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30-day push-up challenge

5 push-ups on day 1, 40 on day 29, with wall and knee versions for beginners. Print the calendar below, or track it in the app.

MyGems ·

Push-ups (press-ups, if you are in the UK) are the classic test of upper-body strength, and they need nothing but floor space. This plan starts at five push-ups and adds roughly one or two a day, reaching 40 by the end of the month, with a rest day every seventh day. If a full push-up is out of reach today, use the wall or knee version below — the calendar works the same way.

The 30-day push-up challenge calendar

Name: ______________________   Start date: ____________

  1. Day 1
    • 5 push-ups
  2. Day 2
    • 6 push-ups
  3. Day 3
    • 8 push-ups
  4. Day 4
    • 9 push-ups
  5. Day 5
    • 11 push-ups
  6. Day 6
    • 12 push-ups
  7. Day 7

    Rest

  8. Day 8
    • 14 push-ups
  9. Day 9
    • 15 push-ups
  10. Day 10
    • 17 push-ups
  11. Day 11
    • 18 push-ups
  12. Day 12
    • 20 push-ups
  13. Day 13
    • 21 push-ups
  14. Day 14

    Rest

  15. Day 15
    • 23 push-ups
  16. Day 16
    • 24 push-ups
  17. Day 17
    • 25 push-ups
  18. Day 18
    • 27 push-ups
  19. Day 19
    • 28 push-ups
  20. Day 20
    • 30 push-ups
  21. Day 21

    Rest

  22. Day 22
    • 31 push-ups
  23. Day 23
    • 33 push-ups
  24. Day 24
    • 34 push-ups
  25. Day 25
    • 36 push-ups
  26. Day 26
    • 37 push-ups
  27. Day 27
    • 39 push-ups
  28. Day 28

    Rest

  29. Day 29
    • 40 push-ups
  30. Day 30

    Test: max

Day 30 is a test: one set of as many good push-ups as you can do without stopping. Compare it with what you could do on day 1.

30dayschallenge.app/challenges/30-day-push-up-challenge/

How to use this plan

  • The number on each day is a daily total. Split it into as many sets as you need.
  • Days 7, 14, 21 and 28 are rest days. Walking or stretching is fine; skip the challenge move.
  • If a day felt too hard, repeat it tomorrow instead of moving up. Finishing a day late is better than quitting.
  • Tick the box on each day you finish, on paper or in the app, so you can see the month fill up.

How to do a push-up

  1. Start in a high plank: hands on the floor a little wider than your shoulders, arms straight, body in one line from head to heels.
  2. Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Keep your elbows angled back at roughly 45 degrees from your body rather than flared straight out.
  3. Go as low as you can while your body stays straight — chest a fist's height from the floor is a good target.
  4. Push the floor away to straighten your arms. Breathe out on the way up.

If your hips sag or your bottom rises, the set is over. Five straight push-ups do more for you than ten wobbly ones.

Make it easier or harder

  • Easier: Do the plan as wall push-ups (hands on a wall), incline push-ups (hands on a kitchen counter or sturdy table), or knee push-ups. Move to a lower surface when the day's number feels easy.
  • Harder: Lower yourself over three seconds on every rep, or put your feet on a step for decline push-ups.

Track the challenge on your phone

Paper on the fridge works. So does your phone, which you look at more often. In Habit Tracker: 30Day Challenge, add the challenge as a habit and check it off each day from the Home Screen widget; the app shows your streak and a 30-day grid that fills in as you go, and can remind you at a time you choose. It works offline and needs no account.

The free version covers a daily challenge like this one. Pro adds weekday and times-per-week schedules, so planned rest days never break your streak.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to do all the push-ups at once?

No. The number is a daily total. Do as many as you can with good form, rest a minute and continue until you reach it — one set of five plus a few sets of three is fine.

What if I can't do a single push-up?

Start with wall or counter push-ups and follow the same numbers. Most people can move from the wall to a counter to the floor over a few weeks.

Is a 30-day push-up challenge the same as a press-up challenge?

Yes. Press-up is the British name for the same exercise, and the plan works the same way.

Is it safe to do push-ups every day?

At these numbers it is fine for most healthy adults, and the weekly rest days help. Stop if you feel pain in your shoulders, wrists or elbows; resting on your knuckles or on push-up handles can help sore wrists.

This plan is general fitness information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, injured, have a heart or joint condition, or have not exercised in a long time, check with a doctor before starting.