It’s true; push-ups are a phenomenal test of upper-body strength.

But they’re also a surprisingly accurate measure of your overall fitness and heart health.

So, how does your push-up performance stack up?

focused woman doing pushups on black yoga mat

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Can you breeze through multiple sets, or do you hit a wall before breaking a sweat?

Let’s break down the rankings and see where you land.

It comes down to efficiency.

man doing pushups, concept of five-move workout to build total-body strength at home

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Not where you want to be?

Boosting your push-up numbers takes a mix of strength training, endurance work, and thoughtful progressions.

If you want to improve your push-ups, consider doing them often.

woman performing pushups in the grass demonstrating how to get rid of your bra bulge

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Aim to train push-ups and other chest-focused exercises two to three times per week in your strength program.

Building chest, shoulder, and triceps strength will make push-ups feel easier.

Add exercises like:

Just like lifting weights, push-ups require progressive overload to improve.

man performing pushup exercises to lose belly fat

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Try these methods:

Since push-ups challenge endurance, improving overall cardio can help.

Mix in high-intensity interval training (HIIT), rowing, or cycling to condition your heart and lungs.

If you’re hitting 40+ reps, you’re in a great spot.

If not, now’s the time to start improving.

Your heart and body respond quickly to consistent training.

Start today, push your limits, and watch your fitnessand heart healthclimb to the next level.

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