You may still have nightmares about having to do a certain number of pushups in gym class—or as a penalty for making a mistake during a youth sports practice.
These days, no one is demanding you “drop and give me 20.” Yet, if you want a fit upper body, you may wonder: How many pushups do I need to do per week for toned arms? Is 20 enough? While achieving a specific arm aesthetic may be your primary motivator for embracing pushups these days, personal trainers say upper body strength is about so much more than appearance.
“Strong arms aren’t just about looks,” shares Stephen Sheehan, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews. “They make everyday tasks easier—like lifting, carrying, or pushing things. They also help with posture, reduce the risk of injury and even support bone health and overall fitness.”
You don’t have to go back to high school gym class to reap these benefits. Before you drop and give anyone anything, scroll on to see how many pushups trainers recommend doing every week for toned arms, plus tips on how to do them right.
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What Muscles Do Pushups Work?
Personal trainers report pushups target several muscle groups, including in the arms, back, shoulders and core.
In fact, the arms aren’t even the primary target of pushups. “The primary muscles engaged are the chest, particularly the pectoralis major, which does most of the pushing,” explains Denise Chakoian, a certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness La Gree.
Still, adding pushups to your weekly strength training regimen is a fantastic way to build arm muscles. “The triceps on the back of the arms are also heavily activated as they help extend the elbows with each rep,” she adds.
Chakoian says that pushups also target the:
- Shoulders. She explains that the front deltoids in particular have to work to stabilize and support the movement.
- Core. “The abdominals and obliques fire to keep your body straight and prevent the hips from sagging,” Chakoian notes.
- Upper back. She says that your upper back contributes to helping you keep proper form.
- Glutes. Like the upper back, your body needs to engage the glutes to complete a pushup properly.
“This combination makes pushups a full-body strength and stability exercise, not just a chest workout,” Chakoian says.
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Do Pushups Give You Toned Arms?
Pushups are an excellent way to tone your arms and build functional strength. Personal trainers want to double-tap on the functional strength aspect—it’s what helps you complete day-to-day tasks like a pro.
“Your arms are involved in countless daily movements, from lifting groceries and carrying children to pushing doors open and pulling yourself up,” Chakoian explains. “For women, keeping muscle in the arms is especially important, since it supports bone density and lowers the risk of osteoporosis later in life. It’s not just about sculpted muscles, it’s about long-term strength, endurance and independence.”
She also points out that strong arms improve posture, add stability to workouts and protect the body from injury when you log other workouts, like running, cycling or core training. Remember, though: Pushups are a sneaky-good core workout.
“Pushups improve core stability and body awareness, as you have to hold proper alignment from head to toe to do them correctly,” Chakoian shares.
Additionally, she loves that pushups are accessible (no equipment required) and can be modified or progressed depending on your goals and current strength.
Related: You Actually Only Need This Many Sets to Build Muscle, According to Science
How Many Pushups Per Week Do I Need To Do for Toned Arms?
Trainers report that doing anywhere from 32 to 180 pushups each week will help you achieve toned arms. However, those numbers are ballpark. Pushups are personal. “How many pushups you should do really comes down to your current strength and what you’re aiming for,” Chakoian notes.
Also, trainers don’t recommend doing all of those pushups at once—whether you’re dropping for 32 of them per week or 108 (or more).
Chakoian suggests people who are new to pushups start with two to three sets of 8 to 12 reps twice weekly. That’s about 36 to 108 pushups every week. “That’s plenty to build a base and let your body adjust without overdoing it,” she says. “By spreading them throughout the week, you allow time for muscle recovery while still gaining the benefits of consistency. As endurance and strength improve, the volume can increase to three to four sessions a week with higher repetitions or more challenging variations.”
She adds that advanced types can do pushups almost every day, using them in warm-ups, conditioning circuits or strength routines.
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“The body adapts quickly to bodyweight movements,” Chakoian says. “The key is quality over quantity. Doing pushups with proper form will always deliver better results than chasing high numbers with sloppy technique.”
Sheehan gave slightly higher minimums and maximums for the number of weekly pushups needed to firm the arms. However, he shares Chakoian’s sentiments about not overextending yourself at any stage.
“For most people, two to three sessions per week with three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps works well,” he says. “That’s enough to build strength and endurance without overdoing it. Beginners can start with fewer reps or modified versions and build up gradually as their strength improves.”
Quick math: Sheehan recommends about 60 to 180 pushups each week.
Related: This Is What Happens to Your Body if You Do 10 Pushups Every Day
How To Do a Pushup
To do a standard, military-style pushup off your knees, the Cleveland Clinic says to:
- Get into a plank position with the hands shoulder-width apart and in one line with the shoulders.
- Squeeze your butt and engage the core. Bend your elbows in a slow, controlled motion, ensuring that they stay by your sides.
- Stop when your chest or chin touches the floor.
- Push back up to the starting position, ensuring that your body remains aligned.
- Repeat.
Sheehan warns that poor form can slow down your efforts to strengthen your arms and even contribute to injuries.
A few mistakes that come up a lot include placing the hands too wide or narrow, letting the hips sag or flaring the elbows out too far,” he reveals. “These can lead to shoulder, wrist, or back strain and reduce effectiveness.”
He advises people to avoid these pushup mistakes by:
- Placing their hands a little bit wider than shoulder-width
- Keeping the core and glutes tight to avoid sagging
- Tucking the elbows to about a 45-degree angle
You can also modify pushups to get the basics down without losing tip-top form.
“If standard pushups feel too challenging, try doing them on your knees, against a wall or with your hands on an elevated surface like a bench,” he explains. “You still work the same muscles—just with less load.”
Ready for more? You got it! “You can level up pushups by doing decline pushups with your feet elevated, diamond pushups with your hands close together or adding dynamic moves like burpees or clap pushups,” Sheehan shares.
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3 Other Moves To Tone and Strengthen Your Arms
Pushups are one exercise that strengthens and tones the arms, shoulders and chest. However, other upper-body moves also target these muscle groups while keeping workouts varied and fun. Chakoian shared three more of her favorite arm-firming exercises. For all of them, she suggests keeping the weights light to moderate, focusing on control and stopping one rep before your form slips.
“Aim for two to three sets of eight to 12 reps per exercise,” she continues. “Rest for about 45 to 75 seconds between each set. If the last couple of reps feel tough yet you can still keep good form, you’re working at the right intensity.”
1. Dumbbell bicep curl
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hold the dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing forward.
- Pin your elbows to your ribs and curl to shoulder height.
- Squeeze.
- Lower slowly for a three-count without swinging.
- Repeat.
2. Tricep kickback
- Hinge at the hips with a flat back and soft knees.
- Bring the elbows high and by your ribs with dumbbells in your hands and your palms facing in.
- Straighten your arms back until you feel the triceps fire.
- Pause.
- With control, return to the starting position. Be sure you’re keeping the elbows glued in place.
- Repeat.
3. Dumbbell lateral raise
- Stand tall with dumbbells at your sides, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
- Raise your arms out to shoulder height, keeping the wrists neutral.
- Keep your shoulders down—no shrugging.
- Lower slowly.
- Repeat.
Up Next:
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Sources:
- Stephen Sheehan, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews
- Denise Chakoian, a certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness La Gree
- How to do a push-up. Cleveland Clinic.
