are fully extended, then lower them back down.
-This strengthens the chest and triceps, which are heavily involved in push-ups.
Tricep Dips
-Sit on the edge of a bench with your hands gripping the edge beside you.
-Slide forward and lower your body by bending your elbows to a 90-degree angle, then push back up.
-This targets the triceps and helps with push-up endurance.
Push-up Holds
-Lower your body halfway down in a push-up and hold that position for 10–20 seconds.
-This builds isometric strength in the muscles used during push-ups.
Mary Sabat, MS, RDN, LD, ACE-CPT
Mary Sabat is a nutritionist and personal trainer with over 20 years of experience. Read more about Mary
