Guides · Tests and norms

How Many Push-Ups in a Minute Is Good?

One-minute push-up numbers from the Air Force, a police academy and the Cooper Institute, how to run a fair 60-second test, and why it differs from a max set.

By the Beastie team · 4 October 2026

For most adults under 30, about 25 to 30 good push-ups in a minute (men) or 13 to 15 (women) is where published one-minute tests start to give you credit. The top of the Air Force chart, for under-25s, is 67 for men and 50 for women. Those markers come from three real sources: the Air Force's one-minute push-up chart, a state police academy standard built on Cooper Institute norms, and the Cooper Institute's own example. There is no single official "per minute" norm for everyone, and anyone who quotes a precise percentile is probably estimating.

Published one-minute push-up numbers

The numbers fall with age in both the police and Air Force tables. For men in their 40s, the Pennsylvania entry standard is 15. The Air Force chart starts scoring men aged 40 to 44 at 21 and gives full points at 52. The full age tables are in our guides to police fitness test push-ups and military push-up standards.

Three things to keep in mind when reading these:

• A standard isn't a norm. The Cooper Institute makes this point itself: a norm tells you where you rank against people your age, while a standard is a minimum for a job. The Pennsylvania figure is a pass mark at the 30th percentile, not an "average".
• The rep rule changes the number. Pennsylvania counts a rep when your chest touches the tester's fist or your elbows reach 90 degrees. Some other tests go deeper or shallower. A minute of half-reps isn't comparable to a minute of full ones.
• The Air Force scores, it doesn't grade. Its chart gives points; whether you pass depends on the Air Force's own rules for the whole assessment.

Why "per minute" and "in a row" are different questions

The most widely quoted push-up norms, the ACSM and CSEP tables, don't use a clock at all. You do as many push-ups as you can in a row without stopping, and most people reach failure well inside a minute. We've covered those norms by age and sex on how many push-ups can the average person do, so we won't repeat them here.

A one-minute test measures something slightly different:

• Rest is often allowed. Pennsylvania's academy test allows rest in the up position, arms straight. The Navy's two-minute test allows the same. So a minute can include a breather at the top, which a max-in-a-row set doesn't.
• Pacing matters. In a max set you go until you stop. In a minute you're trading speed against clean depth, and fast reps tend to get shallow.
• The two results don't convert. There's no published formula that turns a max-in-a-row result into a per-minute figure, or the other way round. If you need a one-minute number, test a minute.

How to run a fair 60-second push-up test

1. Warm up first. A few minutes of easy movement and a handful of slow push-ups.
2. Write down the rep rule before you start. Decide how low counts (elbows at 90 degrees, or chest to a fist) and that a rep only counts back at straight arms. Hips stay in line with your shoulders and ankles.
3. Decide on rest. We suggest the police-academy rule: rest only in the up position, with no knees on the floor.
4. Use a real timer and one counter. A friend who counts out loud and skips any rep that misses depth, or a camera counter set up side-on.
5. Count only full reps. A rep that doesn't reach depth or doesn't lock out doesn't count, however fast it was.
6. Do one attempt, and repeat it the same way. Same rule, same time of day, every few weeks. Your own trend matters more than any table.

If you're comparing with a friend, run the test with the same rules for both of you. Our push-up competition rules give you a ready-made set. If you're building up to full push-ups, knee push-ups vs push-ups explains how the two compare.

Reading your result

Once you have a number, compare it with the table for the test you actually care about. If you're applying to a police academy, use that agency's published standard. If you're joining the military, use your service's chart, and remember the Army, Marine Corps and Navy tests last two minutes, not one. If you're just curious, your best comparison is your own last result under the same rules. A jump of a few clean reps in a month is real progress. A sudden jump of fifteen is worth a second look: check that the rep rule didn't slip.

Where Beastie fits

Beastie's live duel is 60 seconds long: you and a friend, two phone cameras, and the most clean push-ups wins. The phone counts on the device and the video is never uploaded or stored. It only counts a push-up when your elbows bend past about 90 degrees and come back to straight arms, and it checks your body line for a sagging hip. That's Beastie's own game rule. It isn't the Pennsylvania, Air Force or any other official standard, and Beastie doesn't certify a test result. It does give you the same strict count every time, which is what a fair minute needs. Read more on the push-up counter page.

Your first counted set is free (a solo set or a duel you start). After that, it's Beastie Pro, which starts with a 7-day free trial. Answering a friend's challenge is always free. Get Beastie.

This is general fitness information, not medical advice. Check with a professional before you start a new training plan, and stop if you feel pain.

Questions people ask

How many push-ups in a minute is good for a man?

There is no single official answer, but published one-minute tests give useful markers. For men under 30, a Pennsylvania police academy entry standard based on Cooper norms is 26. The Air Force chart starts scoring at 30 for men under 25 and gives full points at 67. The Cooper Institute's own example puts 34 at the 70th percentile for men aged 30 to 39.

How many push-ups in a minute is good for a woman?

For women aged 18 to 29, the Pennsylvania police academy entry standard is 13 push-ups in a minute. The Air Force chart starts scoring at 15 for women under 25 and gives full points at 50.

Is a push-up test usually one minute?

Not always. The common ACSM and CSEP norms count as many push-ups as you can do in a row, with no time limit. Many police academy tests and the Air Force use one minute. The Army, Marine Corps and Navy use two minutes.

Can I rest during a one-minute push-up test?

It depends on the test. Pennsylvania's police academy test allows rest only in the up position, with arms straight. If you're testing yourself, pick that rule and stick to it every time so your results stay comparable.

Does Beastie run an official one-minute push-up test?

No. Beastie's live duel lasts 60 seconds and only counts clean reps, by its own rule: elbows past about 90 degrees and back to straight arms, with the body line checked. It is a game and practice tool, not an official test, and it doesn't certify a result.

Sources

• Air Force Personnel Center: PFRA scoring charts, effective 1 March 2026 (PDF)
• Pennsylvania MPOETC: Physical fitness standards for the police academy
• The Cooper Institute: Fitness norms and fitness standards are apples and oranges (2017)
• U.S. Navy: Guide-5A, Physical Readiness Test, December 2025 (PDF)
• Beastie: how many push-ups can the average person do?

Keep reading

• Military Push-Up Standards 2026: Army, Marines, Navy, AF
• Police Fitness Test Push-Ups: Real Academy Standards
• What Counts as a Push-Up? The Full Rep, Defined