How Many Push-Ups Should You Do a Day to Get Results?
Wondering how many push-ups you should do each day to achieve optimal results?
Push-ups are an effective exercise for building upper body strength, muscle endurance, and overall fitness.
However, determining the ideal number of push-ups can be challenging, as it depends on various factors such as age, sex, current body weight, and fitness experience.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore these factors, provide average push-up numbers based on age and sex, discuss the benefits of push-ups for muscle growth, highlight potential risks, and suggest push-up variations to maximise your results.
Without further ado let’s dive in and uncover the secrets of effective push-up training!
Factors Influencing the Number of Push-Ups You Can Do
Several factors influence the number of push-ups you can perform each day.
These factors include age, sex, current body weight, medical issues, and fitness experience.
Age and sex play a significant role in determining your push-up capacity.
Natural physiological differences and processes such as sarcopenia, which involves age-related muscle loss, affect muscular strength.
However, it’s important to note that there are exceptions, and individual variations exist within these averages.
Your current body weight also impacts the number of push-ups you can do. Heavier individuals may find it more challenging to perform push-ups due to increased resistance.
If you have any medical issues, particularly those affecting the respiratory system, it’s advisable to start with a lower number of push-ups and progress gradually.
Regardless of your starting point, the key is to aim for progress rather than perfection.
Lastly, your fitness experience plays a role in your push-up performance.
Muscle memory allows individuals with prior training experience to regain their push-up capacity faster than beginners.
This means that even if you’ve been out of the game for a while, you can still make progress relatively quickly.
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Average Push-Up Numbers Based on Age and Sex
To provide a general guideline for push-up performance, let’s examine average push-up numbers based on age and sex.
It’s essential to understand that these numbers are not absolute and should be viewed as reference points rather than strict rules. Your own starting point and progression may vary.
For men, the following table provides age-related push-up norms:
Push-Up Test for Men
Push-Up Test for Women
Remember, these averages consider natural physiological differences between males and females, as well as the impact of the aging process.
Individual variations exist within these averages, so use them as a starting point and adjust your goals accordingly.
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How Many Push-Ups Should You Do a Day to Build Muscle?
If your goal is to build muscle and improve upper body strength, push-ups can be an excellent exercise choice.
To achieve muscle growth through push-ups, it’s important to gradually increase the number of repetitions and challenge your muscles with different variations.
You can refer to the previously mentioned push-up norms for guidance. Starting with a number within your range, gradually increase the repetitions.
Remember that you don’t need to perform all the push-ups in a single set; instead, you can divide them into smaller sets to maintain proper form and prevent muscle fatigue.
For hypertrophy (muscle growth), aim for 3 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
If you can easily exceed 12 repetitions, consider increasing the difficulty by slowing down the movement or trying more challenging variations.
As you progress, consider engaging the target muscles further by emphasising controlled movements during the eccentric phase, where you lower your body to the floor.
When it comes to building muscle, it’s not necessary to perform a total number of push-ups all at once.
Splitting them into smaller sets allows for better muscle recovery and optimal muscle growth.
Additionally, incorporating proper rest periods between sets is important for muscle repair and overall progress.
Push Ups for Muscle Growth Example
Let’s consider an example to illustrate how to set your number of push-up reps.
Suppose you are a well-trained 25-year-old man aiming to perform at least 50 push-ups.
Instead of attempting all 50 push-ups in one go, you can divide them into 5 sets of 10 repetitions each.
This approach allows you to reach your goal while maintaining good form and preventing excessive muscle fatigue.
After a couple of weeks, you can increase the number to 5 sets of 12 reps.
Once you can easily perform more than 15 reps, it’s time to make the push-ups more difficult by exploring different variations or adding resistance.
To further enhance muscle growth and engagement, focus on controlling the eccentric phase of the push-up.
During the lowering phase, where your body descends towards the floor, emphasise a slow and controlled movement.
This deliberate eccentric contraction increases muscle tension and contributes to muscle growth, rather than the less effective approach of just trying to go as fast as possible.
It’s worth mentioning that if your specific goal is to build muscle in your arms or bulk up your upper body, you may want to incorporate targeted exercises that complement push-ups.
Consider incorporating chest, back, shoulder, bicep, and triceps workouts into your routine to maximise your muscle gains.
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Are There Risks of Doing Too Many Push-Ups?
While push-ups offer numerous benefits, it’s important to avoid overexertion and allow for adequate rest and recovery between sessions.
Pushing yourself to muscle failure every day can lead to overuse injuries and strain on your tendons and joints.
Furthermore giving your muscles time to repair and grow stronger is crucial for seeing steady progress and minimising the risk of injury.
Remember, consistency and gradual progression are key.
Push-ups are a long-term commitment, and it’s essential to listen to your body, respect its limits, and gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts over time.
How Many Push-Ups Should You Do Each Day to See Results?
The number of push-ups you should do each day to see results varies depending on your specific fitness goals.
Whether you’re training for stamina, hypertrophy, strength, or power, the number of sets and repetitions will differ.
For stamina improvement, start with the maximum number of push-ups you can perform in a row and then reduce that number by 10%.
Use this as a starting point for 3-to-5 sets, gradually increasing the repetitions by one every other workout.
To focus on hypertrophy, aim for 6 to 12 repetitions per set for 3-to-5 sets.
Keep the rest periods between sets no longer than 60 seconds to maintain muscle tension and promote muscle growth.
If your goal is to increase strength, focus on increasing the intensity and resistance.
Perform 3-to-6 sets of 6 or fewer repetitions, incorporating weights, plates, or resistance bands to increase the resistance load.
Rest for around 90 seconds between sets to allow for sufficient recovery.
For power development, incorporate explosive or plyometric variations.
Aim for failure (as many reps as possible) for 3 to 6 sets, with rest periods ranging from 90 to 180 seconds.
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Push-Up Variations to Maximise Results
Push-ups offer a wide range of progressions and variations that can help you maximise your training and achieve better results.
By incorporating different variations, you can target specific muscle groups, increase overall strength, and keep your workouts challenging and exciting.
Here are some common push-up variations to level up your training:
Plyometric Push-Up
This explosive variation involves pushing yourself off the floor with force, emphasizing power and speed.
More advanced trainees can aim to get their hands and feet off the floor during the movement.
Research has shown that plyometric push-ups are more effective than regular push-ups for improving both endurance and strength.
Diamond Push-Up
In this variation, position your hands underneath your chest with your fingertips and thumbs forming the shape of a diamond.
This variation targets the triceps more intensely and helps build upper body strength.
Weighted Push-Up
To increase the intensity, add a weight plate on your back while performing push-ups.
This variation challenges your muscles with additional resistance and promotes muscle growth.
Deficit Push-Up
Deficit push-ups involve increasing the range of motion by placing your hands on stacked weight plates, large dumbbells, or two benches.
This variation enhances the depth of the movement, making it more challenging and engaging for your muscles.
Narrow Stance Push-Up
Also known as a close-grip push-up, this variation involves positioning your hands inside shoulder width on the floor.
It targets the triceps and inner chest muscles more effectively, providing a different stimulus for muscle growth.
These variations are just a few examples of the many possibilities for enhancing your push-up routine.
Experiment with different hand placements, incline or decline positions, and explosive movements to keep your muscles guessing and promote continuous progress.
How Many Push-Ups Should You Do a Day to Get Results?: Summary
Push-ups are an excellent exercise for improving upper body strength, building muscle, and achieving fitness goals.
The number of push-ups you should do each day depends on various factors such as age, gender, fitness level, and goals.
It’s important to consider your own limitations and gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts over time.
Remember to prioritize proper form and technique to avoid injuries and maximize the benefits of push-ups.
If you’re new to push-ups or have any medical concerns, consult with a fitness professional or healthcare provider before starting a new exercise routine.
Incorporate push-up variations to challenge your muscles and prevent plateaus.
Consistency, patience, and progressive overload are key to seeing results.
By combining proper training, rest, and nutrition, you can build strength, increase muscle mass, and achieve your desired fitness outcomes.
So, get down on the floor, embrace the challenge, and let push-ups become a staple in your fitness journey.
Speak soon.
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