Is 20 pushups in a row good?

Is 20 pushups in a row good? Yes, it is. Doing 20 pushups puts you ahead of most people. A 2021 survey of over 1,400 Americans found that 53.8% of adults cannot do more than 10 consecutive pushups. More than a third cannot even manage 5. So if you can bang out 20, you are already in the top half of the population.

But let’s dig deeper. The real question is whether 20 pushups means you are fit, healthy and strong. The answer depends on your age, your goals and what you want from your body.

How Does 20 Pushups Compare to Average?

According to data from the Mayo Clinic, here is what counts as “good” for men by age group.

1. Age 25 to 29 years old and 28 to 35 pushups is considered good
2. Age 30 to 39 years old and 21 to 29 pushups is considered good
3. Age 40 to 49 years old and 16 to 24 pushups is considered good
4. Age 50 to 59 years old and 12 to 20 pushups is considered good
5. Age 60 to 65 years old and 10 to 16 pushups is considered good

For women, the numbers run a bit lower because of differences in upper body muscle mass between sexes. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research confirms that body weight distribution and muscle use vary between men and women during pushups.

So if you are a 35 year old man doing 20 pushups, you fall right in the middle of “good” range. A 45 year old woman doing 20 would be above average. Context matters.

What Muscles Do Pushups Work?

Pushups hit your chest, shoulders, triceps and core all at once. The pectoralis major does the heavy lifting. Your triceps kick in hard during the pushing phase. The front part of your shoulders, called the anterior deltoid, works throughout the movement. And your abs, obliques and lower back muscles fire to keep your body in a straight line.

A 2020 study on muscle activation during pushups found the triceps and pectoralis major showed the highest electrical activity during standard pushups. The serratus anterior muscle along your ribs also gets solid work because it stabilizes your shoulder blade.

Trainer Eric Sung puts it simply. “It definitely works your chest and you will get a good upper body pump in your chest and arms. Then based on the variation you use, you could argue it hits your triceps while getting some front delt work as well.”

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Can Pushups Predict Heart Health?

Here is where things get interesting. A landmark 2019 study published in JAMA Network Open tracked 1,104 male firefighters for 10 years. The researchers wanted to know if pushup ability could predict heart disease risk.

The results were striking. Men who could do more than 40 pushups had a 96% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who could only do 10 or fewer. Even being able to do 11 to 20 pushups showed lower risk than the bottom group.

Dr. Justin Yang from Harvard School of Public Health led the study. He said pushup capacity was more strongly associated with cardiovascular disease risk than treadmill test results. That is a big deal because treadmill tests are expensive and time consuming. Pushups cost nothing.

Dr. Stefanos Kales from Harvard Medical School recommends that anyone whose pushup count ends before 10 should talk to a doctor or trainer about increasing fitness and strength.

How Many Pushups Should You Aim For?

Based on the research, here are some solid targets.

1. Beginner level means 5 to 15 pushups with good form
2. Intermediate level means 20 to 40 pushups and this shows good fitness
3. Advanced level means 50 or more pushups and demonstrates strong endurance

Getting to 30 to 40 pushups shows a great level of strength, athleticism and fitness. This number is enough to qualify for police, firefighting and all military branches.

One study found that going from under 10 pushups to over 30 was associated with a 75% reduction in heart disease risk. Getting to 40 pushups dropped that risk by 96%.

What If You Cannot Do 20 Pushups Yet?

Start where you are. The research shows that even doing a few pushups and building from there creates real health benefits. Exercise improves your biomarkers of health even without weight loss, according to multiple studies.

Here is a simple progression plan.

1. Wall pushups if you are just starting out. Stand facing a wall and push away from it
2. Incline pushups with hands on a bench or sturdy chair
3. Knee pushups to build strength while keeping good form
4. Standard pushups once you can do 8 to 10 incline pushups easily

Train pushups 2 to 3 times per week with rest days between. Your muscles need time to recover and grow stronger. Studies show that doing pushups daily without rest can actually stall your progress.

A good rule of thumb from fitness coach advice is to work at about 70% to 80% of your max. If your max is 20 pushups, do sets of 14 to 16 reps. Then test your max again after a few weeks.

Does Pushup Form Matter?

Absolutely. A pushup only counts if you do it right. That means lowering your chest close to the floor, keeping your body in a straight line and fully extending your arms at the top.

Bad form does two things. It inflates your rep count with reps that do not actually build muscle. And it increases your injury risk, especially in your shoulders, wrists and lower back.

Keep your elbows at about 45 degrees from your body. Do not let them flare straight out to the sides. Keep your core tight and your glutes squeezed. Lower yourself slowly, pause at the bottom and push back up with control.

Are Pushups Enough for Upper Body Strength?

Pushups build real strength. One study found they provide comparable strength gains to the bench press when done correctly and consistently. But they work best as part of a complete program.

For balanced development, add some pulling exercises like rows or pullups. This prevents muscle imbalances between your pushing and pulling muscles. Your shoulders will thank you.

For hypertrophy, which means building bigger muscles, you can use rep ranges anywhere from 5 to 30 reps according to research. The key is pushing your sets close to failure and challenging yourself with progressive overload over time.

FAQs

Is 20 pushups a day enough to build muscle?

Twenty pushups done once per day will maintain basic fitness but will not build much muscle on their own. For muscle growth, you need multiple sets that challenge your muscles close to failure. Try 3 to 4 sets of pushups 2 to 3 times per week instead.

How long does it take to go from 20 to 40 pushups?

With consistent training 2 to 3 times per week, most people can double their pushup count in 8 to 12 weeks. The key is progressive overload and adding reps or sets each week while keeping good form.

Are pushups better than bench press?

They work similar muscles but each has advantages. Pushups require no equipment, engage your core more and can be done anywhere. Bench press lets you load more weight for maximum strength gains. Research shows both build upper body strength effectively.

Can women build muscle with pushups?

Yes. Women can absolutely build chest, shoulder and tricep muscle with pushups. The average female lifter can do 19 reps according to Strength Level data. Women may start with fewer reps than men but the muscle building principles are the same.

Do pushups burn fat?

Pushups burn calories and build muscle, which raises your metabolism. But you cannot target fat loss in one specific area of your body. Fat loss comes from being in a caloric deficit overall. Pushups are part of that equation but not a magic solution for belly fat.

What happens if I do pushups every day?

Daily pushups without rest days can lead to overtraining and slow your progress. Your muscles grow during recovery, not during the workout itself. Training pushups every other day or 3 times per week with rest between gives better results for most people.

Your strength performance is influenced by recovery – learn if seven hours of sleep is enough to build muscle. Performance standards also vary by life stage, so check how many pushups you should do based on your age. To improve your pushup count and overall strength, train with a personal trainer in Epping.