how many pushups should i be able to do
For most generally healthy adults, being able to do around 20–30 strict pushups in a row is a solid benchmark of upper‑body and core strength, but “good” numbers depend a lot on age, sex, body weight, and training background.
Quick Scoop
- Many coaches consider 20–25 clean, consecutive pushups a good baseline goal for the average adult.
- Some health and media sources report typical ranges of about 10–28 consecutive pushups for men and about 10–20 for women, depending on age and fitness.
- Survey data suggest over half of adults cannot do 10 full pushups, so if you can do 10–15 with good form, you are already ahead of the statistical average.
Age and sex rough ranges
These are very approximate “decent fitness” targets for an uninjured adult, not strict medical standards.
| Group | Solid target (unbroken set) | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Men ~20–29 | 20–30 reps | Some expert guidelines put ~28 as a good benchmark for a healthy 25‑year‑old man. | [1]
| Men ~30–49 | 15–25 reps | Targets gradually drop with age; low‑20s is often cited as good for mid‑30s. | [1]
| Men 50+ | 10–20 reps | Maintaining double‑digit strict pushups is linked with better strength and endurance as you age. | [5][1]
| Women ~20–29 | 15–20 reps | Some guidelines suggest ~20 as a solid benchmark for a healthy 25‑year‑old woman. | [1]
| Women ~30–49 | 10–18 reps | Targets slowly decline; mid‑teens is often considered good in the 30s–40s. | [5][1]
| Women 50+ | 8–15 reps | Maintaining around 10 or more strict pushups is considered a positive sign of fitness. | [5][1]
What really matters more
Instead of chasing one magic number, these are more meaningful ways to look at “how many pushups should I be able to do?”
- You improve over time
- If you go from 3 to 10 strict pushups, that’s a big strength gain, even if charts say “average.”
- Your form is clean
- Chest goes close to the floor, body stays in a straight line, no bouncing or half‑reps.
- The number matches your goals
- General health: being able to do 10–20 good pushups is plenty for most people.
* Ambitious strength/endurance: some coaches suggest long‑term goals like ~50 in a row for men or ~30 for women, which require serious, consistent training.
Simple way to level up
If you want to increase how many you can do:
- Test your current max of strict pushups in one set.
- Do 3 sets at about half of that max, 3 times per week (e.g., max 12 → 3×6 reps).
- When those feel easy, add 1–2 reps per set or a fourth set.
- Retest your max every 3–4 weeks and adjust.
This kind of steady progression is how people move from “can’t do 5” to banging out 20+ with solid form over a few months.
Bottom line: a “good” number is one that is a bit challenging for you right now, improves over time, and is done with honest form—not the ego‑driven number someone else posted online.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.