1. Start Strong
Your hardest move comes first: the pike push-up. With your feet on a 30cm box, hinge at the hips so your body forms an L-shape.
Tense your core to stay solid and do as many reps as you can.
When you fail, immediately walk your hands forward without putting your knees down.
2. Keep On Pushing It
Now, max out on decline push-ups.
Done? Far from it: step your feet off the box and carry on repping out regular push-ups on the floor to failure.
Widen your stance a little to take some of the pressure off your triceps and zero in on your chest.
3. Empty The Tank
When you’re out of gas on those, turn around and place your hands on the box, feet straight out behind.
The incline is the easiest variation, so slam out as many reps as you can muster.
Tot up your total score and use our advice below to improve over the next 21 days.
The Scoreboard
0-10 REPS
Pike and feet-elevated variations proving tough? Stick to regular push-ups and rep to failure. Don’t rush – slower reps boost your growth, reports the Journal of Physiology.
11-30 REPS
The average guy can do 40 reps a minute, but you’ve been tackling some trickier variations. So make some noise: grunting can raise your strength by up to seven per cent, say Iowa State University researchers.
31-50 REPS
This is prime muscle-building territory. Upping your time under tension can get you past 50 – slow down on each rep for a few days to find the extra 10 per cent you need.
50+ REPS
Repping into oblivion? Turn this litmus test into a chest-chiselling workout go-to. At the end of your next upper-body session, perform five reps of each variation. Aim for four sets.
