How Many Pushups Should You Do Per Day?

The right number of pushups per day depends on your goals, your current fitness level, and how well you recover. There's no magic universal number — but there are clear benchmarks that work for most people.

Here's how to figure out what makes sense for you.

For Beginners: 20–50 Per Day

If you're just starting out, 20 to 50 quality pushups per day is plenty. Break them into sets of 5 to 10 and focus entirely on form. Your muscles and joints need time to adapt to the stress.

It's better to do 3 sets of 10 perfect pushups than to rush through 30 sloppy ones. You'll build strength faster and avoid the injuries that sideline most beginners.

For Intermediate: 50–100 Per Day

Once you can do 15 to 20 strict pushups in a row, you're ready for higher volume. Aim for 50 to 100 per day, split across multiple sets throughout the day or within a single workout.

This is also when you should start varying your pushup style — diamond, wide-grip, and decline variations all hit slightly different muscles.

For Advanced: 100–200+ Per Day

If you can do 30+ strict pushups in a row, your goal is likely more muscle endurance or hypertrophy. 100 to 200 pushups per day is achievable, but you need to prioritize recovery.

At this level, consider adding weighted pushups (with a backpack or weight vest) for continued progression. Straight bodyweight alone stops being challenging.

Should You Really Do Them Every Day?

Honestly, no — at least not heavy sets. Your muscles need recovery time to grow. Doing 100 pushups daily is fine if the volume is split up and you're not going to failure every time.

A smarter approach is to alternate hard days with lighter days. For example: Monday hard, Tuesday easy, Wednesday hard, Thursday rest. This builds strength faster than max volume every day.

Track Your Progress

Without tracking, you won't know if you're actually getting stronger. DROP automatically counts and logs every pushup you do, so you can see your progress over time — no spreadsheets, no guessing.