Push-ups are a fantastic exercise for a 16-year-old.
Not only are they safe and effective, but you can do them from the comfort of your home too.
(You’d be surprised how many gyms out there won’t allow 16-year-olds access!)
If you are 16, you may be wondering how many push-ups you should be able to do.
And that’s what we’re going to answer today.
How Many Push-Ups Should A 16 Year Old Do? (Short Answer)
As a 16-year-old male, you should be able to do 15-20 push-ups per set. Whereas you should be able to do 10-15 push-ups as a 16-year-old female.
This is a rough range though and keep reading to find out why.
How Many Push-Ups Should A 16 Year Old Do? (Long Answer)
I hate to break it to you, but there’s no quick answer to the number of push-ups a 16-year-old should be able to do.
There are many factors at play which we’re now going to cover in more detail.
How Often You Do Push-Ups
The saying “practise makes perfect” is true, even when it comes to push-ups.
The more often you do push-ups, the more you’ll be able to do as your chest muscles get bigger and stronger.
If you’re someone who practises push-ups 5 times a week, then you’ll likely be able to do more push-ups than someone who only does them once a week.
How Heavy You Are
You push between 60%-70% of your total bodyweight when doing push-ups.
So, the heavier you are, the more weight you have to push.
(This explains why push-ups are more difficult if you are heavier.)
If you’re a heavy person, then you’ll likely be able to do less push-ups than a lighter person.
How Fast You Do Push-Ups
The tempo of your push-ups plays an important role too.
The slower you do push-ups, the more tension your muscles are under per rep which makes them harder. The result being, you’ll be able to do less push-ups.
On the other hand, if you do fast push-ups, you’ll be able to crank out more.
Your Gender
Men typically have more upper body strength than women.
Therefore a 16-year-old male will likely be able to more push-ups than a 16-year-old female.
How Strong You Are
Now for a more obvious factor – your strength!
It’s a fact that some people are naturally stronger than others.
If you’re a naturally strong person, you’ll likely be able to do more push-ups than someone who’s naturally weaker.
The Push-Up Type
Another important consideration is the push-up variation you’re doing.
There are many types of push-ups, and some of them (like Tyson push ups and decline push ups) are harder than others.
Whereas regular push-ups and incline push-ups tend to be easier.
Obviously, the harder the type of push-up you do, the less reps you can do.
How Many Push-Ups Should A 16 Year Old Do A Day?
As covered earlier, a 16-year-old will likely be able to do between 10-20 push-ups depending on whether they’re male or female.
If you’re a male, you should be able to do 3-5 sets of 15-20 push-ups in a day. Which gives a total of 25-100 push-ups.
If you’re a female, you should be able to do 2-4 sets of 10-15 push-ups in a day, totalling 20-60 push-ups.
Conclusion
In summary, the number of push-ups a 16-year-old should do depends on numerous factors and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to the question.
That’s all for this article, but how many push-ups should a 12 year old be able to do? Or perhaps you’re wondering do push-ups stunt growth?
Hope this helped!
Sources
How much body weight you push in push-ups
I’ve been in the fitness and strength training industry for nearly a decade. In that time, I’ve gained 30 pounds of muscle, written hundreds of articles, and reviewed dozens of fitness supplements. As for my educational background, I’m a currently studying for my Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training.
