# Poll: how many pushups? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081 "2002-04-23T01:20:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/41 "2002-04-23T21:32:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\*Oh. Lest someone think that I just decided, out of the blue, to do a hundredn and fifty one pushups during a commercial break … I started “training” around February of that year. Training consisted of doing pushups until I couldn’t. then resting for a few minutes, then doing more. Getting to 75 was a joke (hey, I don’t weigh very much, and my arms are … rather strong). Getting to 100 was … decently easy. 125 was pushing it, and I haven’t gotten closer than 130 (if that) since. > > Of course, I also don’t care enough anymore to do 500 pushups a day. And I have better things to do with my time than take 30 minutes and do 500 pushups:) > > And on a side note … **gobear** , I wonder if, next dopefest we’re both at, you’d be willing to try a kind of pushup I haven’t been able to do yet (lack of someone else to try it with) … it’s basically a clap pushup?with the caveat that you’re clapping someone **else** ’s hand. You face the other person, go down, then up and then clap your right hand with the other person’s right. Except I’m thinking we could do both hands. Fair warning: it’s **really** difficult. Think about pushing hard enough on your way up that you could clap twice. > > Yeah. There’s a reason I haven’t found anyone yet who was a viable candidate for trying it out. You don’t just hafta be strong, you have to be STRONG. \*\* Fair warning to you- your wrists are taking a severe pounding when do all of this. I had the push-up jones worse than you while in the Navy. Used to do 50 push-up sets for 1000+ push-up days- and had done all of the varients. Tops was close to 150 good ones + a number more of crappy ones. Went into the martial arts after the military (still had some macho to work out). Lots of heavy bag work and more push-ups. Result- is that my wrists become extremely sore and sensitive if I try to do more than 15 push-ups in a day. Had to give up martial arts, push-ups and be real careful with weight training- saw some doc’s without luck heavens knows whats wrong in there- I can only imagine. . . . _-me_ ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/42 "2002-04-24T00:33:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elf6c \* > **Fair warning to you- your wrists are taking a severe pounding when do all of this** I think I’ve found something that works well for me to prevent this. I noticed after awhile that my wrists would ‘snap’ when I rolled them around after doing thirty/forty-odd pushups. Instead of doing the ‘traditional’ palms to the floor position, I made my hands into fists, and did pushups on the flat part of my knuckles on the floor (like you’re punching the floor). Sure, it takes a little practice, but it straightens out your wrist and _really_ toughens up your hands for a solid right hook 😃 Tripler Not that I’ve ever had to right hook someone. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/43 "2002-04-24T00:36:36Z")
**Age:** 16 **Sex:** Male **Pushups:** Around 15 ---
**Author:** ![Mnementh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mnementh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mnementh)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/44 "2002-04-24T05:27:12Z")
Male, age 21. Just did 51 in a minute. Gotta work on that… ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@Dave\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_D)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/45 "2002-04-24T05:31:55Z")
30 year old male here. Lets see I do about 30 push-ups at once but I have my feet proped up on the rail on the side of my bed.(So at full extension of my arms my body is pretty much horizontal.) Damn, guess I’m a loon, I only started doing them so I could make my arms strong enough to do a kip-up ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/46 "2002-04-24T06:00:23Z")
Female age: 47 20 pushups (touching my chin to the floor) ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/47 "2002-04-24T10:35:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elf6c \* > Fair warning to you- your wrists are taking a severe pounding when do all of this. Oh, I know:) I tried it out yesterday and I was able to do about five with an imaginary partner before I basically said “fuck this, I have better things to waste my wrists over”. But otherwise I can just do pushups with my fists if my wrists aren’t feeling up to it. And re: kips, I’ve found the most success doing those is not with the strength of my arms but the rollof my neck. If I get my weight moving back properly, and i snap my neck properly (yeahm after a couple of them I do have a headache), up I go. I use my arms for balance more’n anything else. [sub]Hmm…it would be interesting to see if I could break 151 again.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/48 "2002-04-24T11:37:58Z")
38 year old male 5’10" 190# 55 pushups in one minute ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/49 "2002-04-24T12:50:48Z")
Age: 39.75 Gender: Male Pushups: 40 in a minute Note: I am definitely out of shape, I should start working out again. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2002, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/50 "2002-04-24T21:44:32Z")
Age 36 Male 60, with a struggle on the last three. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@Dave\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_D)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/51 "2002-04-25T01:08:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\* > > And re: kips, I’ve found the most success doing those is not with the strength of my arms but the rollof my neck. If I get my weight moving back properly, and i snap my neck properly (yeahm after a couple of them I do have a headache), up I go. I use my arms for balance more’n anything else. > > \*\* Well I can do a kip thank you very much. Of course as you’ve said, you really don’t need much arm strength to do one.(Good technique, strong abs, and a flexible spine really help though:) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/52 "2002-04-25T10:45:35Z")
Male, age 48. Pushups: 25. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/53 "2002-04-25T15:25:30Z")
Male: age 42 Standard Pushups: 55 (to failure) One-armed pushups 13 (to failure) I’m just over 300# and a BIG weight-room rat. I don’t lift weights as heavy as I did in high school and college, but my form is much better now! ---
**Author:** ![papertiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce73a5/32.png) [@papertiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papertiger)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/54 "2002-04-25T17:07:44Z")
35 - 40 before the crepitus (grating bone sounds)from my right elbow and shoulder becomes too much to bear. Is that normal? I can do 60 good ones if I take a breather. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/55 "2002-04-25T17:15:25Z")
46 year old male. 1. I wanted to break 50, and I am going to the gym tonight. My all time record is 121, but that was a looooooooooong time ago. How many chin-ups can you do? My PR is 27, but the last time I did any I did 21. It was in a contest at my son’s school. I entered, got asked my age, and got put in the “Masters” division. By golly, I was going to win the overall or die in the attempt. I did, and the prize was a sweatshirt. Size small. My wife snagged it. Don’t you think someone who could win a chin-up contest would have an upper body that is larger than small? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![legsfeedthewolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@legsfeedthewolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legsfeedthewolf)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/56 "2011-06-29T20:20:15Z")
49 male 5-7 160 lbs 60 good ones. 100 in about 2:30 min. 60 nonstop-wait 45 seconds-25-wait 30 seconds-10-wait 15 seconds-and then 5. wait 5 minutes and do 100 nonstop curls with the strongest 20 lb purple resistance chords wait 1 hour and then go for a 6 mile run at a 7:30/mile pace i try to do this 2-3x/wk it all takes about an hour- 1:30… better than watching tv anytime!!! red hot chili peppers—throw away your television!!! ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/57 "2011-06-29T20:26:45Z")
31 Male Oh, the last time I did them and counted it was 130. But I’m a pushup professional. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/58 "2011-06-29T20:27:54Z")
Zombie: age 9. None. My arms have rotted off. ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/59 "2011-06-29T20:46:54Z")
Pushups are one of those mundane things I managed to get by without ever learning how to do. It literally does not compute for me how I am supposed to lift my body off the floor without bending my spine. ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081/60 "2011-06-29T20:48:02Z")
Male, 35. I (try to) do 50 -100 per day, but I can only do 25 at one go. Drops down to 20 if I’ve eased off them for as little as a week. No pull-ups or chin-ups – and I built a little rig in the attic of my antepenultimate apartment just for training this. I think I’m too heavy (not that fat, these days) and don’t plain don’t have the muscles for them. I guess the Corps won’t get theirs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-many-pushups/105081.md?page=4)