# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/41 "2012-01-25T15:37:09Z")
None. I am so close to giving myself tendinitis in both hands from piano and guitar, things like push-ups, weights, rowing machines are all contra-indicated. If I want to exercise my arms, I swim. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/42 "2012-01-25T15:56:28Z")
I can maybe do 10 or 12. I’m 35, female, and out of shape. But I’m trying to get back in shape, so there is that! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/43 "2012-01-25T17:20:04Z")
Well, let’s see, shall we? _Onnnnnnnnnnnne!_ _Twwwwww…mmph…\< **FLOP** \>_ Let’s round it up to two! ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/44 "2012-01-25T18:42:03Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > That’s impressive. I’ve done them every day for about 40 years, in the Army PT test I would knock out 100 in way under 2 minutes when I was 36. So only impressive to most other 60 yr olds. My son, the MMA fighter can do 200 x 3, he is 32. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/45 "2012-01-25T19:52:54Z")
1. Is it still a proper pushup if my belly touches the ground first, rather than my chin? If so, 20 would be my limit, 25 if there was a gun to my head. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/46 "2012-01-25T20:47:21Z")
The last time I actually tried this was a couple years ago and I got 75. I doubt I’d get much past 50 today. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/47 "2012-01-25T21:48:46Z")
_looks around_ You can do a pushup? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/48 "2012-01-26T03:48:51Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I’ll be 52 in three months. > > 47 Reported. D&Rs 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/49 "2012-01-26T13:23:00Z")
I"m 31, Done in sets of ten using the approved rest position I can do over a 100 which puts me off the scale and in the top percentile. I quit after that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/50 "2012-01-26T20:26:36Z")
Female, 25. Just did 36. Once a week my friend and I do a hundred pushups together. But I have to take breaks. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/51 "2012-01-26T20:35:17Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > 130 (the last time I attempted such a feat anyway; it was a couple years ago). Oh well if we’re counting a couple years ago, I could do 55 pushups in a minute 2.5 years ago. Can I count that number instead? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/52 "2012-01-26T23:13:51Z")
Two months ago I could do right under 100 without stopping before I broke form, but since then I’ve been recuperating from surgery for a spiral fracture in my hand, so until the doctor says otherwise that number has gone down to a big fat zero. It’ll be interesting to see where I’m at when I get the go ahead to do pushups again. Interesting and depressing, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/53 "2012-01-26T23:40:41Z")
Male, 41. Maybe 5 and could not do 10 to save my kids from death. When I was a teenager I once did 13. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/54 "2012-01-27T00:45:02Z")
it just occurred to me that I should apologize for any aches or pains that this thread may have caused. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/55 "2012-01-27T01:33:20Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > Oh well if we’re counting a couple years ago, I could do 55 pushups in a minute 2.5 years ago. Can I count that number instead? 😃 I don’t doubt that I could match my 130 of a couple years’ ago today. I only counted it because it was the last time I actually attempted pushups to failure. (And sure, count that 55 ;)) ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/56 "2012-01-27T01:47:28Z")
Have I seen this thread before? Anyway, my answer is 11, which may seem pathetic to you fit people, but I’m pretty proud of it, as my upper body strength is worthy of scorn and mocking. Stamina and lower body strength, sure – no problem. But ask me to lift a gallon of milk, and watch me struggle and whine like a little girl. My arms are so sad that I’ve actually abandoned all efforts to improve my them entirely. Fortunately for me, I’m shallow, so as long as I don’t have that turkey gobbler thing going on, I’m good, even though I’m weak. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/57 "2012-02-01T09:50:02Z")
I’m 55, and can do about 12. You all shouldn’t be embarrassed, tho; I’ve been doing these for years, so, naturally I’m going to have an athlete’s edge. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474/58 "2012-02-01T16:38:29Z")
Yahoo Health says that for men: Below average: Fewer than 15 pushups Average: 16 to 29 pushups Above average: 30 to 44 pushups Men’s Health Fit: 45+ pushups Not sure how this translates for women. But I won’t lie, I’m pretty damn proud of being a woman who can perform above average for a man! Source: [How Fit Are You?](http://health.yahoo.net/experts/menshealth/how-fit-are-you-draft) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-push-ups-can-you-do-without-stopping/610474.md?page=2)