Buzz
As we near the finish line in our year-end benchmark series, it’s time to evaluate your flexibility and your progress towards (or mastery of) pull-ups. Now, let’s shift the focus to push-ups.
We’ve got plenty of tips on improving your push-ups and advice on what to do if full push-ups are beyond your current capacity. But remember, these are benchmarks. While a benchmark session may take up part or all of your workout (because let’s face it, it’s tough!), it’s primarily a strength test, not a training guide. Just like the pull-up benchmarks from last week: exercises like negatives and dumbbell rows weren’t included because they build strength, not necessarily test it.
Now, let’s dive into the tests. The standard method for assessing push-up ability is counting how many you can do, but I’m not a fan of that. If you can barely manage one or two, it’s more a test of strength. If you can perform 15, 20, or even 50, it becomes more of a test of endurance and your ability to endure repetition.
Instead, I recommend this approach: Choose something from the list below that you can perform 5 to 10 times with perfect form. Record a video of yourself doing it.
Wall push-ups (measure the distance of your feet from the wall: maybe two foot-lengths?)
Stair push-ups (remember to note the step you’re using)
Negative push-ups on the floor (maintain a solid plank position, resetting each time)
Regular push-ups
Push-ups with elevated feet (note the height; you can use a staircase or a plyo box)
Handstand push-ups (indicate whether you’re kipping or keeping them strict)
Weighted or banded push-ups (be sure to note the weight)
One-arm push-ups
Next, find another exercise from the list that you can only manage one of, or almost one. Try it, and record that attempt as well. Maybe you attempt a one-arm push-up and only manage to get halfway down before your arm gives out. That’s perfect.
Next year, revisit these benchmarks and give them another shot. You might discover that instead of 8 regular push-ups, you’re now able to knock out 15. Or maybe you can do two one-arm push-ups instead of collapsing halfway through. For stair push-ups, perhaps you’re currently doing them on the sixth step of your hallway stairs, and next year, you’ll be doing the same number of reps on the floor. There’s always room for improvement.
