Fitness Quest: The 50-Push-Up Challenge
Knocking out 50 push-ups in one shot might sound like an impossible quest, but trust us — you can do it! Follow this 30-day plan to get there.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Love ’em or hate ’em, push-ups are one of the best moves for developing your upper body and core. With this quest, you’ll incrementally build your strength and muscular endurance so that at the end of 30 days, you’ll be able to do 50 push-ups — unbroken!
Each training day, you’ll complete four sets of push-ups, resting 30 to 60 seconds between sets. The number of reps you do in each set increases as you progress through the quest. On your rest days, work on shoulder and wrist mobility and train your antagonist muscles such as back and biceps.
Check out the video below for some push-up basics and expert form tips from certified trainer and American Ninja Warrior competitor Angela Gargano before you begin your quest.
The following plan will prepare you to do 50 consecutive push-ups in just 30 days!
| Day 1 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Day 2 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
Day 3 Rest |
Day 4 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
Day 5 10 | 8 | 8 |4 |
| Day 6 Rest |
Day 7 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
Day 8 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
Day 9 Rest |
Day 10 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 |
| Day 11 12 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
Day 12 16 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
Day 13 Rest |
Day 14 8 | 12 | 16 | 8 |
Day 15 10 | 4 | 16 | 8 |
| Day 16 Rest |
Day 17 20 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
Day 18 8 | 10 | 15 | 20 |
Day 19 5 | 10 | 15 | 10 |
Day 20 Rest |
| Day 21 10 | 15 | 18 | 22 |
Day 22 20 | 15 | 10 | 8 |
Day 23 10 | 20 | 30 | 10 |
Day 24 Rest |
Day 25 15 | 25 | 30 | 15 |
| Day 26 30 | 15 | 10 | 10 |
Day 27 40 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
Day 28 Rest |
Day 29 Rest |
Day 30 50 |
Badassery Badge
Think you’re a badass? Want to take it to the next level?
Rather than doing standard push-ups every workout, change your body angle, rep tempo or hand position to hit your muscles in different ways. For example, do your push-ups on an incline or a decline; do them with your hands wide, narrow or staggered; or get fancy with dive-bombers, plyo push-ups or even a pseudo planche if you have that in your toolbox.