Pull ups and press ups: how many can you do?
Discussion
RTB said:
I have to say that very very few people ever do pull ups at my gym and the few that do tend to do very limited range of movement. They do one full pull up to start and then sort of bounce 4 or 5 inches from the top of the first press up.
As I said earlier, I've been doing low rep weighted pullups (the goal is being able to do 100lb pull ups). When you try body weight only pull ups the first 8 or 10 are very easy (you feel like you're going to launch yourself over the bar), however my endurance is pretty poor, hence I can maybe manage 13 or 14 in a row.
I guess you can either have strength or reps, but not both.
True for a lot of people but that is largely down to muscle mass. Strong guys are often too heavy to be able to do lots of reps. But the extremely strong guys can also do lots of reps (although it is very rare). Also, strong guys often do very little endurance work. I can do more pull ups when I am simply a bit fitter!As I said earlier, I've been doing low rep weighted pullups (the goal is being able to do 100lb pull ups). When you try body weight only pull ups the first 8 or 10 are very easy (you feel like you're going to launch yourself over the bar), however my endurance is pretty poor, hence I can maybe manage 13 or 14 in a row.
I guess you can either have strength or reps, but not both.
The light guys who are absolutely awesome at pull ups have strong upper body relative strength, which can involve having tiny legs (dead weight in a pull up). Teenagers often fit the bill here.
ORD said:
The light guys who are absolutely awesome at pull ups have strong upper body relative strength, which can involve having tiny legs (dead weight in a pull up). Teenagers often fit the bill here.
Ah..... that makes sense now. I have extremely long legs with quite a lot of muscle and a relatively tiny upper body. It sounds strange, but it never occurred to me why I was so bad at chin ups!RobM77 said:
Ah..... that makes sense now. I have extremely long legs with quite a lot of muscle and a relatively tiny upper body. It sounds strange, but it never occurred to me why I was so bad at chin ups!
Most bizarre reason I've ever heard for poor pullups. Excuses 
. Anyway small upper body = short levers, so pullups should be easier. Long levers = slightly harder work but denser lats.Here's some good progression exercises to set you on your way https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdtrfXK7bcg
popeyewhite said:
RobM77 said:
Ah..... that makes sense now. I have extremely long legs with quite a lot of muscle and a relatively tiny upper body. It sounds strange, but it never occurred to me why I was so bad at chin ups!
Most bizarre reason I've ever heard for poor pullups. Excuses . Anyway small upper body = short levers, so pullups should be easier. Long levers = slightly harder work but denser lats.Here's some good progression exercises to set you on your way https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdtrfXK7bcg
popeyewhite said:
RobM77 said:
Ah..... that makes sense now. I have extremely long legs with quite a lot of muscle and a relatively tiny upper body. It sounds strange, but it never occurred to me why I was so bad at chin ups!
Most bizarre reason I've ever heard for poor pullups. Excuses . Anyway small upper body = short levers, so pullups should be easier. Long levers = slightly harder work but denser lats.Here's some good progression exercises to set you on your way https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdtrfXK7bcg
Seriously though, I'm very active and have been doing weights to support the sports I do for a long time now and I've had a chin up bar in the house since about '07/'08. I find I can build muscle as I like in my neck, legs, chest and core, but my arms just don't seem to put on much muscle. I have to have my wetsuits custom made - that's how skinny my arms are!
32, 5ft 7, 80kg, 42" chest, 32" waist.
I can do 100 press ups in one go
I can do 15-20 wide grip pull ups in one go, depending if its the start/end of a session
I have a pretty good base level of strength from a few years of training.
I see people referring to chin ups, which are a different thing!
I can do 100 press ups in one go
I can do 15-20 wide grip pull ups in one go, depending if its the start/end of a session
I have a pretty good base level of strength from a few years of training.
I see people referring to chin ups, which are a different thing!
Seems to me many people are confusing chin ups with pull ups.
Pull ups https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/...
Chin ups https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/...
Pull ups are a lot harder than chin ups !
Pull ups https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/...
Chin ups https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/...
Pull ups are a lot harder than chin ups !
V8covin said:
Seems to me many people are confusing chin ups with pull ups.
Pull ups https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/...
Chin ups https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/...
Pull ups are a lot harder than chin ups !
Chins ups are a variant of pull ups and are almost identical in terms of muscle used. Slightly easier for most people but not much once you get into high reps.Pull ups https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/...
Chin ups https://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/main/popup/...
Pull ups are a lot harder than chin ups !
Easier for untrained people because they are easier to cheat and can be made more arm-dominant.
For the general population the average is probably the wrong side of 1 pullup...
In the gym going population, 10 proper reps isn't very common from what I've seen (this is in many different gyms, not just one). My impression is that 10-20% of guys are in the 10-15 rep range. I do see a lot of partial rep warriors. 20 full range good form reps is relatively rare to see.
Pushups are a much easier exercise so the number of reps you can do sort of depends on how often you do pushups rather than your strength level.
In the gym going population, 10 proper reps isn't very common from what I've seen (this is in many different gyms, not just one). My impression is that 10-20% of guys are in the 10-15 rep range. I do see a lot of partial rep warriors. 20 full range good form reps is relatively rare to see.
Pushups are a much easier exercise so the number of reps you can do sort of depends on how often you do pushups rather than your strength level.
So age 42 weight about 74kgs
Pulls ups 20-25 neutral grip OR about 10-12 weighted pulls ups with a 20kg plate hanging from a belt
Push ups 50-60 OR about 25 weighted push ups with 30kgs on my back (20+10 plate)
Not read the entire thread or the above is good or not.
but then I do these regularly as part of my chest and back routine
Pulls ups 20-25 neutral grip OR about 10-12 weighted pulls ups with a 20kg plate hanging from a belt
Push ups 50-60 OR about 25 weighted push ups with 30kgs on my back (20+10 plate)
Not read the entire thread or the above is good or not.
but then I do these regularly as part of my chest and back routine
bing said:
So age 42 weight about 74kgs
Pulls ups 20-25 neutral grip OR about 10-12 weighted pulls ups with a 20kg plate hanging from a belt
Push ups 50-60 OR about 25 weighted push ups with 30kgs on my back (20+10 plate)
Not read the entire thread or the above is good or not.
but then I do these regularly as part of my chest and back routine
20-25 is awesome.I have never seen anyone hit 20 good reps in the flesh.Pulls ups 20-25 neutral grip OR about 10-12 weighted pulls ups with a 20kg plate hanging from a belt
Push ups 50-60 OR about 25 weighted push ups with 30kgs on my back (20+10 plate)
Not read the entire thread or the above is good or not.
but then I do these regularly as part of my chest and back routine
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.
Amazing how different capability can be between people, even at the same age/gender/weight.
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