The Student Room Group

How many 'Push-ups' should I be able to do? (16 years old)

I'm a 16 year old male. I'm merely wondering how many push-ups on average I should be able to do.

You should note:

-I do not do weight training
-I'm above 6 ft
-According to my BMI, I am underweight

I'd also appreciate it if you didn't comment saying:

"i dunno but i can do 76 sets of 148 reps coz im gud"

I'm just wondering how many I should be able to do at my age.
Reply 1
Uhm, well, thats really an open ended question isn't it?

You 'should' be able to do as many as you can. There is no fixed number, no empirically agreed and tested 'average' for the number of pressups a 16 year old could do.

But if you work out, you should expect to do more than somebody who doesn't...
Reply 2
Theres is no "i should be able to do this many". When I was 16 I couldnt do any. At 21 (now) i can do around 50. You just need to train.
Reply 3
Original post by kevin440
Theres is no "i should be able to do this many". When I was 16 I couldnt do any. At 21 (now) i can do around 50. You just need to train.


That's why I was asking this question, right now I can only do about 10 before I'm collapsing.

Just wondering if it was normal for a guy my age to not be able to do many.
Reply 4
Original post by Akimbo Slice
I'm a 16 year old male. I'm merely wondering how many push-ups on average I should be able to do.

You should note:

-I do not do weight training
-I'm above 6 ft
-According to my BMI, I am underweight

I'd also appreciate it if you didn't comment saying:

"i dunno but i can do 76 sets of 148 reps coz im gud"

I'm just wondering how many I should be able to do at my age.


If you're 16 then look at doing 100 for a good fitness level. Of course not at one go. Do five sets of 20. Make sure they are not half pushups but you touch the floor with your nose on each one of them. Other than giving you upper body strength, you will find a great increase in stamina.

Also note that in the beginning you will find it hard and your body will sore but within a week you should have settled in and you will the notice that the more you keep doing, the more easier you will find it. So for the first week you might want to start off with two sets of 20 and then increase after that.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 5
Thanks
Reply 6
Original post by HRH2
If you're 16 then look at doing 100 for a good fitness level. Of course not at one go. Do five sets of 20. Make sure they are not half pushups but you touch the floor with your nose on each one of them. Other than giving you upper body strength, you will find a great increase in stamina.

Also note that in the beginning you will find it hard and your body will sore but within a week you should have settled in and you will the notice that the more you keep doing, the more easier you will find it. So for the first week you might want to start off with two sets of 20 and then increase after that.


Rofl-waffle.
For a male aged 16-29 14 push ups with good form (hands shoulder width apart, bending elbows at 90 degrees) in 60 seconds is generally considered the low end of the average strength range, i.e body strength without any specific training.
Reply 8
Reply 9
Original post by Shawshank
Rofl-waffle.


Whats so funny? It's a real work out routine.
Reply 10
Original post by Akimbo Slice
I'm a 16 year old male. I'm merely wondering how many push-ups on average I should be able to do.

You should note:

-I do not do weight training
-I'm above 6 ft
-According to my BMI, I am underweight

I'd also appreciate it if you didn't comment saying:

"i dunno but i can do 76 sets of 148 reps coz im gud"

I'm just wondering how many I should be able to do at my age.


At 16 when i had never gone to them gym before i could do about 10.
Now i can do about 40 at 17/18
Reply 11
I could do a grand total of about roughly on average maybe 1 at that age
Reply 12
If your chest does't touch the floor you're not using 100% ROM.
Reply 13
Original post by HRH2
Whats so funny? It's a real work out routine.


You don't know anything about his current level of fitness, if you knew he could only do two pushups would you recommend sets of 20? Also, beyond maybe 15 or so you'll only be building endurance, not strength.
Reply 14
Original post by Akimbo Slice

Original post by Akimbo Slice
I'm a 16 year old male. I'm merely wondering how many push-ups on average I should be able to do.

You should note:

-I do not do weight training
-I'm above 6 ft
-According to my BMI, I am underweight

I'd also appreciate it if you didn't comment saying:

"i dunno but i can do 76 sets of 148 reps coz im gud"

I'm just wondering how many I should be able to do at my age.


Mate you're only 16 so you have nothing to worry about.

If your strength level can only withstand 10 reps then what you should do is do maybe 10 reps of 10 sets.

Im 19 and I currently do 30 reps of 5 sets every 2 days with chest touching the ground but then I regularly work out.

Don't feel you will need to do 50 reps to gain upper body strength. You could gain this strength if you do your absolute best which is the 10 reps and after a while you could then try to increase it to 15.

Most people on here that claim to do 50-60 reps accurately are lying. It is impossible to do 60 reps with arms fully extended and chest touching the floor as you go down.

So do what your best is and don't listen to people who claim they do a 100 reps at once with accurate technique.
Reply 15
Original post by Akimbo Slice
That's why I was asking this question, right now I can only do about 10 before I'm collapsing.

Just wondering if it was normal for a guy my age to not be able to do many.

10??? my 8 year old sister can do ten perfect, your sixteen at least one set of 60
There is no number you should be able to do. It varies. I could do 20 at sixteen whilst being unfit but I was not skinny. I had a friend who was skinny and could run forever but he could barely do 1 press-up properly.
Reply 17
Listen to eminem - till I collapse!
Get it?? :smile:
Hi guys! This is a good question. Now i'm 19 and my height is only 160cm. This is my Work out schedule:
1. Crunch: 3 sets 30reps/1 set
2. Plank : 5 mins continuously
3. Push up : 3 sets 100 reps totally
If you are interested in my work out, you can do this. Just keep that good habit. Push up is a good exercise and you just do until you can't do.
Please don't bump old threads :smile:

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