Push-up program generator
Most push-up plans are one fixed table everyone follows. This one is built from your number, using the graded progression and the 2-for-2 rule the guides explain.
The short answer
This generator turns a single max push-up test into a structured plan: four working sets scaled to your current max, a final all-out set, three sessions a week with at least 48 hours between them, and a re-test roughly every six sessions. Your max picks the goal, 20, 50 or 100 consecutive push-ups, and the numbers step up as you clear targets.
Build your push-up plan
Enter one honest max set. Everything below is computed in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere and there is no sign-up.
How the plan is built
The generator does not pick numbers from a table. It scales every set from your current estimated max, which is what makes the same structure work for someone at 8 reps and someone at 60. The shape of a session is four working sets at descending-then-recovering fractions of your max, followed by a final set taken to genuine effort.
| Set | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55% of your max | Enough to be real work, low enough to leave four more sets |
| 2 | 65% of your max | The hardest prescribed set, while you are freshest |
| 3 | 50% of your max | Volume at a rep count you can hold form on |
| 4 | 50% of your max | Volume again, matching set three |
| Final | All out, at least 60% | The set that tells you whether the estimate is still right |
Rest is roughly 75 seconds between sets, long enough that set four is not a shell of set one. That figure is deliberately in the plan rather than left to you, because cutting rest turns a strength session into a conditioning session with the same rep counts.
Why the numbers move
Your estimated max steps up by one after 2 good sessions, and every set in the next session is recomputed from the new number. Miss your targets twice in a row and the plan deloads and repeats rather than pushing you into a wall. This is the 2-for-2 progression idea applied to bodyweight work, where you cannot simply add plates, the full explanation is in how to increase your push-ups.
Every 6 sessions, about a fortnight at three a week, the plan calls a re-test. A fresh max-effort set replaces the running estimate with ground truth. That matters more than it sounds: estimates drift, and a plan built on a number from three weeks ago is prescribing the wrong sets.
If you cannot do five push-ups yet
Below about 5 full push-ups this template is the wrong tool. Four working sets of one or two reps is not enough stimulus to drive anything, and grinding shallow floor reps builds a shallow floor rep. The faster route is an incline you can genuinely get volume on, hands on a counter, a bench, a step, lowering the incline as you get stronger. The beginner progression guide lays out the full ladder and the criterion for moving down each step.
What this generator does not do
- It does not count your reps. It gives you targets; you count, or the app counts.
- It does not adapt as you go. This is a static projection that assumes you hit every target. Adjusting after each session, deloading when you miss and rescheduling the re-tests are things you do yourself, with the plan as a starting point.
- It does not know your history. Injuries, training age, sleep and stress all matter and none of them are inputs here.
- It is not medical advice. If something hurts, stop and talk to a clinician rather than following a table.
None of that is a reason not to use it. A structured plan built from your real max, with rest built in, beats what most people do, which is a variable number of push-ups whenever they remember, until they stop.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a push-up program?
Test your max in one honest set, set your working sets at roughly half to two-thirds of that number, finish with one all-out set, train three days a week with rest days between, and re-test every two weeks. Increase the numbers only when you clear your targets. That is the whole method this generator automates.
How many sets and reps of push-ups should I do?
Four working sets scaled to your max, around 55%, 65%, 50% and 50% of it, plus a final set taken to genuine effort. For a 20-rep max that is roughly 11, 13, 10, 10 and then all out. Sets that are always maximal do not leave enough recovery to progress.
How often should I train push-ups?
Three sessions a week with at least 48 hours between them works for most people. That is enough frequency to drive adaptation and enough rest to recover from it. Daily maximal push-up work is the most common reason people plateau or accumulate elbow and shoulder complaints.
How long is a push-up program?
A block usually runs six to eight weeks toward a goal, but it takes as long as your body takes. If the weeks run out and you are short of the goal, extend the block rather than declaring it failed. Getting to 100 consecutive push-ups is typically a multi-block project.
What do I do if I miss my targets?
Missing once is normal, repeat the session. Missing twice in a row is the signal to deload: repeat the week at lower volume and rebuild. Pushing through repeated misses is how people turn a plateau into an injury.
Why do I need to re-test my max?
Because the whole plan is scaled from that number, and it goes stale. A re-test every six sessions replaces the running estimate with what you can actually do today, which both keeps the prescribed sets correct and shows you the progress you cannot feel session to session.
Is this the same program as the app?
It uses the same progression engine and the same constants, so the plan you see here is the plan the app would build from the same max test. The difference is that the app adapts after every session, schedules the re-tests, and counts the reps for you.
Can I use this program if I can only do a few push-ups?
Below about five full push-ups this template does not give you enough stimulus. Start on an incline, hands on a counter or bench, where you can get real volume, and lower the incline over time. The beginner progression guide covers the ladder and when to move down it.
Does the push-up program generator store my data?
No. Everything is computed in your browser, nothing is transmitted, and there is no account. Close the tab and the number is gone.
Should I do other exercises alongside a push-up program?
Ideally yes, particularly pulling work. A push-up trains chest, front delts and triceps and trains nothing on your back; months of push-only training tends to show up as shoulder discomfort. Rows or pull-ups a couple of times a week balance it without interfering with the plan.