Your push-up score is a volume problem, not a talent problem. Four weeks of structured reps will move it — here is the exact plan.
Calculate My IPPT Score →IPPT push-ups are a 60-second test, not a max-strength test. Most servicemen fail to improve because they only ever do one thing: occasional sets to failure. That trains failure, not volume. The score responds to total weekly reps with clean form.
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Mon | Every minute for 10 minutes: 40% of your max reps |
| Wed | 5 sets of 60% of max, 90 seconds rest |
| Fri | 3 timed 60-second sets at test pace |
| Sun (week 2 & 4) | Full 60-second re-test, log it in the calculator |
Only counted reps score. Keep your body in one straight line, chest to fist-height at the bottom, arms fully locked at the top. Ten clean reps beat fifteen sloppy ones, because the sloppy ones are waved off — and they still cost you the energy.
A beginner at 15 reps can typically reach 25–30 in four weeks on this method. Check the push-up points table for your age group: often +5 reps is a whole point band, sometimes two.
On training days (3–4 per week), aim for 8–12 times your 1-minute max across all sets. Daily max-out sets are counterproductive.
Depth and lockout. If your chest does not reach fist height or your arms do not fully extend, the rep is not counted.