Average Sit-Ups In A Minute By Age And Sex: Charts + Common Standards

The average healthy adult man can do 30-45 sit-ups in one minute. The average healthy adult woman can do 25-40. The 1-minute sit-up test is one of the most-tested fitness benchmarks in the world — used in school PE, military entrance exams, and the original US Army APFT.

This guide covers average sit-up counts by age and sex, the modern shift away from the test in some military branches, and how to improve your number — alongside what your sit-up count actually predicts about core function.

Average Sit-Ups In One Minute By Age And Sex

Men (1-minute timed sit-ups)

Women (1-minute timed sit-ups)

Common Sit-Up Standards

• Old US Army APFT (men 17-21): 42 sit-ups in 2 min for passing
• UK Police entry test: 30+ sit-ups in 1 min
• FBI fitness test: 38 sit-ups in 1 min for entry-level
• President’s Physical Fitness Test (boys 14): 39+ for award level

Note: many militaries have moved away from sit-ups in recent years (US Army to plank holds, UK to leg lifts) due to lumbar spine concerns. The test is still common in school PE and police testing.

What Sit-Ups Predict (And Don’t)

Sit-up count primarily measures hip-flexor endurance combined with rectus abdominis dynamic strength. It does not directly measure core stability or rotational strength — both of which matter more for running performance and injury prevention. A high sit-up count is correlated with general fitness, but planks and dead-bugs are better proxies for the kind of core function runners actually need.

Related Reading

• Average Plank Time By Age + Sex
• Average Push-Ups By Age + Sex
• Average Pull-Ups By Age, Sex + Ability
• Running Benchmarks Hub