What is the pull-up equivalent of a sub-5 mile?

15

Cue up the guys who can bang out 25, 30, 40 or more, claiming there's nothing special about being able to do so.

Around 45. If you watch crossfit, those guys usually tire out in bursts of pull ups around 45-55 before they stop and have to rest.

Tingling in my BUM BUM wrote:

Around 45. If you watch crossfit, those guys usually tire out in bursts of pull ups around 45-55 before they stop and have to rest.

The man said pull-ups not fish on a string flopping.

Tingling in my BUM BUM wrote:

Around 45. If you watch crossfit, those guys usually tire out in bursts of pull ups around 45-55 before they stop and have to rest.

One could hardly consider those 'pull-ups'.

Do runners need to be able to do pull-ups? I mean I'm getting $$$ to run d2 but I can't do pull ups.

Metoo wrote:

Do runners need to be able to do pull-ups? I mean I'm getting $$$ to run d2 but I can't do pull ups.

I can do 15 strict pullups (no great feat) and you are undoubtedly faster than me (5k PR 17:39). So no, runnders don't 'need' to do pullups. The question is, will they make me faster? I have no evidence that they will. On the other hand, I can be stronger without adding a bunch of muscle mass. It's good for my general fitness as a 42 year old man.

To answer the OP, I would say around 30. I can do that many when I train them (rock climber), but no way I can go sub-5:00 any more at 60. I also SRM 315# for half squat age 57, also 30 dips. I hate pushups, but I managed 100 at one point.

Metoo wrote:

Do runners need to be able to do pull-ups? I mean I'm getting $$$ to run d2 but I can't do pull ups.

When I was competing, every D1 runner I knew could do at least 5 pull-ups. Some were all-Americans and some were scrubs (like me), but they could all do at least a few. It's pretty easy for a thin young man to get into good enough shape to do 8 or 10 pull-ups.

Nub-alance wrote:

Metoo wrote:

Do runners need to be able to do pull-ups? I mean I'm getting $$$ to run d2 but I can't do pull ups.

The question is, will they make me faster? I have no evidence that they will.

The question is what is the equivalent of a 5 minute mile in pull ups. I'd say that is what pretty much any high school boy before everyone got overweight could do before he graduated.

I'd say 20. I was doing sets of 20 in my circuit in college. Can't do 8 real pull ups now though I try every week. I could squeeze out a five minute mile though.

And yes, they will make you faster. Don't worry when I was doing 120-180 pull ups a week no one would mistake me for an athlete.

Mart Sass wrote:

Nub-alance wrote:

The question is, will they make me faster? I have no evidence that they will.

The question is what is the equivalent of a 5 minute mile in pull ups. I'd say that is what pretty much any high school boy before everyone got overweight could do before he graduated.

I'd say 20. I was doing sets of 20 in my circuit in college. Can't do 8 real pull ups now though I try every week. I could squeeze out a five minute mile though.

And yes, they will make you faster. Don't worry when I was doing 120-180 pull ups a week no one would mistake me for an athlete.

They do help make runners faster? Is this based on your experience, or is it well known? This is good to hear.

There were multiple questions in the OP's post. One of which questioned the value of pullups as it relates to running, the other asking for the equivalent in pullups for a 5 min mile.

Trito wrote:

Metoo wrote:

Do runners need to be able to do pull-ups? I mean I'm getting $$$ to run d2 but I can't do pull ups.

When I was competing, every D1 runner I knew could do at least 5 pull-ups. Some were all-Americans and some were scrubs (like me), but they could all do at least a few. It's pretty easy for a thin young man to get into good enough shape to do 8 or 10 pull-ups.

I'm an upcoming D1 runner (4:33 1600) and I can only do a single pull-up.

Agree with 20 reps, like a 5-minute mile it may look impressive to someone with really bad genetics or no training, but it's not hard to achieve with a bit of effort. Pull-ups are some of the easiest exercises to improve at, when I'm totally out of practice I'll max out around 13-14 reps but can be at double that with a couple months of consistent training - at that point banging out a set of 20 is just a warmup and feels like a 5:00 mile rep when I'm in running shape.

Strength Equivalent wrote:

How many military standard pull-ups is equivalent to running a five minute mile? I believe the PFT scoring tables max out around 20 pull ups and 12-minutes/2-miles.

There was a recent thread on bench-press vs 5-min mile, but I think a body-weight-resistance exercise is more fair, as max bench press is largely determined by max body weight.

You mean for a runner?

Answer: 1

Crimea River wrote:

To answer the OP, I would say around 30. I can do that many when I train them (rock climber), but no way I can go sub-5:00 any more at 60. I also SRM 315# for half squat age 57, also 30 dips. I hate pushups, but I managed 100 at one point.

No. There is only one way to do a sub 5 mile. Pull-ups can be done slower or at various speeds on the up and down to get more done.

Realistically they need to be done smoothly and in continuous motion to count.

There are many ways to run a 5:00. Various speeds like: 75,85,65,75. Same for pullups. Pace them how you can for a max outcome, probably going to be even with a hang rest or two.

Huggies Pull-ups wrote:

Crimea River wrote:

To answer the OP, I would say around 30. I can do that many when I train them (rock climber), but no way I can go sub-5:00 any more at 60. I also SRM 315# for half squat age 57, also 30 dips. I hate pushups, but I managed 100 at one point.

No. There is only one way to do a sub 5 mile. Pull-ups can be done slower or at various speeds on the up and down to get more done.

Realistically they need to be done smoothly and in continuous motion to count.

If you are talking about strict, not kipping, pull-ups, I would say 15, maybe 20.

Crimea River wrote:

There are many ways to run a 5:00. Various speeds like: 75,85,65,75. Same for pullups. Pace them how you can for a max outcome, probably going to be even with a hang rest or two.

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Nope. You don't get to rest in a mile. You can sneak rests in a set of pull-ups.

3 pull ups.