Excellent for almost any age.
Example (Adapted from ACE Fitness and other sources)
| Age (years) |
| 15-19 | Excellent: ≥39, Good: 23-28 | Excellent: ≥33, Good: 18-24 | Excellent: ≥35, Good: 27-35 |
| 20-29 | Excellent: ≥36, Good: 22-28 | Excellent: ≥30, Good: 15-20 | Excellent: ≥36, Good: 30-36 |
| 30-39 | Excellent: ≥30, Good: 17-21 | Excellent: ≥27, Good: 13-19 | Excellent: ≥37, Good: 30-37 |
| 40-49 | Excellent: ≥25, Good: 13-16 | Excellent: ≥24, Good: 11-14 | Excellent: ≥31, Good: 25-31 |
| 50-59 | Excellent: ≥21, Good: 10-12 | Excellent: ≥21, Good: 7-10 | Excellent: ≥25, Good: 21-25 |
| 60+ | Excellent: ≥18, Good: 8-10 | Excellent: ≥17, Good: 5-11 | Excellent: ≥23, Good: 19-23 |
Note: These are general guidelines. The exact number can vary slightly between different fitness organizations and studies.
2. Military and Public Service Standards
Organizations like the military, police, and fire departments have specific, often more demanding, standards that are part of a broader physical readiness test. These tests may be timed (e.g., one or two minutes) and require a minimum number of repetitions to pass. The scores are often tied to promotion or job readiness.
3. Scientific and Research-Based Standards
Research studies, such as the one linking push-up capacity to cardiovascular health, use specific metrics to define risk categories. For example, a study might find that men who can complete 40 or more push-ups have a significantly lower risk of a cardiovascular event.
In summary, when you take a push-up test, your score is the total number of correctly performed repetitions. You then compare that score to a table that is standardized for your age and gender to determine your fitness level or health risk category.
