# How many push ups should you be able to do?

> At age 35, Mayo Clinic’s published reference is 21 push ups for men and 19 for women. Its instructions allow knee or standard push ups and end the set when you need to rest. Use the same variation, depth and stopping rule whenever you compare results. A filmed set gives you a baseline you can repeat.

URL: https://opencontest.app/guides/how-many-push-ups/  
Published: 2026-11-12  
Author: The OpenContest team

## Published push-up counts by age

Mayo Clinic’s 2024 fitness assessment gives the reference counts below at five specific ages, describing them as “good fitness results.” Its instructions allow beginners to use their knees and otherwise describe standard push ups. [Mayo Clinic’s original assessment](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20046433)

| Age | Women’s reference | Men’s reference |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 25 | 20 | 28 |
| 35 | 19 | 21 |
| 45 | 14 | 16 |
| 55 | 10 | 12 |
| 65 | 10 | 10 |

Mayo’s procedure starts facedown with the hands beside the shoulders. It asks you to keep your back straight, extend the arms, lower until the chin touches the floor and continue until you need to rest. Its table provides one column for women and one for men, while the instructions allow both knee and standard versions. Record which version you used whenever you refer to these figures. [Assessment method and table](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20046433)

These are the publisher’s assessment reference points. An interpretation as the average for everyone of an age would need a named population and the test behind its measurements. Keep the exact age label, too. A row for age 35 gives you a specific reference point within the source.

For a personal target, choose a movement you can perform consistently and save your first accepted count. You can then see whether the next set improves while preserving the same conditions.

## What community averages measure

Strength Level currently reports averages of 39 push ups for men and 18 for women among its participating lifters. The page calls those counts Intermediate in its own system. It offers a comparison within the community submitting results. [Strength Level’s push-up figures](https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/push-ups/lb)

Its FAQ asks users to log repetitions from a single set. It also explains its filtering of implausible and repeated submissions, and says that people who log their training can be stronger than the general public. The push-up dataset leaves the repetition depth, cadence and rest rules unspecified. Use the figure with that selection and method limit visible. [Strength Level’s methodology](https://strengthlevel.com/faq) · [Push-up dataset](https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/push-ups/lb)

You can use the same reading habit for other movements. Our [pull-up benchmark guide](/guides/how-many-pull-ups/) keeps the source group and its test beside each reported figure.

## Is 20, 30 or 40 push ups a useful target?

Twenty accepted repetitions give you a result to track. For orientation, Mayo’s age-35 reference is 19 for women and 21 for men under its assessment instructions. Twenty therefore sits above one of those figures and below the other. The comparison still depends on the variation and depth you used. [Mayo’s reference counts](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20046433)

Thirty and forty exceed both of those age-35 reference counts. Strength Level’s headline male community figure of 39 puts the same two results on either side of its published average. Choose the reference according to the question you are asking, then retain its group and method in the comparison. [Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20046433) · [Strength Level](https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/push-ups/lb)

For your next attempt, a small increase in accepted repetitions under the same rule is easy to interpret. If you change the depth, move from knees to toes or raise your hands onto a bench, start a separately labeled record for that variation.

## Keep timed, cadenced and modified tests distinct

A continuous set ends according to its chosen rest or form rule. A timed test gives you a fixed window. A cadenced test adds a required rhythm. Before comparing totals, write down which of these conditions controlled the attempt.

The Army’s current hand-release push-up test allows two minutes. Each repetition includes returning to the ground and extending the arms to a T position before bringing the hands back. That procedure adds a specific movement sequence to the clock. Record the full test name beside any result from it. [Official Army Fitness Test protocol](https://www.army.mil/aft/)

Knee-supported push ups and incline push ups deserve their own records. A useful log might say “hands on a bench, same bench height, continuous set” or “knees on the floor, chin to floor, stop for rest.” The movement description lets you reproduce the attempt later.

For a school or job assessment, use that organization’s current instructions. Check its age group, cadence, depth, permitted rest and stopping rule before borrowing a figure from an adult reference chart.

## Record a full set you can compare again

OpenContest’s [published push-up rules](/contests/push-ups/) use flat hands, a straight body and upper arms reaching at least parallel to the floor. They allow rest at the top while the arms remain straight and the hands and feet stay on the floor.

1. Put your phone side-on near floor level. Keep your head, hands and feet visible throughout the set.
2. Begin with straight arms and a body line from shoulders to heels.
3. Lower until your upper arms reach at least parallel to the floor, then return to straight arms.
4. Count completed repetitions. End the attempt when your knees, chest or hips touch down, or when you choose to stop.
5. Save the date, count and video. Record the variation, surface and any rest taken at the top.

Use the [filming guide](/guides/film-a-take-that-counts/) to check that the bottom position and lockout remain visible. Stop if you feel pain or cannot maintain the movement safely.

OpenContest is prelaunch, and these written rules are available to use today. You can keep your own scorecard and [join the waitlist](/#get) for updates about the planned app. When you repeat the test, review the two videos together so a change in counting stays visible alongside a change in the total.

## Questions

### Is 20 push ups in a row good?

The reference and test rule decide the comparison. At age 35, Mayo Clinic lists 21 for men and 19 for women. Its assessment allows knee or standard push ups and stops when a rest is needed. Keep your own variation and depth beside the count.

### How many push ups should I be able to do by age?

Mayo Clinic publishes reference counts at ages 25, 35, 45, 55 and 65. Treat these as assessment reference points. For comparison with your own later result, keep the same movement, depth and stopping rule each time.

### Do knee push ups and full push ups use the same record?

Keep a separate record for each variation. Write down whether your knees or toes support you, the surface height if your hands are raised, and the repetition rule. That makes changes within each movement easier to follow.

### Should I count a two-minute push-up test the same way?

Record the time limit and the repetition definition with the result. The Army’s current two-minute test uses a hand release and arm extension on every repetition. OpenContest’s published full-push-up rule uses a self-paced set with rest allowed at the top.