Summary
Jeff Cavaliere presents a follow-along push-up challenge designed for all fitness levels, regardless of age or gender. The challenge uses a controlled cadence format — moving down and up only on verbal cues — making it significantly harder than standard push-up sets. Participants count their total reps and compare their score against age- and gender-specific performance charts.
Key Points
- Anyone can participate — the challenge is designed for men and women of all ages and fitness backgrounds.
- Cadence is the key differentiator — instead of free-tempo push-ups, each rep is controlled by verbal cues (“down” and “up”), forcing a strict, deliberate pace.
- Full range of motion is required — chest must touch the ground on every rep before pressing back up, eliminating partial reps.
- The challenge runs up to 60 reps — participants follow along for as long as possible and record their final rep count.
- Scoring is age- and gender-specific — separate charts are provided for men and women, with target numbers indicating top 3 percentile performance within each age bracket.
- Quality over quantity — Cavaliere emphasizes that how you perform reps matters more than simply hitting a high number.
- The cadence format exposes weaknesses — many people who consider themselves strong at push-ups find the controlled tempo unexpectedly difficult.
Exercise Details
Exercise: Cadence Push-Up
-
Target Muscles
- Primary: chest (pectorals), triceps, anterior deltoids
- Secondary: core stabilizers
-
Proper Form Cues
- Lower your body only when the “down” cue is given
- Hold the bottom position (chest flat to the floor) until the “up” cue is given
- Press fully back to the top position to complete one rep
- Maintain a rigid body line throughout — no sagging hips or raised glutes
-
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Moving out of sync with the cadence (rushing or lagging)
- Failing to achieve full chest-to-floor contact at the bottom
- Performing partial reps to preserve energy
- Losing core tension during the hold at the bottom position
-
Sets/Reps
- Single continuous set, following the cadence up to a maximum of 60 reps
- Stop when you can no longer maintain proper form or keep pace with the cues
- Record your last completed rep as your score