# How many push ups can you do without stopping? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 24, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474 "2012-01-24T04:02:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/1 "2012-01-24T04:02:23Z")
[The standards are here.](http://www.apft-standards.com/pushup.html) I’m 48 years old; I did the same number as I did right out of High School…29. How 'bout you? ---
**Author:** ![medicated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@medicated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medicated)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/2 "2012-01-24T04:11:13Z")
I could once do 100. It hurt for a few days, but I could do it. At 38, it’s probably more like 30 now, lol. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/3 "2012-01-24T04:36:15Z")
Zero. Zilch. Nada. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/4 "2012-01-24T04:39:36Z")
I’ll be 52 in three months. 47 ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/5 "2012-01-24T04:44:00Z")
What are the “points”? How many are you supposed to get and what happens if you’re below the cutoff number of points? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/6 "2012-01-24T04:48:48Z")
130 (the last time I attempted such a feat anyway; it was a couple years ago). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/7 "2012-01-24T05:45:04Z")
I started doing push-ups when I was a kid, and I haven’t stopped yet. It must amount to thousands by now, but I didn’t keep track. I just did 10 more but that was painful. I have to start getting some decent exercise. Anyway, if I ever stop doing push-ups I’ll try to drop by and provide an estimate of the total. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/8 "2012-01-24T06:33:22Z")
None since my shoulder injury. Prior to that, maybe 10. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/9 "2012-01-24T06:52:49Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > [The standards are here.](http://www.apft-standards.com/pushup.html) I’m happy to say that I am off the chart. Less happy to say that it’s due to age, not pushup ability. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/10 "2012-01-24T06:59:43Z")
I think the linked page must not be displaying right in my browser; all I see is some choppy text about proper push-up form. I’m 40, and recently started paying attention to such matters. I can do about 30 push-ups without stopping, and about 70 in three sets with rests between. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/11 "2012-01-24T10:19:54Z")
1. Long years of ignoring my health really took a toll. I used to be able to pop out 70 or so before I let myself go. ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/12 "2012-01-24T10:47:56Z")
What counts as a push up? Nose touching the ground? Body kept perfectly straight? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/13 "2012-01-24T10:50:01Z")
Don’t know. But I can do none without starting. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/14 "2012-01-24T13:57:44Z")
Up until a few weeks ago I was doing 3 sets of 30 decline pushups (feet up on a bench), along with 4 other upper body exercises, in a circuit. I never tried to see how many regular pushups I could do without stopping, but I’m guessing around 75 or so. Then I slept in a bad position one night and ended up with a pinched nerve and a loss of much of my shoulder strength on one side. Today I’m lucky if I can get 10 pushups done. I hope when the pain of the pinched nerve goes away I get my strength back. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/15 "2012-01-24T14:15:12Z")
As a kid in camp I first started to focus on pushups and pullups just as an easy way to stay in shape. In adition to the pushup drop, you’d also move laterally as far as you could to the left, then the right and then back up. When I was in college and pledging, I think 108 was the most I ever did, that abbreviated by a time limit. Now though, years removed from a single one, I’m guessing a dozen would wipe me out and probably necessitate a Flexeril that evening. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/16 "2012-01-24T15:03:06Z")
46yo male. 40 to 50 depending on my energy level. Though I suppose if I were active duty military I’d be about 40# lighter and closer to 100 pushups. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/17 "2012-01-24T15:19:27Z")
It’s rare that I see correct push-ups, especially further into the count, movements become less and less, some only going up and down a couple of inches, and considering that a push-up. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/18 "2012-01-24T15:21:05Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > What counts as a push up? > > Nose touching the ground? Body kept perfectly straight? Even the nose touching the ground still allows one to stretch one’s neck down, not requiring as much elbow movement. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/19 "2012-01-24T15:28:29Z")
The link is to the army pt standards. FYI minimum passing score is 60 points. And the current standard is how many you do in 2 minutes. You can stop within the 2 minutes but can’t rest, go to your knees. The new changed pt test proposes to do how many before stopping but it’s not in effect yet. Eta without stopping I can do about 40 at age 44. ---
**Author:** ![svrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@svrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svrider)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/20 "2012-01-24T15:30:33Z")
Male 35 and I can do 30. I’m started following a pushup app on the phone right and the 30 I did is with touching the phone with my nose. I could do 10 a couple of months ago before I started swimming. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474.md?page=2)