How to do more push-ups: a 28-day plan
To do more push-ups, train them several times a week at a level you can do with good form, add a few reps every week, and move to a harder version once sets feel easy. This 28-day plan does exactly that, starting from wherever you are today, even if that is zero full push-ups.
By the MuscleOG team · Updated October 28, 2026
Step 1: test your starting point
Warm up, then do as many good push-ups as you can in one set: chest close to the floor, body straight, no sagging hips. Stop when your form breaks. Your result decides your starting version:
| Full push-ups | Start with |
|---|---|
| 0 | Incline push-ups (hands on a counter or table) |
| 1–4 | Knee push-ups |
| 5–14 | Full push-ups |
| 15+ | Full push-ups, adding diamond or slow 3-second push-ups in week 3 |
Write the number down. You will test again on day 28.
Step 2: train 4 days a week
Do push-ups on 4 days a week, for example Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Each session is 5 sets of your chosen version with 60–90 seconds of rest. Every set should end 1–2 reps before your form breaks.
| Week | Reps per set | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | About half your max | Learn to keep the body straight on every rep |
| 2 | Half your max + 1–2 | Lower in 2 seconds |
| 3 | Half your max + 3–4 | Make the last set a max-effort set (good form only) |
| 4 | Same as week 3 on days 1–2, then rest 2 days | Day 28: test your max again |
If you can do 3 sets of 15 of your version with clean form, switch to the next harder one and drop back to about 8 reps per set.
Why it works
Strength comes from doing a movement often and making it slightly harder over time. Short, frequent sessions give you a lot of good-quality practice without tiring you out, and stopping short of failure means you recover in time for the next session. Most people who follow this plan add several reps to their max in four weeks; how many depends on where you start.
Form checklist for every rep
- Hands a little wider than your shoulders, fingers forward.
- Squeeze your glutes and stomach so your body forms a straight line.
- Elbows at about 45° from your body, not flared straight out.
- Chest to a fist’s height from the floor, then press all the way up.
The full step-by-step and the common mistakes are on the push-up exercise page.
Help the push-ups along
Push-ups use the chest, shoulders, triceps and core. On one or two other days, a Plank and some chair dips or pike push-ups build the supporting muscles. Train your back too, with door-frame rows or superman holds, to keep your shoulders balanced.
Common questions
Can I do push-ups every day?
Easy sets every day are fine for most people. Hard sets close to failure need a day of rest between them, which is why this plan uses 4 days, not 7.
My wrists hurt. What can I do?
Turn your hands slightly out, spread your fingers, or do push-ups on fists or on push-up handles so your wrists stay straight. Incline push-ups also put less weight on the wrists.
What is a good number of push-ups?
It depends on your age, sex and bodyweight. Rather than chasing a number from a chart, aim to beat your own result from 4 weeks ago.
General fitness information, not medical advice. Check with your doctor before starting if you have a health condition, an injury or are pregnant, and stop if an exercise causes pain.