10, 30, 50… How Many Push-Ups Should You Be Able to Do at Your Age?

 10, 30, 50… How Many Push-Ups Should You Be Able to Do at Your Age?

Push-ups are a common exercise, but they do more than just strengthen muscles. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic suggest that push-ups can be a valuable indicator of overall physical health. They don’t just test your strength; they measure endurance, coordination, and the ability to work different muscle groups in sync. But how many should you be able to do? And does it change as you age?

Push-Ups: A True Test of Physical Fitness

The Mayo Clinic experts explain that push-ups are much more than a simple upper-body workout. This exercise engages the arms, chest, core, and legs, making it a comprehensive test of strength, coordination, and stability. The clinic’s research shows that the ability to perform a certain number of push-ups can be used to evaluate both muscular endurance and overall fitness.

Their findings suggest that push-ups can be a great measure of a person's physical condition, reflecting how well the body functions as a whole. While performing the exercise correctly is key, hitting certain targets can signal a good balance of strength and endurance. The number of push-ups you can do might give you a snapshot of your physical health, but it’s only one part of the bigger picture.

How Many Push-Ups Should You Do at Your Age?

The Mayo Clinic’s research offers specific push-up targets for different age groups. For a 25-year-old male, 28 push-ups are considered the benchmark for good physical fitness. For women in this age range, 20 push-ups is the target. As you age, the number of push-ups expected to reflect a healthy level of fitness decreases. By 65, both men and women should aim to complete at least 10 push-ups.