Pull ups and press ups: how many can you do?

[ORD]

J4CKO said:

Its funny, I am sure most of the population see films and see the hero hoik themselves up easily from a ledge or other precarious situation, but most, if left hanging would be utterly screwed and could not pull themselves up, including me, but I think a lot do believe they could, if it was called for.

Amazing how different capability can be between people, even at the same age/gender/weight.

I bet they could, just once, but it would involve tearing some muscle. If you put a gun to my head, I would be able to do that 15th rep, I am certain!

[RTB]

J4CKO said:

Its funny, I am sure most of the population see films and see the hero hoik themselves up easily from a ledge or other precarious situation, but most, if left hanging would be utterly screwed and could not pull themselves up, including me, but I think a lot do believe they could, if it was called for.

Amazing how different capability can be between people, even at the same age/gender/weight.

Very true. If you went into a pub on a Saturday night and randomly picked 20 blokes you'd be lucky to find more than a couple who could do a pull up. I reckon you'd only find a handful who could hang on to the bar for more than 10 or 20 seconds.......

Then again if I was hanging off a ledge I could pull myself up but whether I'd have the strength to muscle up onto the ledge is another matter, I've never really tried it.

[TameRacingDriver]

I can probably do about 1 pull-up, on a good day

I should practice more. It would be nice to be able to do at least 10.

Not sure about push ups, probably 20 if I'm lucky. Don't like doing, prefer bench pressing.

38 yr old, 100 kg.

[J4CKO]

RTB said:

J4CKO said:

Its funny, I am sure most of the population see films and see the hero hoik themselves up easily from a ledge or other precarious situation, but most, if left hanging would be utterly screwed and could not pull themselves up, including me, but I think a lot do believe they could, if it was called for.

Amazing how different capability can be between people, even at the same age/gender/weight.

Very true. If you went into a pub on a Saturday night and randomly picked 20 blokes you'd be lucky to find more than a couple who could do a pull up. I reckon you'd only find a handful who could hang on to the bar for more than 10 or 20 seconds.......

Then again if I was hanging off a ledge I could pull myself up but whether I'd have the strength to muscle up onto the ledge is another matter, I've never really tried it.

Probably couldn't find 20 that could stand up

We are by and large a nation of overweight weaklings I think, perhaps should be a basic standard where you can claim to be decently fit ?

[ORD]

I blame you all for my very sore lats after going for a 15th rep and failing last night. Stuck at 14 but that was using my home pull up bar, which is terrible because I cannot stretch out my legs and do them "hollow core" (because my legs hit the ground) or even arch back much and do them to my chest (not sure why on that one - it just feels uncomfortable on that bar but not others). Those are my excuses.

[Halb]

J4CKO said:

Its funny, I am sure most of the population see films and see the hero hoik themselves up easily from a ledge or other precarious situation, but most, if left hanging would be utterly screwed and could not pull themselves up, including me, but I think a lot do believe they could, if it was called for.

Amazing how different capability can be between people, even at the same age/gender/weight.

Or even just dangle, forget about the opening scene of The Fall Guy.

[Pete102]

Inspired by this thread I've started incorporating daily pull ups and hangs into my workout routine.

Currently managing 3 sets of 5 full pull up reps (shoulder width with palms facing inwards - very bicep focussed)

Hoping to stretch this out to 3 sets of 10 by a month or two, then start adding weight in.

Interestingly someone mentioned hangs, this is something I've always toyed with as it's brilliant for grip strength in BJJ, I can just about manage a full minute without letting go.

[helix402]

Push ups: 90, pull ups, I'll have to check. Age: over 40, weight 80kg.

[Halb]

Pete102 said:

I
Interestingly someone mentioned hangs, this is something I've always toyed with as it's brilliant for grip strength in BJJ, I can just about manage a full minute without letting go.

Minute is good. Hangs and scapula pull-ups also very good for shoulder health. I wanted to do them myself, but my grip gets hit soo much in my training I couldn't add them in.

[J4CKO]

Halb said:

J4CKO said:

Its funny, I am sure most of the population see films and see the hero hoik themselves up easily from a ledge or other precarious situation, but most, if left hanging would be utterly screwed and could not pull themselves up, including me, but I think a lot do believe they could, if it was called for.

Amazing how different capability can be between people, even at the same age/gender/weight.

Or even just dangle, forget about the opening scene of The Fall Guy.

Taught Ladies plenty though....well, not really

I think we forget, over time as we get older, weaker, heavier and more sedentary how we cant do stuff we used to, remember hanging off the monkey bars at school ? quite happily hanging and going between each rung on the ladder, think we have it in our mind we could probably still do it, but as grown ups we never try it and if we do its a bit of a shock.

Like seeing that obstacle course thing on the telly, I wonder how many are thinking they could do it up and down the land, bet most would get a shock, in the animal kingdom, if you lose your capability you either end up as something elses lunch or cant catch your own, we are unique as a species in that we dont need to keep active to survive.

I worked at the Police for years, I was civilian but the coppers, some were a mess, they obviously met the standard when they got in back in 1980 but had let it go and didnt seem to be any incentive or requirement to keep on top of things.

[helix402]

helix402 said:

Push ups: 90, pull ups, I'll have to check. Age: over 40, weight 80kg.

18 pull ups. As another post said, small children can often do lots of pull ups. It's because they have a good power to weight ratio. As most people age they don't do weight bearing exercise and get heavier, hence they can't do pull ups. Now wide arm pull ups are proper.

Edited by helix402 on Friday 28th April 12:33

[ORD]

J4CKO said:

Taught Ladies plenty though....well, not really

I think we forget, over time as we get older, weaker, heavier and more sedentary how we cant do stuff we used to, remember hanging off the monkey bars at school ? quite happily hanging and going between each rung on the ladder, think we have it in our mind we could probably still do it, but as grown ups we never try it and if we do its a bit of a shock.

Like seeing that obstacle course thing on the telly, I wonder how many are thinking they could do it up and down the land, bet most would get a shock, in the animal kingdom, if you lose your capability you either end up as something elses lunch or cant catch your own, we are unique as a species in that we dont need to keep active to survive.

I worked at the Police for years, I was civilian but the coppers, some were a mess, they obviously met the standard when they got in back in 1980 but had let it go and didnt seem to be any incentive or requirement to keep on top of things.

No doubt about that. The average bloke thinks he could run a few kms at a good pace, give a good account of himself in a boxing ring and perform well in a gym. Nothing could be further from the truth. The average bloke would struggle to run a decent pace for even 200 metres, would be gassed after 30 seconds of boxing and cannot do a single decent pull up. I am very conscious that I'm a mess apart from at weightlifting and sprint rowing!

I am frankly amazed how weak most men are in the gym I attend, especially the young guys. A bodyweight bench press is a rare sight from anyone under 30, as is a respectable squat or deadlift or pull up. I saw some guys in their early twenties the other day half-squatting 40kg. And they've been going to the gym for months and months.

A lot of it is terrible programming and ego lifting, but there does seem to be something weird going on with young men. Too much screen time in their teens? Not enough sport in schools? Following some silly diet that prevents muscle growth?

No idea, really, but I am sure that most guys I knew in my early 20s were nothing like as weak as most of the guys I see these days. I remember one of my friends being very weak when he first went to the gym, but that was very much an exception.

[Halb]

I guess that's the case for regular people.
Right now I'm either the lightest, or second lightest I've been since secondary, so I am hoping for 20.

Some nice links from the other thread
http://www.kbnj.com/FighterPullupByPavel.htm

http://twentypullups.com/week-1-2/

http://physicalliving.com/pyramid-training-for-pul...

http://physicalliving.com/how-to-rapidly-increase-...

[RTB]

ORD said:

I saw some guys in their early twenties the other day half-squatting 40kg. And they've been going to the gym for months and months.

I think a lot of it is no desire to follow a programme, and not to record their progression.

I started training again (after a 16 year break) about 3 years ago and I'm stronger now than I ever was in my 20s, for the simple reason, I record everything I lift and I have goals. (currently doing Madcow 5x5 with the aim to crack the 300lb bench and 400lb squat by the end of the cycle).

I see loads of lads in their 20s who go to the gym in a little group and decide what exercise to do next, and what weight to do it on, on a completely ad hoc basis. They make it up as they go along and lift what they feel like on the day. Then they wonder why they're still benching 40kg after 6 months....

I did the same at their age as well. As they say, youth is wasted on the young.

[iguana]

Depends on the timescales, in a session no problem with 20 pull ups, but not in one hit, I can crack 8-10 full rep good form, then it's struggle of 1- 2-3 at a time.

Press ups, no probs 10 at a time, could crack 50 if needed, 100 with a gun to my head I reckon.

44 & 95kg

[TameRacingDriver]

ORD said:

No doubt about that. The average bloke thinks he could run a few kms at a good pace, give a good account of himself in a boxing ring and perform well in a gym. Nothing could be further from the truth. The average bloke would struggle to run a decent pace for even 200 metres, would be gassed after 30 seconds of boxing and cannot do a single decent pull up. I am very conscious that I'm a mess apart from at weightlifting and sprint rowing!

I am frankly amazed how weak most men are in the gym I attend, especially the young guys. A bodyweight bench press is a rare sight from anyone under 30, as is a respectable squat or deadlift or pull up. I saw some guys in their early twenties the other day half-squatting 40kg. And they've been going to the gym for months and months.

A lot of it is terrible programming and ego lifting, but there does seem to be something weird going on with young men. Too much screen time in their teens? Not enough sport in schools? Following some silly diet that prevents muscle growth?

No idea, really, but I am sure that most guys I knew in my early 20s were nothing like as weak as most of the guys I see these days. I remember one of my friends being very weak when he first went to the gym, but that was very much an exception.

I'm under no illusion that I'm hideously unfit, and despite the fact I do weights, I am probably only averagely strong. Then again, to be fair, I wasn't even fit when I was a kid, but I was very good at finding ways out of doing PE Ironically though, I am probably stronger now than I have ever been even though I am approaching 40.

You are right though, a lot of people vastly overestimate their capabilities, and it comes as a big shock when they are tested out.

[TheJimi]

Age: 38

BW: Fluctuate between 70-74kg

No idea what my max pullups is, as I've never actually made a point of trying. My usual rep range for pullups and chins is between 2-12 reps, depending on whether I'm doing them weighted or not (so far max weight is +50kg - target is to get +70kg)

I'll be honest, I'd be pretty annoyed with myself if I couldn't​ hit 20. I'll give it a bash next week and will update.

Pushups? No idea, unless it's diamond pressups, clapping or any other plyo variation, they just bore me.

Edited by TheJimi on Saturday 29th April 09:50

[didelydoo]

Tried this..... Wide, overhand grip, got 20 @ 107kg BW. Full range. Prefer less reps weighted tbh.

[272BHP]

iguana said:

Depends on the timescales, in a session no problem with 20 pull ups, but not in one hit, I can crack 8-10 full rep good form, then it's struggle of 1- 2-3 at a time.

Press ups, no probs 10 at a time, could crack 50 if needed, 100 with a gun to my head I reckon.

44 & 95kg

I think it is implied that it is in one go - i.e. you jump up to the bar and keep going until you can't do anymore.

I have seen lots of soldiers do pull-ups in the Army in various tests. Usually you would get 2-3 in a 100 do 20+ strict pull-ups - the majority will hit 5 to 15. There is always a good few who cannot do any at all - usually the women.

[ORD]

15 seems to be a real threshold. You don't see many who can do 16,17,18 or 19! I wonder whether it's that it takes serious training to get over 15, and, once there, 20 is the obvious target.
Diddlydoo making 20 wide arm pull ups at his weight is utterly insane. Film it, big man!