Turtle data
Nearly half of women can hold a plank for a minute
Key findings
48% of about 160 women who did a forearm plank in Turtle's home strength check (May to July 2026) held it for 60 seconds or more; the typical hold was 55 seconds. 68% of women doing full push-ups managed 10 or more. Source: Turtle Method member data, turtlemethod.com/data/home-strength-test/.
of women held a forearm plank for a full minute
Nearly half of women can hold a forearm plank for a full minute. About 230 women took Turtle's home strength check between May and July 2026, timing themselves in the app. Of about 160 who chose the forearm plank, 48% held it for 60 seconds or more, and the typical hold was 55 seconds.
Share of women reaching each mark, May to Jul 2026 (each test has its own group)
Source: Turtle Method member strength check data · CC BY 4.0
Push-ups and balance
Women could pick an easier version of each test, so we report each one separately. Of about 70 women who did full push-ups on the floor, 68% managed 10 or more, and the typical count was 14. Balance was the strongest result: more than 9 in 10 of about 180 women stood on one leg, unsupported, for 30 seconds, with a typical hold of 86 seconds.
| Test | Reached the mark | Typical result | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forearm plank, 60 seconds | 48% | 55 seconds | about 160 |
| Full push-ups, 10 or more | 68% | 14 | about 70 |
| One-leg balance, 30 seconds | 95% | 86 seconds | about 180 |
The plank timer stops at two minutes. Balance is the average of the left and right leg.
What the research says
In adults aged 51 to 75, being unable to stand on one leg for 10 seconds was linked with a higher risk of death over the following years.
Araujo CG, de Souza e Silva CG, Laukkanen JA, et al. (2022). Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival in middle-aged and older individuals. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-105360
A review of the benefits of strength training, including keeping muscle and strength with age and supporting bone health.
Westcott WL (2012). Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Current Sports Medicine Reports. doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8
Questions people ask
How long can the average woman hold a plank?
In Turtle's home strength check, the typical forearm plank was 55 seconds, and 48% of women held it for a minute or more.
How many push-ups can women do?
Of women who did full push-ups on the floor, the typical count was 14 and 68% did 10 or more.
Method
Each woman's first Turtle strength check, May to July 2026, self-timed at home. Each figure uses one version of the test only (forearm plank, full floor push-ups, unsupported balance); groups under 50 are not shown, so there is no age split. Women only, staff accounts excluded; every group shown has 50 or more women and sizes are rounded. This shows a pattern, not a cause. Full methodology.
Cite this
Free to use with credit and a link to the source page. The figures and chart on this page are licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Journalists: for another cut of the data (aggregates only, same rules), contact scott@turtlemethod.com. More data on the Turtle data hub.
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