Army Push-Ups and Sit-Ups Requirements Guide For 2026

Prospective Army recruits often want to understand the physical requirements they will face during training.

Army push-ups and sit-ups are evaluated as part of required physical fitness testing during initial entry training and beyond.

Minimum performance standards apply early in training, with higher expectations as a soldier progresses.

This article explains Army push-up and sit-up standards, proper execution, and general preparation considerations.

Related Article – Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) Standards

What are the Army Push up Standards?

The Army push-up standards depend on where you are in your training because you must perform more push-ups as your training continues along.

For example, an 18-year-old male must perform at least 35 push-ups in basic training.

However, if the same person wanted to earn a badge for the physical fitness test, they must perform 64 in two minutes.

Also, total scoring for PT tests includes adding up the scores for multiple events.

Click Here to see tables for the push up standards for males and females ages 18 – 41.

How to Do an Army Push up the ‘Right’ Way

The Army push-up is different than other push-ups.

For an Army push-up, you must take the weight off your hands when at the lower position in between repetitions.

This push-up is sometimes called a T-push-up, but the Army calls it a Hand Release Push-up (HRP).

You will lay prone on the ground with your hands flat.

Your hands will be under your shoulders, with your index finger barely inside the edges of your shoulders.

At this point, your hips and thighs are touching the ground, as is your chest.

However, your head can be upwards.

Keep your feet together with your ankles flexed.

When told to, straighten your arms to push your body upward while maintaining your posture.

Your body must remain in a straight line from head to ankles.

The next move is to lower yourself back down by bending your elbows.

You need your chest, thighs, and hips to touch the ground at the same time.

The final movement in the Army Push-up is to extend your arms to the sides in the shape of a T.

Next, you will return to the position with your hands under your shoulders with your chest, hips, and thighs on the ground.

This video gives you a demonstration of what the Army expects with this movement.

Push-ups are a timed event, so you need to complete as many as you can for two minutes while maintaining good posture.

How to Prep for the Army Push up Test?

To best prepare for success with push-ups, you must add weightlifting into your workout.

To perform a push-up, you need to strengthen your pectoral muscles and triceps.

It would be best if you increased your upper body workout to include exercises that work both the chest and the triceps, as these two muscle groups work together.

Dumbbell and barbell bench presses are ideal.

Also, bench dips and extensions focus on the triceps.

Furthermore, consider adding modified push-ups into your routine until you can remove the modifications and eventually perform standard Army push-ups.

Related Article – Army Basic Training Locations 

What are the Army Sit up Standards?

The Army sit-up measures both hip-flexor and abdominal strength.

Scoring for PT tests includes adding up the scores from multiple events for a total score.

The following chart is divided by age groups through 41 so you may see the male/female scores for the number of sit-up repetitions.

Sit-up Reps	age 17-21	age 22-26	age 27-31	age 32-36	age 37-41
82			100
81			99
80		100	98
79		99	97
78	100	97	96
77	98	96	95
76	97	95	94	100	100
75	95	93	92	99	99
74	94	92	91	98	98
73	92	91	90	96	97
72	90	89	89	95	96
71	89	88	88	94	95
70	87	87	87	93	94
69	86	85	86	92	93
68	84	84	85	91	92
67	82	83	84	89	91
66	81	81	83	88	89
65	79	80	82	87	88
64	78	79	81	86	87
63	76	77	79	85	86
62	74	76	78	84	85
61	73	75	77	82	84
60	71	73	76	81	83
59	70	72	75	80	82
58	68	71	74	79	81
57	66	69	73	78	80
56	65	68	72	76	79
55	63	67	71	75	78
54	62	65	70	74	77
53	60	64	69	73	76
52	58	63	68	72	75
51	57	61	66	71	74
50	55	60	65	69	73
49	54	59	64	68	72
48	52	57	63	67	71
47	50	56	62	66	69
46	49	55	61	65	68
45	47	53	60	64	67
44	46	52	59	62	66
43	44	50	58	61	65
42	42	49	57	60	64
41	41	48	56	59	63
40	39	47	55	58	62
39	38	45	54	56	61
38	36	44	52	55	60
37	34	43	51	54	59
36	33	41	50	53	58
35	31	40	49	52	57
34	30	39	48	50	56
33	28	37	47	49	55
32	26	36	46	48	54
31	25	35	45	47	53
30	23	33	44	46	52
29	22	32	43	45	50
28	20	31	42	44	49
27	18	29	41	42	48
26	17	28	39	41	47
25	15	27	38	40	46
24	14	25	37	39	45
23	12	24	36	38	44
22	10	23	35	36	43
21	9	21	34	35	42

How to Do an Army Sit-up the ‘Right’ Way?

To perform an Army sit-up, lie on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the ground forming a 90-degree angle.

Your heels must stay on the ground, but your toes can come up.

Also, keep your hands locked behind your head with your hands and arms on the ground.

When commanded, you will raise up until your head is in line with the base of your spine.

At this point, you lower your body until your shoulders touch the ground before repeating the movement.

We found you a video that demonstrates this movement.

How to Prep for the Army Sit-up Test?

One way to prepare for Army sit-ups is by practicing each day and setting gradual goals to increase your maximum number of sit-ups.

Also, it is helpful to build up your lower back muscles.

Planks help build not only your back muscles but the rest of your core.

Core strength also includes your abdominal and pelvic muscles, all of which help with your ability to perform a sit-up properly.

Related Article – Marine Initial Strength Test (IST) Standards

What People Get Wrong About Army Push-Ups and Sit-Ups

A common misconception is that Army push-ups and sit-ups are performed the same way as civilian exercises.

In reality, both movements have specific form requirements that must be followed for repetitions to count.

Another misunderstanding is that meeting the minimum standard once is sufficient throughout a soldier’s career.

Fitness expectations increase as training and service continue.

Some believe that improper repetitions will still be partially credited, which is not the case.

Only correctly executed repetitions are counted during testing.

It is also often assumed that strength alone determines performance, when endurance and technique play significant roles.

Because of these factors, preparation requires more than casual exercise.

Conclusion

The Army takes physical fitness seriously; therefore, it is essential to prepare before you leave for basic training.

The Army has specific expectations for performing both push-ups and sit-ups.

If you do not perform the exercises correctly, the repetition will not count in your total.

Also, you have minimum expectations for these events, and you must reach higher scores as your training progresses.

Lastly, preparing for the Army’s physical fitness test is easy.

All you must do is add in exercises that intentionally target specific muscle groups that will help you during your testing.

References:

www.goarmy.com

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