The Push-Up Test: How Strong Are You, Really?

Lifting a box onto a shelf above your head, rearranging the living room furniture, and a defensive lineman driving a blocker backward all have something in common: they're pushing movements, the fifth on my list of 7. Anything you do that moves an object away from your body counts, and it turns out we push in more situations than we ever give ourselves credit for.

The direction you push determines what gets trained: push something straight out in front of you and your chest does most of the work; push something overhead and your shoulders take over. Both matter, and thankfully neither requires a bench and a barbell to train.

Here's a quick gut check: lie face down on the floor and try to push your body up in one rigid piece. Easy? You've got a solid pushing base. Can't manage even one? That's your sign to start with push-ups. To do them well, hands under your shoulders with fingers pointing slightly outward, elbows angled diagonally away from your body, sternum toward the floor. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes before you press — that's what actually loads the right muscles instead of letting your lower back take the strain.

Fifteen push-ups every morning is a great place to start, adding reps and variations as they get easier. Head to the Push page for the full breakdown, and if fifteen feels far off today, that's exactly why it's worth starting now.