How many pull-ups to gain muscle?

Author: Coleman Pfeffer  |  Last update: Saturday, November 22, 2025

To build muscles, you need to do between 8 to 15 reps for 3 to 5 sets of pull-ups done 2 to 3x per week. Building muscles through bodyweight movement will be dependent on the intensity of the exercises you are doing.

Can you gain muscle by doing pull-ups?

Yes, it is possible to build significant muscle mass and strength by performing bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and pull-ups. These exercises target multiple muscle groups, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, and back, leading to muscle growth and development.

How many pull-ups to get a muscle-up?

How Many Pull-Ups Are Needed to Do a Muscle-Up? I'd say a minimum of 15 pull-ups for a general muscle-up. If you are looking to get really good at muscle-ups, then I would say 5-8 EXPLOSIVE pull-ups are necessary. The higher you call pull, the easier the muscle-up will be.

How many pull-ups per set to build muscle?

How Many Reps and Sets? Beginners: Start with 2-3 sets of 5-8 reps. Intermediate/Advanced: Aim for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. There are two ways to increase intensity: increasing weight, or increasing volume.

Is 3 sets of 10 pull-ups good?

As a general practice, doing a 3 sets of 8 reps routine with 60-90 seconds rest between sets is a good place to start to stimulate the muscles to grow. You can then progress to 3 sets of 9 reps, 3 sets of 10, and building up all the way to 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

How to Increase PULL-UP STRENGTH - Full Program, Reps & Sets to Get Better At Pull Ups & Chin Ups

How many pull-ups can navy SEALs do?

Tip. The Navy SEALs fitness test requires you to run 15 miles in 10.5 minutes; swim 500 yards in 12.5 minutes; complete 50 pushups in two minutes; 50 curl-ups in two minutes; and 10 pull-ups in two minutes.

How many reps are in bicep curls?

Biceps Curls

Palms should face forward. Squeeze the biceps and bend the arms, curling the weights towards the shoulders. Keep the elbows stationary and only bring the weight as high as you can without moving the elbows. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-15 reps.

How many push-ups a day to build muscle?

Doing 100 push-ups a day can be an impactful element of your overall strength-building and -maintaining routine. And you don't need to be at a gym to do them. “It's a quick and efficient way to strengthen some upper body muscles,” Rad says.

Is 20 pull-ups in a row a lot?

Achieving a full set of 20 pull-ups isn't something everyone can do when starting out. Only doing a couple of “ugly” reps, say 5 or 10 isn't going to get your muscles going too much either. Doing around 20 reps per set sounds like you'd be taking things seriously though.

How many pull-ups for marines?

The minimum expectations are as follows: Male: 2 Pull Ups. 35 Sit Ups (2 Minutes)

How many pull-ups average a man?

To be considered intermediate, men should be able to do between 12 and 15 pull ups, depending on their weight (lighter men can typically do more pull ups than heavier men). To be considered strong or elite, lighter men should be able to do 26–39 pull ups while heavier men closer to 220 pounds (100 kg) should do 20–28.

Can you get fit with just pull-ups?

Pull-up can help increase metabolism and weight loss

One pull-up can burn 0.2 to 1 calorie. 1 minute of pull-ups can burn 4 to 10 calories. You need to do 3,500 pull-ups to experience weight loss. A woman weighing 150-lbs can burn about 9 calories for 1 minute of pull-ups.

Will pullups make my arms bigger?

When you perform pullups, there is another "very important" muscle used in the upper arm called the brachialis. "This muscle is a strong flexor of the elbow. The brachialis lies directly underneath the biceps and, when developed, can give you wider arms and taller looking biceps," says Cavaliere.

How many pull-ups a day to see results?

Beginner: Start with 2-3 sets of 3-5 pull-ups, 2-3 times per week. Intermediate: Aim for 3-4 sets of 6-10 pull-ups, 3-4 times per week. Advanced: Perform 4-5 sets of 10-15 pull-ups, 4-5 times per week, incorporating variations such as weighted pull-ups or different grip positions.

Is 3 sets of 10 bicep curls good?

For muscle maintenance, do 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps each, for each arm. For strength building, sets of 6 to 8 reps may be preferable. Let your body be your guide. If you can't do the number of reps you seek, reduce the dumbbell weight.

Are 20 reps too much?

On the other hand, Sheridan says that beginners just looking to tone up might aim for a maximum of 20 reps per set. “If you can implement above 20 reps, there is a chance that you are practicing with light or easy weights, which will not help you improve or grow,” he warns.

Do biceps respond better to high or low reps?

The biceps and triceps should be trained using rep ranges between 5-20 reps to best maximize strength, muscle growth, and overall development of the muscles. In this article, we will explore the various rep ranges for biceps and triceps training so that you can maximize your arm workouts AND minimize injury.

How many pull-ups is considered elite?

Average Pull Up Counts for Different Fitness Levels

Those at an intermediate level can do around 14 pull-ups, showing good technique and strength. Advanced lifters can do about 25 pull-ups, and elite lifters can do 37 or more.

How impressive is 20 pull-ups?

I came to realize after all these years training bodyweight that one's ability to do 20 pull-ups in a row stands for impressive upper body strength and endurance. At first sight, there is nothing unusual in doing 20 perfect pull-ups except that only a handful of people can.

What is the 60% rule navy seal?

The idea is that when your mind tells you that you are done and can't go any further, you are only at about 40 percent of your actual capacity."Push for that extra 60% when your mind is telling you to quit, that you're "at your limit." Because you likely aren't.

How many pull-ups can David Goggins do?

Retired Navy seal. David Goggins is described as the toughest men on the planet, holding the pullup record 4,000 pullups in 17 hours is also an ultra-marathon runner with more than 60 races.

What is the 40 rule for Navy SEALs?

The 40 percent rule is a concept popularized by Dave Goggins in Jesse Itzler's book Living With a SEAL. When your mind says you're exhausted, fried, totally tapped out, you're really only 40 percent done.

Previous article
Who should avoid a bob?
Next article
How long before washing off tanning lotion?