Pushup Test

Using the pushup test table below: See how the number of pushups you can do compares to that of other men in your age-group. Just locate the row in your age-group column corresponding to the number of repetitions you do and look across to the corresponding percentile ranking. For example, if you are 42 years old and do 34 pushups, the row in the 40-49 age-group column corresponds to a percentile ranking of 85. That means you did more repetitions than 85% of the men in your age reference-group who took the test.

NOTE: Your score is the number of pushups you can do without pausing to rest in the down position. The test should be done on a clean, level surface. At the top position of each repetition, the elbows should be just short of full extension. At the bottom position, the supper arms should be parallel to the ground.

WARNING: You should not attempt this or any other maximal unless all of the following criteria are met:

• You are at low risk as indicated by our exercise risk questionnaire or have been cleared by a physician for strenuous exercise.


• You have done pushups on at least 6 different occasions spaced over at least a 2-week period including two or more times when a near-maximal number was attempted.


• You accept that during maximal physical efforts like this one you are at increased risk of life-threatening cardiac events.


• You warm up with light calisthenics before your effort.


• You discontinue the test if you feel any symptoms of adverse reaction, such as dizziness, light-headedness, chest pressure or pain, or musculoskeletal pain.

Percentile Table for the Pushup Test

Percentile Rank by Age-Group and Number of Pushups
	Age Group
Percentile	20-29	30-39	40-49	50-59	60+
99	100	86	64	51	39
95	62	52	40	39	28
90	57	46	36	30	26
85	51	41	34	28	24
80	47	39	30	25	23
75	44	36	29	24	22
70	41	34	26	21	21
65	39	31	25	20	20
60	37	30	24	19	18
55	35	29	22	17	16
50	33	27	21	15	15
45	31	25	19	14	12
40	29	24	18	13	10
35	27	21	16	11	9
30	26	20	15	10	8
25	24	19	13	9.5	7
20	22	17	11	9	6
15	19	15	10	7	5
10	18	13	9	6	4
5	13	9	5	3	2

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