Movement & Strength · Push-Up · Bonus
The Push-Up Test
A bonus strength test, not a headline one — the data behind it is real and striking, but it comes from a specific population, so read the caveat below before you weigh your own number against it.
What it measures
Upper-body pushing strength and muscular endurance — chest, shoulders, triceps, and core all working together under load.
How to do it
- 01Set a metronome or timer, hands under shoulders, body in a straight line from head to heels.
- 02Lower until your elbows hit about 90 degrees, then press back up — that's one rep.
- 03Go at a steady pace, full range of motion, no sagging hips.
- 04Count reps until failure, form breakdown, or one full minute — whichever comes first.
The research — and the caveat
A 2019 JAMA Network Open study following over 1,100 men for 10 years found those able to do more than 40 push-ups had a 96% lower risk of a cardiovascular event than those who could do fewer than 10.
Caveat: that study population was middle-aged male firefighters — an occupationally screened, physically active group. The norms don’t transfer cleanly to women, older adults, or deconditioned people the way the other tests in this category do. Treat this one as a bonus data point, not a headline number.
Other tests in this category