How to do more pull-ups: from your first few reps to 10 and beyond

Practise 2 or 3 times a week, pulling first

The pull-up trials trained twice a week, and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) found strength rose most with at least 2 sessions a week and the main exercise early in the session.

Sources 1, 2

End each set while the reps are quick

In 29 strength-trained men, pull-up sets ended once the reps slowed by a quarter improved pull-up strength and reps, while sets taken until they slowed by half didn't.

Source 3

Build the engine: rows, pulldowns and grip

Eight weeks of lat pulldowns raised pull-up reps in 34 men, and in 30 inactive men, the group that added forearm and grip training went from 4 to about 13 pull-ups in 8 weeks.

Sources 4, 1

Negatives are a top-up

Lowering-only training mainly builds lowering strength, so pair slow negatives with full pull-ups, rows and assisted pulls.

Source 5

Grease the groove is untested for pull-ups

Spreading the same work through the day matched one session for squat strength in one trial, so it may work for pull-ups, but no trial has tested it. If you try it, keep every set easy and take days off.

Source 6

Body weight is physics, not a target

Your reps depend on how strong you are for your size. Getting stronger is what raises them; no one needs to change their weight.

Sources 7, 8

A relative-strength lift

In 58 college students, the heaviest single pull-up, counting body weight, averaged 1.16 times body weight in men and 0.73 in women, and in 82 trained men it averaged 1.5 times. In 28 elite women swimmers, more body mass went with fewer pull-ups.

Sources 7, 9, 8

Reps and speed

In 52 men, how fast each rep moved showed how close to their maximum they were, and how much the reps had slowed predicted how many were left. A clearly slower rep means the set is nearly done.

Source 10

The stages

From 0 to 1: our pull-up guide and first pull-up workout. From 1 to 5: practice and assistance work. From 5 to 10: more total reps, still short of failure. From 10 up: adding weight and harder variations.

Where people differ

Women's heaviest pull-up relative to body weight was lower on average, but they did more reps at the same percentage of their maximum (10.5 against 8.1 at 80%), so the same plan works from a different starting point. Grip preference and your elbow and shoulder history shape which grip suits you.

Sources 7, 11

Pull-up training with grip workEmerging evidence

In 30 inactive men who could already do a few pull-ups, 8 weeks of the same programme twice a week (assisted pull-ups, inverted rows, chin-ups and negatives, 3 sets each, 1 to 2 minutes' rest) raised reps in all three groups of 10. The group that added forearm and grip training went from 4.0 to 12.9, against 4.3 to 7.0 with interval training and 2.7 to 6.5 with core work. There was no group without pull-up training, and the groups were small.

Source 1

Short setsEmerging evidence

29 strength-trained men averaging about 16 pull-ups trained twice a week for 8 weeks. Sets ended once the reps slowed by 25% improved every measure; sets ended at a 50% slowdown, much closer to failure, improved none.

Source 3

Pulldowns and pull-upsEmerging evidence

In 34 men, 8 weeks of lat pulldowns raised pull-up reps. Pulldown strength was closely linked to pull-up strength in college men, less so in women, and only loosely in 28 elite women swimmers, whose authors said one shouldn't stand in for the other.

Sources 4, 7, 8

Lowering, isometric and explosive trainingEmerging evidence

Across 27 studies, lowering-only training raised lowering strength by 27% against 10% for lifting-only training, with no difference in lifting strength. In 30 advanced climbers, 5 weeks of lowering, isometric or explosive pull-up training raised maximum strength by 2.2 to 5.0%.

Sources 5, 12

GripsEmerging evidence

The lats worked hard in pull-ups and chin-ups alike in 25 people; chin-ups used more chest and biceps. In 19 strength-trained men, overhand, underhand and neutral grips were similar apart from a little more middle trapezius overhand. In a model, wide grips used more lat, and in 11 regular performers, wide and underhand grips showed shoulder-blade movements linked with shoulder pinching.

Sources 13, 14, 15, 11

Inverted rowsEmerging evidence

Inverted rows worked the biceps, lats, lower trapezius and back of the shoulder hard in 26 people, which makes them a good partner for pull-ups.

Source 16

Grease the grooveMixed evidence

No trial has tested it for pull-ups. The closest evidence: in 45 trained men, 3 short bouts of squats a day, 3 days a week, matched one session of the same work for squat strength over 8 weeks and was more enjoyable; one maximal 3-second contraction a day raised arm strength in sedentary young adults; and 5 minutes a day of bodyweight lowering exercises raised push-up reps in 22 sedentary adults. It may work for pull-ups, but that's an inference.

Sources 6, 17, 18

Weighted pull-upsMixed evidence

No trial has tested whether adding weight raises your reps at body weight. Pull-up reps depend on how strong you are for your size, so getting stronger with added weight should help, but that's our inference.

Sources 7, 9

Women and pull-upsEmerging evidence

College women trained towards a first pull-up in one trial, and those who succeeded had more strength for their size. Women did more reps than men at the same percentage of their maximum.

Sources 7, 19

Sudden jumps in loadStrong evidence

An International Olympic Committee consensus statement names sudden increases in training load as a major risk factor for injury in sport.

Source 20

How often

Practise 2 or 3 times a week, not on consecutive days, with pull-ups first while you're fresh, as our pull-up guide suggests.

Sources 1, 2

How hard

End each pull-up set before a rep slows down: that leaves about 1 to 3 RIR (reps in reserve: how many more reps you could have done). Don't grind out the last rep.

Sources 3, 10

Rest

Rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets of pull-ups and chin-ups, and about 90 seconds for rows and assisted pulls, as our pull-up guide does.

How many sets a week

Our pull-up guide uses 6 to 12 hard pulling sets a week for a first pull-up. From about 5 pull-ups, about 10 to 15 hard pulling sets a week across pull-ups, rows and pulldowns is a sensible range (our editorial starting point, in line with our plans' 10 or more sets per muscle a week). Practice sets well short of failure don't count as hard sets.

Test it

Test your best set every 2 to 4 weeks, fresh, at the start of a session, to the pull-up guide's standard (our suggestion).

Pull-ups or chin-ups

3 to 5 sets of 1 to 3, ending each set before a rep slows (our editorial starting point).

Source 3

Negatives

2 or 3 sets of 3, lowering for 3 to 5 seconds and building towards 5 to 10, as our pull-up guide starts them (an editorial dose).

Source 5

Band-assisted pull-ups

The move page's dose: 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 with a band that lets you finish each set in good form (ACE, the American Council on Exercise); the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) suggests 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 10. Use the thinnest band that lets you finish every rep.

Rows

Inverted rows, 3 sets of 6 to 12 (our editorial starting point, as in our first pull-up workout); lower the bar as they get easier.

Source 16

Grip

Farmer's carries, 2 walks of 20 to 30 m, and wrist curls, 2 sets of 12 to 15 (our editorial starting points, as in our first pull-up workout).

Source 1

More good reps, not grinding

4 or 5 sets of about half to two-thirds of your best set, ending each set while the reps are quick, or 4 sets of 5 to 10 stopping 1 to 3 reps short, as in our pull day workout (our editorial starting points).

Source 3

Pulldowns and rows

Lat pulldowns, 3 sets of 8 to 12 (our editorial starting point, as in our upper body gym workout), and rows as above.

Sources 4, 7

Ladders and clusters

Ladders and cluster sets are ways to collect more good reps with short breaks. Cluster sets didn't change strength compared with normal sets across 29 studies, so use them for variety (our suggestion).

Source 21

Weighted pull-ups

Our move pages ask for about 10 strict pull-ups before you add weight; that threshold is our editorial choice. Start with 2.5 to 5 kg on a belt or a dumbbell held between your feet, for 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6, stopping 2 reps short (our editorial starting point). That stronger pulling should raise your reps at body weight is our inference: no trial has tested it.

Source 7

Harder variations

The advanced calisthenics workout's 4 sets of 5 to 8 pull-ups, the mixed-grip chin-up, and muscle-ups, which have their own guide.

What it is

Grease the groove means doing several easy sets of pull-ups spread through the day on most days, rather than a few hard sessions. The idea is lots of practice without fatigue.

The evidenceMixed evidence

No trial has tested it for pull-ups. Spreading the same squat work through the day matched one session for squat strength in 45 trained men, and short daily practice raised strength and push-ups in small trials of sedentary adults. That suggests it may work, but it isn't shown.

Sources 6, 17, 18

Who it may not suit

People with sore elbows or shoulders, and anyone already doing 2 or 3 full pull-up sessions a week: adding daily sets on top is a sudden jump in load (our suggestion).

Overhand, underhand or neutral

The lats work hard with every grip; chin-ups add more biceps, and overhand pull-ups a little more upper back. Rotate grips through the week if you like.

Sources 13, 14

Wide grips

Wide grips used a little more lat in a model, but in 11 regular performers, wide and underhand grips showed shoulder-blade movements linked with shoulder pinching, and the authors suggested shoulder-width overhand pull-ups for weaker lifters. A shoulder-width grip suits most people.

Sources 11, 15

If your elbows hurt

If the front of your elbow is sore, switch from chin-ups to a neutral grip or rings, as our elbow pain from pull-ups guide suggests.

What trials found

Men who could do 3 or 4 pull-ups doubled or tripled their reps in 8 weeks in one trial; in 39 men retested after 12 weeks of training, maximum reps rose 15%; and advanced climbers gained 2 to 5% in maximum strength in 5 weeks. The better you get, the slower it goes.

Sources 1, 10, 12

No promises

These are small trials, mostly in men. Pages that promise a number of pull-ups in a set number of weeks go beyond the evidence.

The pain rule

Elbow pain of 3 or 4 out of 10 that settles within an hour and isn't worse the next morning is usually fine, as our elbow pain from pull-ups guide explains. Pain beyond that means cutting back.

Change the grip, not just the reps

Front-of-elbow pain: swap chin-ups for a neutral grip or rings. Shoulder pinching: use a shoulder-width grip.

Source 11

Avoid sudden jumps

A challenge, a new class or a first week of grease the groove can double your pulling overnight. Build up over weeks instead (our suggestion).

Source 20

Same day (NHS 111, or A&E if you feel very unwell)

After a big or unusual session, such as hundreds of pull-ups, a challenge or a new class: muscle pain, swelling or weakness far worse than the session explains, and dark pee (red, brown, tea or cola coloured), sometimes starting hours or days later. It can be rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle that can harm the kidneys.

Source 22

Call 999 or go to A&E

Call 999 for sudden, severe pain in a swollen, tight muscle. Call 999 or go to A&E if your shoulder looks out of place or has changed shape after a fall from the bar, or you can't move your arm. Don't drive yourself, and don't try to put a shoulder back in yourself.

Call 999 (911 in the US): chest pain or fainting

For chest pain that feels tight or like squeezing, spreads to your arms, neck or jaw, or comes with feeling sweaty, sick, light-headed or short of breath; severe difficulty breathing; or if someone faints while exercising. Don't drive yourself to A&E.

Sources 23, 24, 25

Call 999 for a sudden, severe headache

A sudden, extremely painful headache while lifting or straining, especially with a stiff neck, being sick, sensitivity to light, fainting, confusion, or drooping, weakness or slurred speech.

Sources 26, 27

Urgent treatment centre or A&E: a pop at the front of the elbow

Lowering a heavy load, then bruising, a bulge in the upper arm or weakness turning the palm up: a possible torn biceps tendon. Don't wait for it to settle: a torn biceps tendon is best repaired within the first 2 to 3 weeks.

Same day (GP or NHS 111)

For sudden or very bad shoulder pain, an arm you can't move, a shoulder that's changed shape or is badly swollen, pins and needles that don't go away, or no feeling in the arm. In the US, contact your doctor or urgent care.

Source 28

See a GP or physiotherapist

If elbow or arm pain hasn't gone after a few weeks of looking after it yourself, shoulder pain hasn't improved after 2 weeks, or pins and needles or numbness in your ring and little fingers keep coming back.

Source 28

Get advice before hard training

If your blood pressure is uncontrolled, or you have heart disease or chest pain when you're active, a pacemaker or defibrillator, or you're pregnant. Breathe out as you pull rather than holding your breath.

Source 29

"Grease the groove works for everyone"Mixed evidence

No trial has tested it for pull-ups. Spreading training through the day matched one session for squat strength in one trial, so it may suit people who can reach a bar often and keep the sets easy. It may not suit sore elbows or shoulders, or anyone already doing 2 or 3 full pull-up sessions a week (our suggestion).

Sources 6, 17, 18

"Go to failure on every set to get more reps"Emerging evidence

In 29 strength-trained men, sets ended once the reps slowed by a quarter improved pull-ups, while sets taken much closer to failure didn't.

Source 3

"Negatives are the fastest way to more pull-ups"Emerging evidence

Lowering-only training mainly builds lowering strength; the trials that raised pull-up reps combined full pull-ups, rows and grip work.

Sources 5, 1

"You have to lose weight to do more pull-ups"Emerging evidence

You lift your own body weight, so more mass means more to pull, but strength training raised pull-up reps in trials that didn't ask anyone to change their weight. Getting stronger is what you train.

Sources 8, 1, 3

"Women can't do pull-ups"Emerging evidence

Women's heaviest pull-up relative to body weight was lower on average than men's, but they did more reps at the same percentage of their maximum, and women trained towards a first pull-up in one trial. The same plan works.

Sources 7, 19

"Wide-grip pull-ups are best"Emerging evidence

Muscle activity was similar across grips in 19 strength-trained men, a model suggested a little more lat with a wide grip, and wide grips showed shoulder-blade movements linked with shoulder pinching in 11 regular performers. A shoulder-width grip suits most people.

Sources 14, 15, 11