50 push-ups

I believe every adult male should be able to complete 50 chest-to-deck (your chest touches the ground) push-ups from their toes without rest!  The ability to complete this test will demonstrate upper body strength, enduarnce and mobility as well as adequate core strength and endurance.  The reality is that you will be hard pressed to find many adult males who could complete 20 unbroken chest-to-deck push-ups! 

One reason for this is that a lot of people just want to finish a task rather than do it correctly.  One of my less attractive qualities is my willingness to call out someone's BS!  A guy will tell me he squats 400lbs.  Rather than being impressed, I will ask "but did you squat to full depth?"  What a jerk I am!  However, 99% of the time I'm right!  That's the exact reason why I cannot squat 400lbs, why would I let you claim the glory of completing a task that you didn't do correctly?  Same often holds true with push-ups.  For no good reason, people like to go a third to half way to the floor and claim a huge number of repititions.  Might as well give yourself credit for imagining doing the movement.

When I start working with a client who has previous experience in the gym, I like to set the expectation that they will be "humbled by form".  Almost every movement you perform should have a standard so you can measure and compare with yourself and others.  There are only a few reasons why you should limit your range of movement on any particular exercise during training (injury, specific adapative goals, practice).  When measuring the actual movement you should always use the full standard.  I couldn't claim to run a 6 minute mile becuase I can run a 90 second 400m!  They're not the same. 

So next time you hit the gym.  Try to do 50 push-ups, chest-to-deck, unbroken and see how good you really are!  If you can't, it's alright.  You'll get there quicker by practicing the full movement.  If I catch you going 1/3 the way down, be prepared to get a swift kick to your gut!