Measure the muscular endurance of the upper body, specifically the pectorals, triceps, and deltoids.
Evaluate the capacity to repeat a movement under progressive fatigue.
Utilize as a general fitness assessment or to determine an athlete's training progression.
2. ⚙️ Equipment Needed
A stopwatch.
A clear floor space (exercise mat or a hard surface).
A tracking method to record completed repetitions (table, monitoring sheet, or mobile application).
3. Description of the Push-Ups Test
Starting Position:
The athlete begins in a prone position (lying face down), hands placed shoulder-width apart, with elbows fully extended.
The legs must be kept straight with toes tucked and touching the floor.
The entire body must form a straight line from head to heels.
The athlete inhales deeply before initiating the movement.
Execution:
Lowering phase (Descent): The athlete flexes the elbows to lower the body until the chest lightly touches the floor (elbows must reach a minimum angle of 90°).
Raising phase (Montée): The athlete pushes through the arms to return to the starting position, ensuring the elbows are completely locked out.
Repetition: The athlete must maintain a steady, regular rhythm while performing the maximum possible number of repetitions.
Test Duration: The test can either be timed (e.g., 1 minute or 2 minutes) or performed until volitional exhaustion (maximizing the total number of repetitions).
Pauses are strictly prohibited; the movement must remain fluid and continuous throughout the test.
Termination Criteria: The test is stopped immediately when the athlete can no longer maintain proper form or if the chest fails to touch the floor. If the starting posture is compromised (e.g., hips sagging or hiking too high), the repetition is invalidated.
4. Test Scoring
The final score of the test is simply the total number of successful repetitions performed until muscular failure or within the designated time limit.
Tracking Example:
If the athlete completes 30 repetitions in 1 minute: the score is 30.
If the test is performed until failure and the athlete reaches 40 repetitions: the score is 40.
5. Example of a Push-Ups Test Log
Set
Time (min)
Number of Repetitions
1
1 min
30
2
1 min
25
3
1 min
28
Total
-
83 repetitions
6. Interpretation of Results
The normative data can be interpreted according to the following performance categories based on the number of repetitions achieved:
Beginner: Fewer than 10 repetitions.
Intermediate: Between 10 and 20 repetitions.
Advanced: Between 20 and 30 repetitions.
Expert: More than 30 repetitions.
This test allows coaches to track improvements in an athlete's upper-body conditioning and can be repeated monthly or at the end of each training cycle.
7. Monitoring and Application
Monthly Tracking: It is highly beneficial to conduct this test every month to objectively monitor progression in local muscular endurance.
Targeted Goals: If an athlete aims to enhance their upper-body muscular endurance, push-up sets should be progressively integrated into their training programs by increasing the volume over time.
Variations: Incorporate training variants (incline push-ups, close-grip push-ups) to target different muscle groups and introduce training variety.
✅ Quick Summary
Step
Action
1
Starting position: Hands under shoulders, body perfectly straight.
2
Lower the body until the chest lightly touches the floor.
3
Push up to return to the starting position with arms fully extended.
4
Count the total number of valid repetitions until failure or time limit.