How many pull ups should you be able to do?

Count only the repetitions that meet the rule you chose. A video lets you inspect the starting hang and the height reached at the top, including the final attempts in a set. Assistance, shorter movements and a change of grip need to stay visible in the record.

What the published numbers measure

Reference	People and test	Reported result
Strength Level	Users who log single-set results	Community averages of 13 reps for men and 6 for women
Aandstad, 2021	18,847 men aged 17 to 21 at Norwegian conscript selection, using a beam for vertical pull ups	Median of 7 reps, with the middle half between 3 and 10

Strength Level explains that it filters implausible and repeated submissions before calculating its standards. It also says that people who actively log lifting results may be stronger than the general population. Its headline figures therefore carry the characteristics of its participating community. Strength Level methodology

The Norwegian study used an overhand grip on a beam. Participants started with straight arms, raised the chin above the beam, and returned to full arm extension. Kicking and swinging were excluded. The author also reports selection toward fitter candidates. Both the test and that selection matter when you compare yourself with its median. Aandstad’s study and test protocol

The study’s female row needs particular care. It reports a median of five horizontal pull ups, using a supported starting position. Reading that row as five unassisted vertical pull ups would change the exercise being measured. The table’s footnotes identify the two tests. Primary results table

Is 10, 15 or 20 pull ups good?

Against Strength Level’s current male community average of 13, ten repetitions fall below the headline figure, while fifteen and twenty exceed it. Against its female community average of six, all three counts exceed the headline figure. Its bodyweight and age settings let you choose a more specific comparison within that community. Current community figures

For your own record, the full set matters. Watch the bottom and top of each repetition. If your chin stops short on the last two attempts, keep the count at the last repetition that meets the rule. Record the video so a training partner can check the same details.

If you are starting from zero, the next useful target is your first unassisted repetition under a consistent rule. Our first-pull-up guide covers hangs, controlled lowering and assisted practice.

For another bodyweight baseline, the push-up benchmark guide explains published reference counts and how different test rules affect a result.

How to read an average-pull-ups-by-age chart

Look for the source population, the exercise definition and the way the figures were produced.

The Norwegian reference covers ages 17 to 21. Its results provide no direct measurement of a person in their forties or sixties. Strength Level offers age-adjusted community comparisons, which remain tied to the people submitting results to that service. Keep the source and its age range beside any target you choose. Norwegian sample and selection method · Strength Level’s age comparisons

A large sample also needs the right label. Aandstad’s full study included 154,659 people across several fitness measurements. The male pull-up result comes from the smaller subgroup of 18,847 who completed that test. The test-specific count is the relevant sample size for its median. Study results table

Check whether a chart reports a maximum set, a timed test or repetitions across a workout. Strength Level asks users to enter repetitions from one set. A separate 2013 study of 180 active adults used modified pull ups in three 15-second bouts. The word “pull up” appears in both methods, but their tasks and reported results differ. Single-set logging instructions · Negrete and colleagues’ study abstract

Record a strict set you can compare again

Use the same counting rule each time you test. OpenContest’s published strict-pull-up rules give you a checklist to follow.

1. Use an overhand grip, with your palms facing away from you. Start in a hang with your arms straight.
2. Put the camera side-on so your whole body, the bar and the space above your chin remain visible.
3. Raise your chin clearly above the bar, then return to straight arms. Keep the movement free of a kick or swing.
4. Count only completed repetitions. Under these rules, you may pause in the hang while keeping hold of the bar. The set ends when you let go or your feet touch the floor or a box.
5. Save the date, accepted count, grip and any details that changed the attempt. Keep assisted work and added-weight work in their own records.

Stop the attempt if you feel pain or cannot maintain the position safely. A baseline is most useful when you can repeat its conditions. When you test again, compare the videos as well as the final counts. Our filming guide explains how to keep the evidence clear enough for another person to review.