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Sit Ups strength standards

What is a good Sit Ups?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Sit Ups is about 57 reps. Advanced starts around 99 reps. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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How Many Sit Ups Should You Be Able to Do?

Sit Ups rep targets for a 180 lb man, by training level:

Beginner< 1
Novice23 reps
Intermediate57 reps
Advanced99 reps
Elite146 reps

Sit Ups Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 < 1 25 70 128 196
120 < 1 25 68 123 187
130 < 1 25 66 118 178
140 < 1 25 64 113 171
150 < 1 25 62 109 164
160 < 1 24 60 106 157
170 < 1 24 59 102 152
180 < 1 23 57 99 146
190 < 1 23 55 95 141
200 < 1 22 54 93 136
210 < 1 22 52 90 132
220 < 1 21 51 87 128
230 < 1 21 50 85 124
240 < 1 20 48 82 120
250 < 1 20 47 80 117
260 < 1 19 46 78 114
270 < 1 19 45 76 111
280 < 1 18 44 74 108
290 < 1 18 42 72 105
300 < 1 17 41 70 102
310 < 1 17 40 69 100

The Sit Ups standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Sit Ups Standards by Age

How the Sit Ups standards change with age, in reps. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 < 1 15 46 86 131
20 < 1 22 57 103 155
25 < 1 23 60 106 159
30 < 1 23 60 106 159
35 < 1 23 60 106 159
40 < 1 23 60 106 159
45 < 1 20 55 99 150
50 < 1 17 50 91 139
55 < 1 14 44 82 126
60 < 1 10 38 72 113
65 < 1 7 31 63 99
70 < 1 4 25 53 86
75 < 1 < 1 19 44 73
80 < 1 < 1 14 37 63
85 < 1 < 1 10 30 53
90 < 1 < 1 7 24 45

The Sit Ups standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Sit Ups Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male doing 57 Sit Ups is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.
Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

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What the Sit Ups Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are working toward your first full-range reps. An easier version or a shorter range is the normal starting point.

Novice

You can do a few full-range reps in a row with control. Adding one rep to your best set every week or two is steady progress here.

Intermediate

You can do a solid set of clean reps without swinging, bouncing or cutting the range short. Two or three sessions a week with planned sets keep the number climbing.

Advanced

Long sets with strict form are routine for you. Many lifters at this level add load with harder variations to keep progressing.

Elite

Rep counts this high for your bodyweight take years of focused training. Weighted or harder variations are usually the next challenge.

How to Progress Your Sit Ups

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Sit Ups to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Your First Full Reps
  • Start with an easier version you can do for 8 to 12 clean reps.
  • Move to the full version once 12 clean reps feel easy.
  • End each set one or two reps before your form breaks.
Novice → Intermediate Build Rep Volume
  • Train the movement 2 to 3 times a week with several sets, not one all-out set.
  • Add one rep to one set each session, and keep the full range.
  • Test your max reps every 3 to 4 weeks, not every session.
Intermediate → Advanced Add Load or Harder Variations
  • Once you can do 12 to 15 strict reps, add weight and train in the 5 to 8 rep range.
  • Slow the lowering phase or pause at the hardest point.
  • Keep one high-rep day a week so your max set keeps growing.
Advanced → Elite Peak Your Max Set
  • Run 4 to 6 week blocks that build volume, then ease off the week before a max test.
  • Track your best set and your weighted reps: both show progress.
  • Your bodyweight changes your rep count directly, so compare tests at a similar weight.

How to Perform Sit Ups

Sit Ups demonstration
Primary Muscles Abdominals, Obliques, Hip Flexors
Equipment None
Difficulty Beginner
Type Isolation
  1. Lie flat on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
  2. Place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting your neck with your fingertips, or cross them over your chest.
  3. Engage your core by drawing your belly button towards your spine.
  4. Exhale as you lift your upper body towards your knees, using your abdominal muscles and keeping your lower back on the floor.
  5. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, ensuring you do not pull on your neck.
  6. Inhale as you slowly lower your upper body back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your feet flat on the floor and avoid using momentum to lift your body.
  • Focus on using your abdominal muscles rather than pulling with your hands or straining your neck.
  • Control the movement both up and down to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Modify the range of motion or add a stability ball to accommodate different fitness levels.

Read the complete Sit Ups guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Sit Ups Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Sit Ups table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Sit Ups itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

A good Sit Ups number depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier in Sit Ups after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Sit Ups table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.