How to Increase the Number of Pushups You Can Do

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Push-ups are a great mainstay of any exercise routine. They work several upper body muscle groups, don’t require too much time, and don’t require any gym equipment at all. However, many people feel intimidated by push-ups because they cannot do very many at a time. With regular practice and a solid routine, anyone can increase the overall number of push-ups they can do.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Doing Push-Ups Three-to-Four Times Per Week

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Increase the Number of Pushups You Can Do
    In order to take accurate readings of the push-ups you do, you must first make sure you’re performing a proper push-up each time. A push-up in good form will work your chest, arms, shoulders, and upper body. [1] You want to keep your arms just over shoulder-width apart and keep both your back and legs straight for every repetition. [2]
    • For more information on proper push-up technique, you can visit: How to Do a Push-Up .
    • Remember that you only go low enough for your chin to touch the floor while keeping the rest of your body elevated. [3]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Increase the Number of Pushups You Can Do
    In order to increase the number of push-ups you can do, you must first find out what that number is. Do as many push-ups as you can in good form until you feel the muscles shake and you simply cannot do another. You also want to time the amount of time it takes you to do your maximum number of push-ups.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Increase the Number of Pushups You Can Do
    You want to allow yourself to rest for the same amount of time that it took you to do the first set of push-ups. For most beginners taking a baseline reading, this will likely be between 45 seconds and 2 minutes. [4]
    • Since you need to track your baseline and progress, take the rest time to write down the number of push-ups you did.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Increase the Number of Pushups You Can Do
    One single set of push-ups alone will not work the muscle groups enough to see overall progress very quickly, so you want to perform at least three sets of as many push-ups as you can do. You want to continue timing each set, so you can take an equivalent-length rest between each set.
    • It’s perfectly normal to perform fewer push-ups until muscle failure with each subsequent set, so don’t allow that to discourage you. With practice, you’ll see increases in the number in each set you can do.
  5. Once you have done all three sets of your maximum amount of push-ups, chart your baseline for sets one, two, and three as well as the amount of time that each set took you.
  6. You’re likely to feel some ache in your muscles the day after your baseline, which is perfectly normal. You may be itching to get started on doing more push-ups, but this routine will offer the best results if you do it three-to-four times per week so basically, every other day. [5]
    EXPERT TIP

    Monica Morris

    ACE Certified Personal Trainer
    Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.
    Monica Morris
    ACE Certified Personal Trainer

    Waiting 3 days may offer even more benefits. Let's say you do your push-ups on one day. If you do them the next day, it will tax your muscle fibers and you won't develop as much muscle. You also won't be able to perform the same, because those muscles will be tired. I suggest doing push-ups maybe every 3 days, and try to do more each time than you did before. So if you do 20 push-ups, you'd wait 3 days, then try to do 22 the next time, then 24 the time after that.

  7. Watermark wikiHow to Increase the Number of Pushups You Can Do
    When the next workout day comes around, perform the same routine you did to find your baseline, but try to increase the number in each set of push-ups by at least one.
    • You likely will not be able to increase the number in each set every time you work out, but that’s okay. If you reach such a plateau, hold yourself to that number for three or four workout sessions, and then try to increase the amount after several days.
    • Continue charting the results, and you’ll begin seeing more push-ups performed in less time over several weeks.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Increase the Number of Pushups You Can Do
    Once you’re comfortable with this routine, you can start working additional muscle groups by varying the type of push-up you do. Follow the same set structure, but try diamond push-ups for the first set, standard push-ups for the second set, and do the third set with your arms set slightly wider. [6]
    • This will give you a more complete workout of the push-up muscle groups.
    • You’ll definitely notice that you’re capable of fewer overall push-ups with this variation, so take a new baseline measurement to start with.
    • You can also diversify your routine and give your body a break from push-ups with other arm-strengthening exercises like barbell curls or weighted pull-ups.
    • Reader Poll: We asked 284 wikiHow readers and 51% of them agreed that the best exercise for building arm strength is weighted pull-ups . [Take Poll]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Doing Push-Ups Every Day

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  1. As with the first step in the first method, you want to make sure that you’re performing correct push-ups for each repetition. You can find more information for push-up form at: How to Do a Push-Up . [7]
  2. This method also requires a baseline measurement of how many push-ups you can do; however, you’re not going to do several sets. Perform just one set of as many push-ups as possible until you cannot do more.
    • As you’re doing the push-ups, keep a mental tally of how many you were able to do comfortably and where the push-ups become more difficult. This will vary greatly from person to person.
  3. Since you did push-ups to exhaustion while discovering your baseline, wait two days before beginning your daily regimen. This will give your muscles time to rest before you begin the larger project.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Increase the Number of Pushups You Can Do
    Using the number right where your push-ups went from comfortable to more difficult during your baseline test, begin doing a single set of this many push-ups per day for a week. By doing a number right at the edge of your comfort level but not to exhaustion, you’re putting less strain on your muscles, which makes a more sustainable daily regimen.
    • Even within the seven day period, you can create smaller goals for yourself by trying to decrease the amount of time it takes you to do your push-ups.
  5. This method offers a more controlled way of increasing your push-up count by allowing you to gradually increase the number each week. If your number for the first week was ten push-ups per day, try increasing that number to eleven or twelve per day in the second week and so on across subsequent weeks.
    • Remember not to increase the number in such a way that you’re doing push-ups to exhaustion because that type of rigorous daily strain can damage your muscles and set you back while you recover.
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  • Question
    I can do push-ups fine, but I can't do a lot in a row. I do karate, and I need to do push-ups a lot. How can I get better?
    Community Answer
    Increase your frequency of doing them. Also increase the amount you do in one session. So, do 10 one day, then they next day do 11 or 12 and keep increasing.
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  • Question
    What if I can't do a pushup at all?
    Haley Conklin
    Community Answer
    Everyone has got to start somewhere, so if you find it hard to complete one regular pushup, try modifying your technique. You can try a "tabletop pushup" with your knees and feet on the ground. Once you can do that move on to a "knee push up" with just your knees on the ground. Once you can do that move onto an "incline push up" on an elevated surface. Work your way up to a regular pushup.
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  • Question
    How many times per week should I do pushups?
    Community Answer
    Try to do pushups at least 3 to 4 times per week. If you are extremely fit or serious about becoming fit, then consider doing them 6 days per week, and giving yourself 1 day of rest.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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      Tips

      • Vary the exercise. Push-ups offer a great exercise, but they should be part of a more well-rounded routine. An intense cardio routine that burns fat is a great way to increase your overall push-up numbers since you lift less with each repetition when you lose weight!
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      • If you encounter any breaks in your typical routine, you may have to reduce your number per set until you get back into the rhythm of it. Take a new baseline if you need to, and do not let yourself get discouraged.
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      • As you become more comfortable and feel like increasing the challenge for yourself, try learning diamond push-ups or one-armed push-ups and replacing several repetitions or even entire sets with these more difficult variations.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/strength-training.html
      2. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/rise-push-ups-classic-exercise-can-motivate-get-stronger-2019021810165
      3. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/rise-push-ups-classic-exercise-can-motivate-get-stronger-2019021810165
      4. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/easy-exercises.html
      5. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sore-muscles.html
      6. ↑ https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/best-exercises-sleep
      7. ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm
      8. Videos provided by Millionaire Hoy

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To increase the number of pushups you can do, start by getting your baseline pushup number by doing as many pushups as you can and recording the number. Next, wait 2 days to give your muscles time to rest. Then, do the same baseline number of pushups every day for 1 week to start a daily pushup regimen. After that, increase the number of pushups each week. For example, if your baseline number for the first week was 10 pushups per day, try to increase that number to 11 or 12 in the second week. For more tips, like how to develop the proper pushup technique, read on!

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