This is a great time to increase the number of push-ups you can do. Let’s say your goal is to do 20 “strict” push-ups but you can only do about half that number right now, try this…

Do 4 sets of 5 reps with 3 minutes of rest in between. That should be fairly easy with your current level of strength. In a couple of days, do it again but with only 2:45 minutes of rest between sets. Keep going in this manner, shaving off 10-15 seconds of rest every 2-3 days. The gap between sets will gradually diminish until you’re able to do 20 reps consecutively.

Feel free to make adjustments along the way. If you’re still sore one day, add an extra day of recovery. If it’s getting tough to complete the task, shave off only 5 seconds or less next time between sets. Only decrease the rest interval when you’re 100% successful the previous workout.

And this goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway: always focus on quality over quantity. Don’t increase your push-up numbers at the expense of form. I’d rather see a dozen good reps than 20 ugly ones!

The quarantine may be longer than we think. Why not take advantage of it? Give this method a shot and who knows, by the time things get back to normal, your push-up numbers may go viral!