Tempo Push-Ups: the standards by age and sex
Systematic-defined standard (never a published clinical cut-off) Scoring version healthspan_v2_2026_08. Red, yellow and green are Systematic standards, not published clinical cut-offs.
| Cohort | Red · Priority capacity | Yellow · Functional target | Green · Exceptional capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female, 18–34 | 0–3 reps | 4–24 reps | 25+ reps |
| Female, 35–55 | 0–2 reps | 3–19 reps | 20+ reps |
| Female, 56+ | 0–1 reps | 2–11 reps | 12+ reps |
| Male, 18–34 | 0–9 reps | 10–39 reps | 40+ reps |
| Male, 35–55 | 0–7 reps | 8–31 reps | 32+ reps |
| Male, 56+ | 0–4 reps | 5–24 reps | 25+ reps |
Key numbers
4 seconds
One full repetition: 3 seconds down, no pause, 1 second up
What Systematic recommends
Where to start
- Stand facing the counter or other stable surface, step back until your body is positioned at approximately a 45-degree angle, place feet roughly shoulder-width apart with heels flat on the ground and palms on the counter.
- Keep elbows still throughout the movement, engage midline as if holding strong plank position, keep midline stable and abdominal muscles active, and press palms firmly into counter as if trying to push it away.
- Perform movement primarily through shoulder blades rather than elbows, protract scapulas by pushing counter away from you, keep scapulas actively pressing forward throughout hold, avoid elevating shoulders, breathe comfortably and fully throughout hold.
- Hold position for 15 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, repeat for 3 total cycles, stop and reassess if you feel pain or discomfort or if you are unable to keep elbows still and midline stable or shoulders begin to elevate.
Condensed from the published Development Pathway (Tempo Push-Ups: Counter-Height Isometric Plank-Press). This is a starting point, not a training program or medical advice.
How to read the table
Find the row for your age and sex. Each row gives the number of repetitions for red, yellow and green, all Systematic standards: below the first figure is red, from there up to the green figure is yellow, and the green figure or more is green.
The figures were set by Systematic, guided by published research rather than copied from a study's percentile table, so they are not published norms. Repetitions people did at their own pace in other studies are not the same thing as repetitions at Systematic's fixed pace.
How the test is done and when it stops
Everyone does the same standard floor push-up from the toes: a straight line from ears to ankles with glutes tight, upper arms at least parallel at the bottom, and no sagging hips or arching to finish a repetition.
The pace is three seconds down, no pause at the bottom, one second up, and no rest at the top, so each repetition takes four seconds. A metronome clicks once a second to keep time.
The test ends at the first fault: not reaching depth, losing the three-second descent, not finishing the push on the one-second beat, pausing at the top or bottom, or losing the straight body line.
Why the standards differ by age and sex
The difference between men and women is handled in the standards, not by changing the movement: women are not given knee push-ups or a slower push. The standards also come down with age rather than pretending performance stays the same.
The evidence
Each cited source is labeled according to how it supports the particular claim on this page. Direct test evidence, underlying-capacity findings and population reference values are distinguished from Systematic-defined protocols and standards. Historical development notes are retained internally rather than presented as public evidence. A study of an underlying capacity is never presented as validation of the Systematic test itself.
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Underlying-capacity evidence
Yang et al. (2019). Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men. JAMA Network Open.
What it found. Among 1,104 active adult male firefighters followed for 10 years, push-up capacity carried a meaningful health signal.
What it does not show. It does not provide exact 3/0/1 scoring, female norms, or show that a Systematic Tempo Push-Up score predicts an individual's cardiovascular event risk.
The Systematic Healthspan Assessment is a physical baseline. It is not a diagnosis, and it does not estimate a biological age, a disease risk or a lifespan.