The Pushup Test
A DIY Fitness Assessment
-- By Jason Anderson, Certified Personal Trainer
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The Pushup Test measures muscular strength and endurance, a combination that better reflects your fitness level than strength tests like the one rep max. Besides being dangerous, single rep max tests also require a lot of equipment (bench press or squat rack, barbells, and other weights). A timed pushup test, on the other hand, can be done anywhere.
Equipment needed: A stop watch or timer that can measure one full minute; a friend to help keep count and time you (optional).
Goal: Do as many pushups as you can in one minute.
Execution: Men will assume a traditional pushup position and females can use the modified pushup position (on knees). When the pushups start, so does the clock! Press yourself up with arms fully extended and lower yourself back until your chest is three inches from the floor (but do not touch your body to the floor). Repeat as many times as you can in one minute. You may rest only in the “up” position if necessary.
What this measures: Strength and endurance in your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
Scoring: Here are the age-adjusted standards based on guidelines published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM):
Ratings for Men (Full Pushups), based on Age
| 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60+ | |
| Excellent | > 54 | > 44 | > 39 | > 34 | > 29 |
| Good | 45-54 | 35-44 | 30-39 | 25-34 | 20-29 |
| Average | 35-44 | 24-34 | 20-29 | 15-24 | 10-19 |
| Poor | 20-34 | 15-24 | 12-19 | 8-14 | 5-9 |
| Very Poor | < 20 | < 15 | < 12 | < 8 | < 5 |
Ratings for Women (Modified Pushups), based on Age
| 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-59 | 60+ | |
| Excellent | >48 | >39 | >34 | >29 | >19 |
| Good | 34-48 | 25-39 | 20-34 | 15-29 | 5-19 |
| Average | 17-33 | 12-24 | 8-19 | 6-14 | 3-4 |
| Poor | 6-16 | 4-11 | 3-7 | 2-5 | 1-2 |
| Very Poor | < 6 | < 4 | < 3 | < 2 | < 1 |
Maybe you’ll find that you’re doing really well. But even if you weren't able to do enough reps to register on the chart, that's OK. Everyone starts somewhere! Just try to improve gradually over time from where you started. Remember, you are looking for improvement in yourself, regardless of what a chart says or how many repetitions someone else can do.
How to improve: To improve your scores in this test, focus on strength training the specific muscles of the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Good exercises that target these muscles include:
- Without equipment: Decline Pushups, Incline Pushups, and Two-Part Pushups
- At home: Chest Press with Band, Dumbbell Chest Press on Ball, and Pushups on Ball at Legs
- At the gym: Bench Press, Seated Chest Press Machine, Seated Pec Deck Machine, and Chest Flys on Cable Cross Machine
This test is a great tool to see how you are doing. If you don’t score as well as you like, just remember to focus on improving your own scores periodically. As long as you are improving, your fitness plan is working. If you find you aren’t making the progress that you feel you should be seeing, it may be time to change your workout routine.
