Pushups are still one of the best ways to test your strength at any age. After 50, they show how well your upper body, core, and shoulder stability still work together. When someone can do strong, controlled reps, it tells me that their pressing strength and muscle endurance are very good. Not many bodyweight exercises give you this much feedback this quickly.
The pushup is often used as a benchmark movement in my coaching programs because it shows how strong you really are in the real world. It works your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core without needing any special equipment or a lot of time to set up. I’ve seen a lot of clients get back to having great upper-body strength just by doing this one move over and over again and getting better at it. And if you’re not quite up to par, a little change to the push-up won’t hurt.
Below you’ll learn how to do a technically correct pushup, how your rep count stacks up against common age-based standards, and what to work on if you want to move up to the top tier. This is the test to take if you want to find out how strong your upper body is.
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How to Do a Top-Tier Pushup
Before you try to get more reps, make sure your technique is solid. Pushups that are done correctly build real strength and protect your shoulders. Rushed reps, on the other hand, often lead to compensation and stalled progress. I always tell my clients that every part of the rep should look the same from start to finish. Take charge of the position, control the lowering phase, and press with purpose.
How to Do a Perfect Pushup: A Woman Doing Diamond Pushups
- Put your hands a little wider than shoulder width apart and spread your fingers to keep them steady.
- Put your legs behind you and make a straight line from your head to your heels.
- To keep your hips from sagging, tighten your core and squeeze your glutes.
- With your elbows at a 30- to 45-degree angle, lower your chest toward the floor in a controlled way.
- Stop when your chest is just above the floor but still in line.
- To get back to the starting position, push down hard with your palms.
Your total number of pushups gives you a quick look at how strong and fit your upper body is. These ranges are based on full-range push-ups done with strict form and no breaks in the middle.
Pushup Scores for Adults 50 and Older
- Top Tier: 35 or more pushups in a row
- Above Average: 25 to 34 pushups
- Average: 15 to 24 push-ups
- Not very good: 8 to 14 pushups
- Needs to Get Better: Not more than 8 pushups
If you land in the top tier range, you’re ahead of most people your age. If your number is lower right now, you still have a lot of room to grow with focused training.
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The best ways to get better at pushups A woman trying to do a pushup after 50 Shutterstock
To get better at pushups, you need to practice them regularly and do smart strength training. When adults over 50 train with structure, they still have a lot of untapped upper body potential. I often see clients add meaningful reps once they pay attention to quality, volume, and recovery. When you train just before you get tired and do the movement a lot, you make progress faster. Be patient and keep getting small wins week after week.
- Do pushups two to three times a week. Doing them often makes you stronger and more durable.
- Incline pushups are a good way to build volume: Putting your hands on a bench or box makes it easier to do more good reps while building strength.
- Make your pressing muscles stronger: To help you do stronger pushups, add dumbbell presses, chest presses, and overhead work to your routine.
- Planks, dead bugs, and Pallof presses build core tension, which makes push-ups more stable.
- Slow down the lowering phase: A two- to three-second drop increases time under tension and builds strength more quickly.
- Stop one to two reps before you fail. Training close to failure helps you recover faster and make more steady progress.
- Retest every four to six weeks: Testing yourself regularly keeps you motivated and shows clear progress.
If you stick with these tips, your total number of pushups can quickly reach the top tier range, faster than most people think.
