Push-Up Test & Upper Body Fitness Calculator

Push-Up Fitness Guide

What should I know about Push-Up Test Norms?

Standard push-up norms by age (Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology): Men age 20-29: poor <17, fair 17-29, good 30-39, excellent 40-49, superior 50+. Men 30-39: poor <13, fair 13-24, good 25-34, excellent 35-44, superior 45+. Women 20-29: poor <6, fair 6-14, good 15-20, excellent 21-29, superior 30+. Women 30-39: poor <4, fair 4-10, good 11-14, excellent 15-23, superior 24+. The push-up test measures upper body muscular endurance — the ability of the chest, shoulder, and tricep muscles to support and move body weight repeatedly against gravity.

What's the key thing to understand about Perfect Push-Up Form?

Starting position: hands shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider). Body in a straight plank from head to heels. Toes together on the floor. Core engaged throughout. Lowering: lower chest to within 5cm of floor (or until upper arms parallel to floor). Elbows at approximately 45° from body (not flared wide or tight to sides). Consistent tempo. Pressing: push back to full arm extension without locking elbows. Do not allow hips to sag or pike upward. Modified (knee) push-ups: hands and knees in contact with the floor, reducing the effective load — a legitimate progression step, not a lesser exercise, for anyone not yet able to do full push-ups with good form.

What should I know about Building Up to More Push-Ups?

Beginner (0-10 push-ups): start with incline push-ups (hands on a bench or wall — lower position = harder). Progress: wall → table height → bench → floor (knee) → floor (standard). Armstrong Push-Up Program: a well-documented progressive programme for building push-up capacity. Starts with 3 sets of max push-ups daily and gradually increases to 5 sets. Many complete programmes start near zero and build to 100 push-ups in 6-8 weeks. Intermediate, 10-30 push-ups: focus on increasing the number of sets and decreasing rest time between them, rather than only chasing a higher single-set maximum.

What's the difference between Push-Ups and Bench Press?

Push-ups and bench press both work primarily pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and triceps. Key differences: push-up: body weight exercise, more serratus anterior activation (serratus keeps scapula against rib cage). Easier to add progressively via variations. No equipment. Bench press: can load progressively with exact weights. Better for maximal strength development. More pectoralis major emphasis on flat bench. Which is better? For muscular endurance and general fitness, push-ups are excellent and require no equipment, but bench press allows progressive overload beyond bodyweight for those specifically chasing maximal strength.