How Many Pull-Ups Should I Be Able to Do? (By Level)

Pull-ups are the strength test almost everyone has tried: a bar, your bodyweight, and a number. That makes the number easy to compare and hard to judge, because pull-ups are much harder for some bodies than others and there is no official standard for everyday lifters.

This guide gives you rep targets by level for men and women, explains what your reps are worth in added weight, and shows how many pull-ups it takes to reach each Liftly back rank.

The quick answer: for most men, 6–12 strict pull-ups in one set is a solid intermediate level and 13+ is advanced. For most women, 1–3 strict pull-ups is a real achievement and 9+ is advanced. Zero is normal when you start: almost everyone who can do 10 began by working toward their first.

What counts as a pull-up

The numbers below are for strict pull-ups: palms facing away, start from a dead hang with straight arms, pull until your chin clears the bar, lower all the way down, no kicking or swinging. Count only full reps.

• Chin-ups (palms facing you) let your biceps help more, so most people get a rep or two more. Log them as their own exercise.
• Kipping pull-ups (the CrossFit swing) are a different skill. They're great for conditioning but don't compare with strict reps.
• Half reps don't count. If your arms don't straighten at the bottom, your count is higher than your strength.

How many pull-ups is good? Levels for men and women

These levels are rules of thumb from the way lifters and coaches usually talk about pull-ups. They're not a scientific standard, and sources draw the lines a little differently:

Two things move you around this table more than anything else:

1. Bodyweight. In a pull-up you lift yourself. A 220 lb lifter doing 8 reps is moving a lot more weight than a 150 lb lifter doing 8. Heavier lifters usually do fewer reps, even when they're stronger.
2. Training. Pull-ups respond quickly to practice. Many people go from zero to several reps within a few months once they train them two or three times a week.

So the best comparison is not someone else's number. It's your own count from last month.

What your pull-ups are worth in added weight

Because your bodyweight is the load, reps are a way of measuring strength. You can turn a set of pull-ups into an estimated one-rep max with the Epley formula, the same one used for barbell lifts:

Estimated 1RM = (bodyweight + added weight) × (1 + reps ÷ 30)

That lets you compare a set of 10 bodyweight pull-ups with a heavy single. This table shows the extra weight you'd likely manage for one pull-up, based on how many bodyweight reps you can do. Added weight is rounded to the nearest 5 lb or 2.5 kg:

These are estimates. They're most accurate for sets of about 3–10 reps; past 15 reps, endurance starts to matter as much as strength. Still, it's a useful way to see that a 180 lb lifter with 10 clean pull-ups probably has a single with a 45 lb plate in them.

How many pull-ups before adding weight?

A common rule of thumb: once you can do about 8–12 strict reps for a few sets, start adding weight with a dip belt, a vest or a dumbbell between your feet. Before that, more reps build strength just fine.

When you add weight, use the same double-progression method as any other lift: pick a rep range like 5–8, add a small weight, and build back up to the top of the range before adding more. The full method is in how to track progressive overload.

How many pull-ups for each Liftly back rank

Liftly ranks every muscle from Newbie to GOAT by dividing your estimated one-rep max by your logged bodyweight. For bodyweight exercises like pull-ups, the load is your body weight plus any extra weight you log. Pull-ups count toward your back rank, together with rows, pulldowns and deadlifts.

Because your whole bodyweight is the load, even one strict pull-up scores 1.03× bodyweight, which is already past halfway up the back ladder. If pull-ups are your only back exercise, here's what each rank takes (rep counts rounded up so you clear the line):

The rank doesn't depend on how heavy you are. A 150 lb lifter and a 220 lb lifter who both do 8 strict reps get the same score, which is fair: the heavier lifter is moving more weight for the same reps.

Why your back rank is usually lower than your pull-ups alone

Your back score is a blend of all your back lifts, weighted toward your best three. Rows and pulldowns usually score lower than pull-ups, so they pull the average down. Here's a worked example for a 170 lb lifter:

With only pull-ups logged, this lifter's back score would be 1.27×, which is Elite I. With all three lifts, the score is 1.07×, which is Pro I. Getting to 12 pull-ups would lift it to Pro II (1.12×), and so would rowing 155 lb for 8 instead. Your rows and pulldowns matter as much as your pull-ups. For how heavy back lifts like the deadlift fit in, see how much should I deadlift for my weight.

How to do your first pull-up

If you can't do one yet, you're in good company. Train these two or three times a week, on days when your back is fresh:

1. Dead hangs. Hang from the bar with straight arms for 20–40 seconds. This builds grip and gets your shoulders used to hanging.
2. Scapular pulls. From a dead hang, pull your shoulder blades down without bending your arms. Small movement, big difference at the bottom of the pull-up.
3. Negatives. Jump or step up so your chin is over the bar, then lower yourself as slowly as you can, aiming for 3–5 seconds. Do 3–5 reps per set.
4. Assisted pull-ups. Use the assisted pull-up machine or a resistance band, and reduce the help over time. Log the machine as its own exercise so its numbers don't mix with real pull-ups.
5. Lat pulldowns and rows. These build the same muscles with a weight you can choose. Add weight steadily, and your first pull-up usually follows.

When you get your first clean rep, try a single at the start of every back session and build from there.

How to do more pull-ups

Once you can do a few, these work for most people:

• Do several sets with reps left in the tank. If your max is 6, do 4–5 sets of 3–4. You'll get more total quality reps than with one all-out set.
• Add a rep at a time. Try to beat last session's total reps. When you can do the top of your range on every set, test a new max.
• Train them often. Two or three sessions a week usually beats one big one.
• Get lighter or stronger. Losing fat makes every rep easier; adding weighted pull-ups once you hit 8–12 reps makes bodyweight reps feel lighter.
• Log every set. Pull-up progress is often one rep at a time, which is easy to miss without a record.

FAQ

Is 10 pull-ups good?

Yes. Ten strict pull-ups is a solid intermediate number for men and an advanced one for most women. It's roughly the same strength as one pull-up with about 29% of your bodyweight added, or +50 lb at 180 lb.

How many pull-ups should a beginner be able to do?

None is normal. Many beginners can't do a single strict pull-up. Train dead hangs, negatives and assisted pull-ups two or three times a week, and most people get their first rep within a few weeks to a few months.

How many pull-ups should a woman be able to do?

One strict pull-up is a great first goal, and 1–3 reps is a solid novice level. Women who train pull-ups regularly often reach 5–8, and 9+ is advanced. These are rules of thumb, not an official standard.

How many pull-ups should I be able to do by age?

There's no trusted adult standard by age, and the charts you'll find online rarely say where their numbers come from. Age matters much less than your bodyweight and how often you train pull-ups. Track your own count and aim to beat it.

Are chin-ups easier than pull-ups?

For most people, yes. With your palms facing you, your biceps help more, so you'll usually get a rep or two more. Both are great back exercises. Log them separately so each progress chart compares like with like.

Why can't I do a pull-up even though I lift weights?

Pull-ups depend on your strength relative to your bodyweight, plus grip and shoulder control at the bottom of the rep. Heavier lifters often need a strong back to do even a few. Lat pulldowns, rows, negatives and dead hangs close the gap.