What percent of people can do a pull-up?

Author: Brady Ondricka  |  Last update: Tuesday, December 16, 2025

The percentage of Americans who can do a pull-up varies significantly across different demographics. According to various studies, approximately 17.4% of adult men can perform at least one pull-up, while the percentage of adult women capable of doing a single pull-up is considerably lower, at about 4.9%.

Can the average person do a pull-up?

According to various sources, on average: A man can do at least 8 pull-ups. A woman can do 1 to 3 pull-ups.

Is 1 pull-up impressive?

Even doing 1 strict pull up sets you above the average. Doing 5, or 10? That's huge.

How many pull-ups can a navy seal do?

What are the pull up standards for men in military fitness tests? For tests like the Navy SEALs, men must do at least 10 pull ups. Top performers can do 15-20, showing their high fitness level.

Is everyone capable of doing a pull-up?

Most people cannot do a pull-up, as it requires a combination of upper body strength, grip strength, and body weight control. According to fitness studies, a significant portion of the population, especially those who do not engage in regular strength training, may struggle to perform even one pull-up.

105 Pull Ups - WORLD RECORD - (No Hanging Rest & All in One Set)

Is 10 push ups good?

Doing push ups every day is good for building upper body muscles and even strengthening your core, back, and lower extremities. You can start with 10 push ups a day and then work up to doing 50 or 100 push ups everyday. Breaking them up into smaller sets throughout the day can make it easier to start as well.

Why is a pull-up so hard?

The muscles of your upper trunk, your arms and back, have less mass. It takes a ton of effort to generate enough power against gravity to move all that posterior chain weight through space using only your upper body. Basically, you're heavy.

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.

Do pull ups absorb pee?

Pull-ups have similar absorbency to diapers, so it may confuse your child to have pull-ups on during potty training.

Is 20 pull-ups in a row good?

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.

What is the average force a person can pull?

person with good upper body strength can push or pull 100 lbs. of horizontal force for a very short period of time. The horizontal force (push/pull) needed to move a cart loaded with 1500 lbs. of steel may be 300 lbs.

How many pull-ups is respectable?

There are no definitive guidelines, but the number of pull-ups that are generally considered strong is 12+ for men and 8+ for women. If you can do this many, you're considered an advanced athlete. However, you are still considered an above-average athlete if you can do more than 8 (for men) or more than 3 (for women).

How long can the average person hold a pull-up?

But that's OK, because another way to evaluate grip strength — and, by inference, other measure of overall health — is to hang from a pull-up bar. All you have to do is stretch a little, take a deep breath, and start hanging. The average study indicates 60 seconds is a good target for men, 30 seconds for women.

What is the world record for pull-ups?

The most consecutive pull ups is 1,224 and was achieved by Kenta Adachi (Japan) in Shunan, Yamaguchi, Japan, on 10 November 2024. Kenta has outdone himself, breaking his previous record of 651.

What is David Goggins' longest run?

In 2005, David Goggins decided to take on an ultramarathon challenge which involved running over 3100 miles (5000 km) across the United States from San Francisco to New York City without taking any days off – a feat that no one had ever achieved before.

What is David Goggins' 40% rule?

The 40% Rule (The Most Important Discovery)

Goggins' most mind-blowing finding: When your mind is telling you you're done, you're only 40% done. Scientific evidence: - Navy SEAL study: Athletes could do 100+ more push-ups after being told their first “maximum” was a warm-up.

Is 25 too old to become a Navy SEAL?

The Navy SEAL requirements state that all Navy SEAL candidates are between the ages of 18 and 28, though candidates who are 17 can attend the training with signed parental permission. Navy SEAL candidates are also required to be United States citizens.

What is the Goggins 1 second rule?

David Goggins uses the 1-Second Decision to make quick decisions during painful or extreme situations, such as in Navy SEAL training. In these situations, he emphasizes the importance of gaining control of your mind, putting things back in the proper perspective, and remembering why you really want to be there.

Are pull-ups harder for bigger guys?

Yes, it is easier for short people to do pull-ups!

Not only that, but the work required to do a pull-up increases faster than the size of the person. It becomes increasingly more difficult the larger you are!

What is the hardest exercise in the world?

“The hardest exercise to master regardless of fitness level, in my opinion, would be an exercise called the clean and jerk,” says personal trainer Mandy Wong Oultram. “It's tough because there are so many components to it and each part connects to the next. If you get one part wrong, the whole exercise can break down.”

Are pullups or chinups harder?

Because of the overhand grip, your lats will do the majority of the work since they are getting less help from the biceps. Why are pull ups harder than chin ups? The wider overhand grip used in pull ups places a greater demand on the lats with less help from the biceps, making this move feel more challenging.

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