Pull ups and press ups: how many can you do?
Discussion
ORD said:
I think that's true, Rob. But there are also dozens of people posting about their running programmes. If, like me, you think running is a waste of time, it's nice to have threads about other exercises!
Oh, I agree entirely, I was just commenting on how representative your demographic sample would be here 
I suspect the average guy my age can't do a single chin up or press up!joshcowin said:
Rob - what neck exercises are you doing and why? just curious.
I race a Formula Renault and find I need to build muscle in my neck to handle the cornering g. I'm an unusual case, as my body frame size is unusually small (my neck is under 14" and I find buying clothes really difficult), but my head is unusually large (helmet size L) and therefore heavy - this makes racing a quick car very challenging without building neck muscle up.All of the weight training that I do is all designed to make the sports I do easier - I hate carrying extra unnecessary weight (i.e. muscle), so I target specific muscles just to the point where my sports are possible.
chris watton said:
So said:
Are you very skinny?
I don't think so. 5'7" and 74kg.RobM77 said:
ORD said:
I think that's true, Rob. But there are also dozens of people posting about their running programmes. If, like me, you think running is a waste of time, it's nice to have threads about other exercises!
Oh, I agree entirely, I was just commenting on how representative your demographic sample would be here I suspect the average guy my age can't do a single chin up or press up!ORD said:
AndStilliRise said:
Pull ups/Chin ups = 5-8
Press ups. 4*50 = 200. 1 minute recovery
5,7. 60kg.
Bloody hell that is a mis-match between pull ups and press ups! Are you sure your press ups are with good form? If they are, you have a really unusual strength balance.Press ups. 4*50 = 200. 1 minute recovery
5,7. 60kg.
. Like everything i do, I am sure they they can be improved.My back is straight and arms shoulder length wide. I normally drop down and press quickly, returning to perpendicular shoulders arms. The lactic acid is what usually kills me, hence the rest between sets.
ORD said:
Chris is too modest to say it, but he isnt just not skinny - he is a small/medium sized powerhouse! He also could do practically no pull ups a couple of years ago and one of the best adverts for resistance training.
Thank you, ORD, am blushing here!I just followed Arnold's advice regarding Pull Ups, do 50 reps in as many sets as it takes each workout. I started using a resistance band doing behind the neck pull ups (as these were considered harder to do, I figured if I could master these, the others would be not so bad to do). Like most things, do them enough times and inevitably, you do get better. The trick for me was to be stubborn and never give in, rather than think I'd never be able to do them.
chris watton said:
ORD said:
Chris is too modest to say it, but he isnt just not skinny - he is a small/medium sized powerhouse! He also could do practically no pull ups a couple of years ago and one of the best adverts for resistance training.
Thank you, ORD, am blushing here!I just followed Arnold's advice regarding Pull Ups, do 50 reps in as many sets as it takes each workout. I started using a resistance band doing behind the neck pull ups (as these were considered harder to do, I figured if I could master these, the others would be not so bad to do). Like most things, do them enough times and inevitably, you do get better. The trick for me was to be stubborn and never give in, rather than think I'd never be able to do them.
ORD said:
Is that 50 per workout stopping short of failure in each set (i.e. leaving one rep in the tank)? I do 50 per workout but I do them in easy little chunks (5-8) because otherwise they interfere with the rest of the workout. If I go even close to failure on chins, I find that I then feel sluggish for everything else.
It was 50 per workout in as many sets as it took, so for example, when I started without the resistance band, I would do 3 or 4 per set, meaning it took over a dozen sets to reach the 50.I now do them near the end of my workout, as I believe they help in stretching the spine back a little after the heavier back exercises, so they're now a little more tiring than when I did them as my first back exercise.
It will vary hugely depending on pull ups/chin ups, form, speed, body type, experience, and intensity, ie. most people never really find their muscular limits.
I don't do maximums but I once did 80 push ups in one go (a while ago!) I can do 2 x 10 fairly strict chin ups currently. I find pull ups uncomfortable on my shoulders. I'm 34.
I don't do maximums but I once did 80 push ups in one go (a while ago!) I can do 2 x 10 fairly strict chin ups currently. I find pull ups uncomfortable on my shoulders. I'm 34.
chris watton said:
It was 50 per workout in as many sets as it took, so for example, when I started without the resistance band, I would do 3 or 4 per set, meaning it took over a dozen sets to reach the 50.
I now do them near the end of my workout, as I believe they help in stretching the spine back a little after the heavier back exercises, so they're now a little more tiring than when I did them as my first back exercise.
Understood, but how close to failure do you go in each set? Until you could not do another rep or until you think you could do one more but want to stay fresh?I now do them near the end of my workout, as I believe they help in stretching the spine back a little after the heavier back exercises, so they're now a little more tiring than when I did them as my first back exercise.
Age: 34
Weight: 80kg
Pull ups: 10-12 in one go or 3x6-8 with a rest in between. Recently did 5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5 no problem. Add a few reps for chin ups as I've recently started doing those due to shoulder injury. I've counted an ex colleague who was bigger and ripped do 37 in one go and when I was 23 I did 17 myself.
Press ups. Elbows locked at the side I can do 30 before my form falters but wider I'd say 50-60. I've seen people do 60 elbow locked to the sound of a beep.
Recently I've changed from faster but endurance bodyweight to doing slower reps that each take 6 seconds. Last year I worked to 3x10 pull ups and 3x30-40 press ups over 3 variations in a circuit I was doing
Weight: 80kg
Pull ups: 10-12 in one go or 3x6-8 with a rest in between. Recently did 5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5 no problem. Add a few reps for chin ups as I've recently started doing those due to shoulder injury. I've counted an ex colleague who was bigger and ripped do 37 in one go and when I was 23 I did 17 myself.
Press ups. Elbows locked at the side I can do 30 before my form falters but wider I'd say 50-60. I've seen people do 60 elbow locked to the sound of a beep.
Recently I've changed from faster but endurance bodyweight to doing slower reps that each take 6 seconds. Last year I worked to 3x10 pull ups and 3x30-40 press ups over 3 variations in a circuit I was doing
Haven't been able to do any for months as I have a rotator cuff injury but I do remember the numbers I have done before because I hated them so much!
During Army basic training at age 25 I did 20 very strict dead hang pull-ups (probably a couple more as the PTI would just not count the ones done without exquisite form).
At age 45 a few years ago I trained them fairly consistently and again managed to hit 20 (I would guess the form was not as strict as I was counting). Usually year on year I could hit on average 12-14 in one go.
I was always fairly good at press ups so in Army tests I would just hit the max 70 or so and then stop.
During Army basic training at age 25 I did 20 very strict dead hang pull-ups (probably a couple more as the PTI would just not count the ones done without exquisite form).
At age 45 a few years ago I trained them fairly consistently and again managed to hit 20 (I would guess the form was not as strict as I was counting). Usually year on year I could hit on average 12-14 in one go.
I was always fairly good at press ups so in Army tests I would just hit the max 70 or so and then stop.
Used to do 3x10 underhand pull ups, 3 or 4 times a week a couple of years ago. However something happened, and when attempting them I'd get a very sharp burning on the inside of my elbow/forearm.
Despite removing pull ups from any work out, if I do try one I still get this pain. Is it tendinitis? Initially I got the pain at work (physical job) but now it seems pull ups are about the only trigger.
Used to do press-ups years ago but started them at home again, partly due to the pull up issue. Wide grip I am not sure, maybe 50. Close grip around 30.
34, 6'3, 14st.
Despite removing pull ups from any work out, if I do try one I still get this pain. Is it tendinitis? Initially I got the pain at work (physical job) but now it seems pull ups are about the only trigger.
Used to do press-ups years ago but started them at home again, partly due to the pull up issue. Wide grip I am not sure, maybe 50. Close grip around 30.
34, 6'3, 14st.
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