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. If someone can do strong, controlled reps, it means their pressing strength and muscle endurance are in a very good place. Not many bodyweight moves give you this much feedback this quickly.
In my coaching programs, the pushup is often used as a benchmark movement 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 their impressive upper-body strength back just by practicing and improving this one movement over and over. A little change never hurt a push-up, even if you aren’t quite there yet.
Below, you’ll learn how to do a technically clean 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 see 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 form is correct. Pushups that are done correctly build real strength and protect your shoulders, but rushed reps can cause you to compensate and slow down your progress. I always tell my clients that every inch of the rep should look the same from the beginning to the end. Take charge of the position, control the lowering phase, and press with purpose.
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How to Do a Perfect Pushup
Put your hands a little wider than your shoulders and spread your fingers out to help you stay stable.
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 bent at a 30- to 45-degree angle, lower your chest toward the floor slowly.
Stop when your chest is just above the floor and you are still in queue.
To get back to the starting position, press hard with your palms.
Rankings for Pushup Strength After 50
Your pushup total is a quick way to see 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 of the set.
Pushup Score Rankings for Adults 50 and Older
- Top Tier: 35 or more pushups in a row
- Above average: 25 to 34 pushups
- Average: 15 to 24 pushups
- 8 to 14 pushups is below average.
- Needs to get better: Less than 8 pushups
If you land in the top tier range, you’re way ahead of most people your age. You still have a lot of room to grow if your number is lower right now and you train hard.
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The best ways to get stronger at pushups
To get better at pushups, you need to practice them regularly and do smart strength training. Many adults over 50 still have a lot of upper body potential that hasn’t been used yet when they train in a structured way. When my clients focus on quality, volume, and recovery, I often see them add meaningful reps. When you train just before you get tired and do the same thing over and over, you make progress faster. Be patient and keep getting small wins every week.
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- 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: Raising your hands on a bench or box lets you do more good reps while your strength grows.
- Make your pressing muscles stronger: To make your pushups stronger, add dumbbell presses, chest presses, and overhead work.
- Planks, dead bugs, and Pallof presses help you build core tension, which makes push-ups easier to do.
- Take your time lowering: A two- to three-second drop increases time under tension and builds strength more quickly.
- Stop one to two reps short of failure: Training close to failure helps you recover better and make more steady progress.
- Every four to six weeks, take the test again. Regular testing keeps you motivated and shows clear progress.
