Bodyweight Exercise Progress Calculator
Did you get stronger, or did the scale just change? This bodyweight exercise progress calculator compares two sessions of push-ups, pull-ups, dips or squats, adjusts for your body weight on each day, and shows the estimated load per rep, total reps and load-repetition index side by side, with a clear chart.
Enter one past session and one recent session of the same exercise. The calculator adjusts for any change in your body weight and shows what changed.
Compare like with like: both sessions must use the same variation, hand position and range of motion. If you changed variation, use the next-step resistance calculator instead.
How to use the bodyweight exercise progress calculator
- Choose the exercise and variation. Pick exactly the version you did, such as a standard push-up or a knee push-up.
- Enter your previous session. Your body weight on that day, the number of sets and the reps in each set. You can type one number if every set was the same, or a list such as 12, 10, 9.
- Enter your current session in the same way.
- Press Calculate. You will see the estimated load per rep, total reps and load-repetition index for both sessions, the percentage changes, a comparison chart and a plain-English summary.
- Copy your results to paste into a notes app or training log, or press Reset to start again.
Estimates, not measurements: the numbers are approximate. They use average body proportions and exercise coefficients from research, not a measurement of your own body or your strength.
What the calculator measures
| Result | What it means | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated load per rep | The share of your body weight you push or pull in one rep | Body weight times the exercise coefficient |
| Total reps | Every rep across all your sets | Sum of the reps in each set |
| Load-repetition index | An estimate of the total body weight you moved in the session, often called volume load | Load per rep times total reps |
| Percentage change | How much each number went up or down | (Current minus previous) divided by previous, times 100 |
The load-repetition index is useful because it combines two things that both change over time: how heavy each rep is (which depends on your body weight) and how many reps you did. If you lose weight and do the same reps, each rep is a little lighter, and the index goes down slightly. If you gain weight and still match your reps, the index goes up.
It is not a strength score. Doing more reps with lighter reps is a different kind of progress from doing the same reps with heavier reps, and the index treats them the same. That is why the calculator shows all three numbers, not just one.
The exercise coefficients and where they come from
A push-up does not lift your whole body. Your feet stay on the floor and take part of the weight. Each exercise therefore moves a different share of your body weight, called its coefficient.
| Exercise | Coefficient | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Incline push-up, hands on a 61 cm (24 in) surface | 0.41 | Measured |
| Knee push-up | 0.49 | Measured |
| Incline push-up, hands on a 30 cm (12 in) surface | 0.55 | Measured |
| Standard push-up | 0.64 | Measured |
| Decline push-up, feet on a 30 cm (12 in) surface | 0.70 | Measured |
| Decline push-up, feet on a 61 cm (24 in) surface | 0.74 | Measured |
| Bodyweight squat | About 0.88 | Estimated |
| Parallel bar dip | About 0.96 | Estimated |
| Pull-up and chin-up | About 0.99 | Estimated |
Measured: push-ups
The push-up values come from a study that measured the peak force through the hands of 23 recreationally fit adults in six push-up variations, using a force plate. The box heights in that study were 30.48 cm and 60.96 cm. A standard push-up loaded about 64 percent of body mass, and the numbers did not differ between men and women.
Estimated: squats, dips, pull-ups and chin-ups
There is no equivalent force-plate study for these exercises, so the calculator estimates them from standard body-segment data. Average segment masses for young adults are well documented in biomechanics research. The calculator removes the segments that stay roughly still in each exercise:
- Bodyweight squat: the lower legs and feet stay planted, which leaves about 88 percent of body mass moving
- Dips: the hands and forearms stay on the bars, which leaves about 96 percent
- Pull-ups and chin-ups: only the hands stay on the bar, which leaves about 99 percent
These are simplifications. They ignore the fact that segments rotate as well as move, and they use average proportions that may not match your body. They are good enough for comparing your own sessions, which is the point, but they are not exact.
Why only like-for-like comparisons work
The calculator only compares two sessions of the same exercise variation. Switching from knee push-ups to standard push-ups changes the load per rep from about 49 to about 64 percent of body mass, which would swamp any change in your body weight or reps. Small details matter too:
- Hand height for incline push-ups and foot height for decline push-ups
- How deep you go, such as chest to the floor versus a half push-up
- Full dead-hang pull-ups versus partial reps
- Squat depth and whether you touch a box
- Rest time between sets
Keep these the same, and your comparison will be meaningful. If you have moved to a harder variation, that is progress in itself. The next-step resistance calculator shows how variations line up, and our incline and decline push-ups guide explains each one.
A worked example
Sam weighed 90 kg and did 3 sets of 10 standard push-ups. Two months later Sam weighs 85 kg and does 3 sets of 12.
| Measure | Previous | Current | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load per rep | 90 x 0.64 = 57.6 kg | 85 x 0.64 = 54.4 kg | Down 5.6% |
| Total reps | 30 | 36 | Up 20% |
| Load-repetition index | 57.6 x 30 = 1,728 | 54.4 x 36 = about 1,958 | Up 13.3% |
Sam’s reps went up 20 percent, but because each rep is now lighter, the estimated total work went up about 13 percent. Both are real improvements. The calculator simply separates how much came from extra reps and how much from the lighter body weight.
How to read your results
| What you see | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Reps up, body weight the same | You are doing more work with the same load. Clear progress |
| Reps the same, body weight up | Each rep is heavier and you matched your reps. You handled more total work |
| Reps up, body weight down | Progress, but part of it may come from lighter reps |
| Reps down slightly, body weight down | Often no real loss of strength. Each rep is lighter, so fatigue, sleep or rest can explain the drop |
| Different numbers of sets | Compare the average reps per set as well as the totals |
Look at trends over several weeks rather than one session. A bad night’s sleep or a hard day at work can easily cost a few reps. Our workout streak tracker and body measurement tracker help you log the bigger picture.
How to keep making progress
- Add reps first. Aim for one or two more reps per set each week or two
- Add a set when your reps reach the top of your range, such as 15 for push-ups
- Slow down. A three-second lowering phase makes the same reps harder
- Move to a harder variation when you can do three solid sets of 12 to 15
- Keep the details consistent so each comparison is fair
For full routines, see our calisthenics workout plan for beginners, pull-up alternatives, dip exercise guide and our guide to sets and reps.
Limits of this calculator
- It estimates load from average body proportions. Your own proportions may differ
- Push-up coefficients come from one study of 23 adults, measured as peak force
- Coefficients for squats, dips, pull-ups and chin-ups are estimates, not measurements
- It does not account for tempo, range of motion, rest, technique, fatigue or added weight such as a vest
- A rise in the index shows more estimated work done, not a direct measure of strength gained
Frequently asked questions
How much of my body weight is a push-up?
About 64 percent in a standard push-up, based on force-plate measurements in 23 adults. A knee push-up is about 49 percent, and decline push-ups with the feet raised are about 70 to 74 percent.
What is a load-repetition index?
It is the estimated load per rep multiplied by your total reps, also called volume load. It estimates the total body weight you moved in a session, so it rises if you do more reps or each rep becomes heavier.
Does losing weight make push-ups easier?
Usually, yes. Each push-up moves about 64 percent of your body weight, so losing weight makes each rep a little lighter. That is why the calculator adjusts for body weight before comparing sessions.
Can I compare knee push-ups with full push-ups?
Not with this tool. Different variations load different amounts of body weight, so it only compares two sessions of the same variation. Moving to a harder variation is progress in its own right.
Is this a measure of strength?
No. It is an estimate of the work you did, based on average body proportions and exercise coefficients. Real strength depends on many things the calculator cannot see, such as technique, range of motion and fatigue.
Why are the squat, dip and pull-up values estimates?
There are no force-plate studies for these exercises comparable to the push-up research, so the calculator estimates the load from standard body-segment masses, leaving out the parts of the body that stay roughly still.
Should I enter my body weight on the day of the session?
Yes, as close to the day as you can. Use the same scale and time of day if possible, because body weight naturally changes by a kilogram or two through the day.
Is my data saved or sent anywhere?
No. All calculations run in your browser, and nothing is stored or sent to a server. Use Copy results to save them in your own notes.
Sources
- Ebben and colleagues, Kinetic analysis of several variations of push-ups, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2011)
- de Leva, Adjustments to Zatsiorsky-Seluyanov’s segment inertia parameters, Journal of Biomechanics (1996)
- American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2009)