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When it comes to enhancing upper-body strength, experts universally hail pushups as the reigning champion. This staple exercise is a compound movement that simultaneously engages the core, triceps, chest, and shoulders. By leveraging your own body weight as resistance, pushups not only build muscle but also enhance core stability through regular, functional motion. It’s a winning combination for fitness enthusiasts.
Mastering pushups serves as a reliable indicator of upper-body strength. In fact, fitness experts suggest that if you’re able to perform a certain number of pushups beyond the age of 55, your upper-body strength could be considered elite. We consulted with a fitness professional to uncover the benchmarks worth aiming for.
Roger Montenegro, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and the head coach and owner of Made Possible Personal Training in St. Pete, Florida, emphasizes the challenge of setting precise benchmarks. He notes that individuals over 55 often face unique physical limitations and are at a different life stage, which can impact their performance in exercises like pushups.
Nevertheless, understanding these benchmarks provides valuable insight into your fitness level and can help tailor an effective workout regimen suited to your needs as you age. Reaching these goals not only signifies impressive strength but also contributes to overall health and well-being.
A Realistic Pushup Benchmark for Those 55 and Up (and What’s Considered “Elite”)
According to Roger Montenegro, CSCS, head coach and owner at Made Possible Personal Training in St. Pete, Florida, who holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) degree from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, pinpointing just the right benchmark is challenging because many individuals who are over age 55 may be dealing with physical limitations. They’re also in a totally different stage of life.
That said, for most adult males in the 55+ age range, performing eight to 15 pushups with solid form is a great benchmark. For women, five to 10 pushups is an effective goal. If you’re able to do 20 pushups without losing form, you’re in a “high performing group,” while 30 or more pushups is considered elite.
Why Pushups Are a Productive Measure of Upper-Body Strength
Montenegro says that pushups “keep you honest,” meaning there isn’t anywhere to hide.”You’re moving your own body through space, which requires strength, control, and coordination,” he explains. “It’s not just pressing strength; you need stability through your shoulders, trunk, and even your lower body to do it well. That makes it a much more complete test than most gym exercises. You can also see deficiencies right away: arch back (weak core connection), elbows flared (not used to using lats and scapula), pushing hips up (trying to avoid adding weight on the right areas).”
What’s Being Tested During Pushups?
A combination of things gets put to the test during a pushup. The move requires scapular and upper-body strength to press yourself up, along with muscular endurance to repeat it.
“You need core stability to keep your body in a straight line,” Montenegro adds. “If one of those pieces is missing, the push-up exposes it pretty quickly.”
Muscle Groups Engaged
This bodyweight exercise recruits your shoulders, chest, triceps, glutes, core, and upper back.
“That full-body tension is what matters,” Montenegro tells us. “As we age, maintaining that kind of integrated strength helps with posture, protects the shoulders, and keeps everyday movements feeling strong and controlled. Also, this is the reason a lot of times machines do not help, they
segment the body so you do not have to have an integral system working, but can have separate systems doing separate jobs.”
Pushups Help Build Real-World Functional Strength
Overall, the pushup is an effective exercise that translates to real-world functional strength.
“Pushups carry over more than people think,” Montenegro says. “They reflect your ability to push yourself up off the ground, stabilize your body, and control your movement. That shows up in everything from getting up after a fall to bracing yourself when you trip, to simply maintaining strong posture throughout the day.”