Pull-ups and push-ups are two of the absolute best exercises you can do. Note we didn’t say best bodyweight exercises, but best exercises – period. Between them, they work every major upper body muscle and teach you how to control and stabilize your body in ways that no machine or freeweight exercise ever will.
Better yet, you can do pull-ups and push-ups almost anywhere. All you need is some space and something to hang from. Get yourself a doorway pull-up bar, and you’re all set. You can also do pull-ups from the top of a power rack, a ceiling joist, the underside of an open staircase, or a tree branch – anywhere you can find to hang will do.
However, some people complain that pull-ups and push-ups are boring, and we respect that point of view. Once you have mastered these exercises and can do a handful of reps, you’ll probably be itching for a new challenge.
One way to reignite your enthusiasm for classic pull-ups and push-ups is to set yourself a repetition goal. Having a training target will make your workouts much more focused and motivating.
Assuming you can do pull-ups and push-ups reasonably well, the next logical goal for reasonably fit exercisers is 20 non-stop pull-ups and 50 push-ups. While these numbers might sound daunting, with time and determination, most people should be able to achieve and even surpass them.
In this article, we share two training programs that’ll have you cranking out 20 non-stop pull-ups and 50 push-ups in just a few months.
Related: How Many Push-Ups Should I Be Able to Do? The Ultimate Guide
Why Train for 20 Pull-Ups and 50 Push-Ups?
Is training for 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups worth your time and energy? Consider these benefits and then decide!
Increased workout motivation
While any workout is a good workout, training without a goal often means your progress is slow or even non-existent. Following a progressive program toward a definitive goal gives your training focus and purpose, which can be very motivating.
The more motivated you are, the harder you’ll train, and the harder you train, the better your progress will be. This creates a positive feedback loop that will help you maintain your exercise habit and stay on the track to improved fitness and better health.
More dedication and discipline
Sticking to a workout plan as you progress toward your goal forces you to take a more dedicated, disciplined approach to your training. Week after week, you must keep on punching the clock, and missed workouts will hurt your progress.
This teaches you dedication and discipline and spreads to other parts of your life, making you a more productive and successful person in general.
Greater muscle mass
Not so long ago, we (the fitness industry) believed that you had to train in the 6-12 rep range to build muscle. Anything outside of that range was considered a waste of time.
It turns out that this was wrong.
Studies have revealed that you can build muscle by doing as many as 30+ reps per set, provided you work close to failure (1). Training to do 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups will invariably involve training to failure. As such, you’ll build muscle despite cranking out lots of high-rep sets.
Simply making the switch from 6-12 reps to sets of 20-30 could be the shock your muscles need to trigger renewed growth.
Personal satisfaction
Setting and reaching training goals is very satisfying. It teaches you that if you set your mind to a task, you can complete it. Doing 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups is a very notable achievement and something that will raise your standing in the fitness community.
Imagine how good you’ll feel when you finally hit 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups. Pretty damn awesome, right?!
Master the Basics
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of training for 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups, you need to become an expert in doing these two exercises. Poor form will undermine your performance, lead to injuries, and stop you from achieving your goals.
In addition, sloppy technique makes it harder to quantify your progress as each rep has the potential to be done with different speeds and ranges of motion. Good form standardizes your performance, so you can more acutely measure your improvements.
So, make sure you know how to do these exercises correctly, with your metaphorical eyes tightly closed. Good technique should be automatic and not something you have to think about too much. That way, you’ll be free to focus on pumping out the reps.
Pull-ups 101
Muscles worked:
- Latissimus dorsi
- Trapezius
- Rhomboids
- Deltoids
- Biceps
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis
- Forearm flexors
- Core
Everyone thinks they know how to do pull-ups but turn into swinging, jerking monkeys when they hang from the bar! Make sure you’re not one of them by following these step-by-step instructions:
- Grip an overhead bar with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Use a full or thumbless grip as preferred.
- Your arms should be straight, shoulders down and back, and abs brace.
- Bend your legs so your feet are clear of the floor.
- Without kicking or swinging, smoothly bend your arms and pull your chin up and over the bar without craning your neck.
- Lower yourself back down with control, pause with your arms straight, and repeat.
Push-ups 101
Muscles worked:
- Pectoralis major
- Deltoids
- Triceps
- Core
Like pull-ups, most exercisers think they know how to do push-ups. In fact, many are quick to label push-ups as a beginner’s exercise. And yet, even some so-called fitness experts who brag they can do 100 reps manage to murder this classic calisthenic movement. Follow these steps to ensure that your push-ups are a thing of beauty:
- Kneel on all fours and place your hands flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, with your fingers pointing forward.
- Pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your core.
- Walk your feet out and back until your legs and body are perfectly straight. Tuck your chin in and extend your neck – do not look forward.
- Keeping your upper arms close to your sides, bend your arms and lower your chest down to within an inch of the floor.
- Push yourself back up to full arm extension and repeat.
Perform all your reps with perfect form and make your inner drill instructor proud!
20 Pull-ups and 50 Push-Ups Workout One: Density Training
The basic premise of density training is simple – you keep your workout volume the same but gradually complete that volume using fewer sets and in less time. This provides the progressive overload your muscles need to get stronger and more enduring.
This workout uses the EMOM (every minute on the minute) method, meaning you start each set at the top of every minute, and whatever time that remains is your recovery.
For example, start your stopwatch and pump out ten push-ups, which will probably take about 20-30 seconds. This leaves 30-40 seconds until the top of the next minute when you’ll do your next set.
The great thing about this workout is that it’s entirely self-regulatory. You only progress when your body is ready for a greater challenge. As such, it’s an open-ended workout plan with no time limit.
If you fail a phase, do as many complete sets as you can and then as many reps as possible for the remaining sets. As you get stronger, you’ll be able to complete more full sets and eventually will graduate to the next level.
It’s broken down into six phases, and you stay with each phase until you complete it. Train 2-3 times per week on non-consecutive days.
You can do the pull-ups and push-ups in the same workout or do them on separate days if you wish. However, because pull-ups and push-ups are your priority, do them at the start of your program, e.g., push-ups at the beginning of your chest-training day and pull-ups before the rest of your back workout.
Plan for 20 Pull-ups
| Phase | Sets | Reps | Time allowed | Total reps |
| 1 | 10 | 4 | 10 minutes | 40 |
| 2 | 8 | 5 | 8 minutes | 40 |
| 3 | 7 | 6 | 7 minutes | 42 |
| 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 minutes | 42 |
| 5 | 5 | 8 | 5 minutes | 40 |
| 6 | 4 | 10 | 4 minutes | 40 |
After completing phase six, you should be able to do 20 non-stop pull-ups.
Plan for 50 Push-ups
| Phase | Sets | Reps | Time allowed | Total reps |
| 1 | 10 | 10 | 10 minutes | 100 |
| 2 | 8 | 13 | 8 minutes | 104 |
| 3 | 7 | 15 | 7 minutes | 105 |
| 4 | 6 | 17 | 6 minutes | 102 |
| 5 | 5 | 20 | 5 minutes | 100 |
| 6 | 4 | 25 | 4 minutes | 100 |
After completing phase six, you should be able to do 50 non-stop push-ups.
20 Pull-ups and 50 Push-Ups Workout Two: The Backfill Method
This program involves doing four sets of pull-ups and push-ups per workout. However, as the weeks pass, you do more reps in your first set and less for your last set(s). In essence, you “borrow” reps from your final set(s) and add them to the start of your workout, so the rep count per workout remains the same. This is called backfilling.
While such small increases may seem inconsequential, over almost three months, you’ll gradually progress toward hitting 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups in a single set.
If you are unable to complete any of the weekly workouts, stick with it for as long as it takes to achieve success and then continue.
Plan for 20 Pull-ups
| Week | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total Reps |
| 1 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 |
| 2 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 40 |
| 3 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 40 |
| 4 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 40 |
| 5 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 40 |
| 6 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 40 |
| 7 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 40 |
| 8 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 40 |
| 9 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 40 |
| 10 | 19 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 40 |
| 11 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 40 |
* Rest 2 minutes between sets
Plan for 50 Push-ups
| Week | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total Reps |
| 1 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 100 |
| 2 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 100 |
| 3 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 100 |
| 4 | 31 | 25 | 25 | 19 | 100 |
| 5 | 33 | 25 | 25 | 17 | 100 |
| 6 | 35 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 100 |
| 7 | 37 | 25 | 23 | 15 | 100 |
| 8 | 39 | 25 | 21 | 15 | 100 |
| 9 | 41 | 25 | 19 | 15 | 100 |
| 10 | 43 | 25 | 17 | 15 | 100 |
| 11 | 45 | 25 | 15 | 15 | 100 |
| 12 | 47 | 23 | 15 | 15 | 100 |
| 13 | 49 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 100 |
| 14 | 50 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 100 |
* Rest 2 minutes between sets
FAQs
Do you have a question about these workouts or pull-ups and push-ups in general? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. Are pull-ups and push-ups the only exercises I need to do for my upper body?
Between them, pull-ups and push-ups work all your major upper body muscles. Doing these exercises should develop a strong, muscular upper body. However, you may want to supplement your push-up and pull-up workouts with some additional upper-body exercises to build a balanced, aesthetically-pleasing physique.
Good workout additions include:
However, when time is short, it’s reassuring to know that doing just pull-ups and push-ups will deliver a reasonably complete upper body workout, and any additional exercises you perform are a bonus.
2. How many reps of pull-ups and push-ups should I be able to do before starting these workouts?
Ideally, you should be able to comfortably complete the first stage/week of your chosen workout. This typically means being able to do 10 pull-ups and 25 push-ups, or half your ultimate rep goal.
If you cannot reach these standards, you should work on your pull-up and push-up performance until you can. Straight sets, e.g., three sets of eight, is probably the best way to do this.
Related: 8 Ways to Get Better at Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups
3. How many times a week should I do pull-ups and push-ups?
You can do pull-ups and push-ups almost every day if you wish. Daily workouts are one of the best ways to get really good at an exercise. However, the more often you train, the lower the volume and intensity of your workouts must be. Working too hard or too long will make recovery impossible.
With that in mind, if you do the workouts in this article, you should limit your push-up and pull-up training to 2-3 times per week. This provides an ideal balance between work and recovery.
However, training just once per week probably won’t produce the results you want.
4. Which of the two programs should I do?
With two programs (density training and backfill method) to choose from, you may be wondering which approach is best. The truth is that both of these workouts can be equally effective, so it’s up to you to choose the one that resonates with you the most.
The density training program is more flexible, and you only progress from one stage to the next when you’re ready. The backfill program is a bit more linear, which may appeal more if you prefer a more regimented training plan.
Cannot decide between them? Then why not run both consecutively? For example:
Week 1
- Monday – program one
- Wednesday – program two
- Friday – program one
Week 2
- Monday – program two
- Wednesday – program one
- Friday – program two, etc.
Similarly, you could do the EMOM density workout for push-ups and the backfill workout for pull-ups, or vice versa. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong way to make these programs work for you.
5. What is the best way to warm up for these workouts?
Warming up will prepare your muscles and joints for what you’re about to do. In addition, it may help reduce your risk of injury.
Strength training warm-ups usually consist of the following:
- Pulse raise, e.g., 5 to 10 minutes of easy cardio
- Mobility and dynamic flexibility for the joints and muscles you’re about to use
- Practice/rehearsal, e.g., a couple of sub-maximal sets of pull-ups and push-ups
After that, you should be good to go and ready to start your workout. Read more about warming up for strength training here.
6. Do I have to train for 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups concurrently?
While it makes a certain amount of sense to train for more pull-ups and push-ups at the same time, you certainly don’t have to. For example, if you have to do a push-up test for work, e.g., an army physical fitness test, you can skip the pull-ups and focus on what you’ll be assessed on instead.
However, if you only do one workout, make sure you also include exercises for the rest of your body. While push-ups (or pull-ups) are a great exercise, they are not a one-step solution for all-around fitness and strength. You also need to develop your pulling, core, and lower body muscles.
7. Can I do chin-ups instead of pull-ups?
Chin-ups and pull-ups are so similar that they’re virtually interchangeable. You perform pull-ups with an overhand grip, while chin-ups use an underhand grip. Because they work the same muscles, you can do pull-ups or chin-ups as preferred. You could also alternate between pull-ups and chin-ups from workout to workout for variety.
Closing Thoughts
You now have two programs you can use to train for 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups. Besides a pull-up bar, you don’t need any equipment to work toward these targets, so there is no excuse for not rising to the challenge.
Is the thought of doing 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups a little daunting? Does it feel like it might be impossible?
Good; that’s precisely how a challenge should feel!
It’s only by overcoming difficulties and doing hard things that we develop and grow, not just muscularly but as people.
So, choose your program, commit to the process, and work hard. You CAN do 20 pull-ups and 50 push-ups!
References:
1 – Lasevicius T, Ugrinowitsch C, Schoenfeld BJ, Roschel H, Tavares LD, De Souza EO, Laurentino G, Tricoli V. Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018 Jul;18(6):772-780. doi: 10.1180/17461391.2018.1450898. Epub 2018 Mar 22. PMID: 29564973. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29564973/