When I was in middle school, we had to do them for some kind of annual fitness test. At the time I wasn't a runner yet and, though I played a lot of sports and we were much more active than kids today, I was a total non-athlete. I smoked the entire class including the top athletes in my grade, with 8 or 9. It was strictly because I was in decent shape and super light weight (probably 90 pounds at the most).
As a high school athlete, where I was a 5'7 105 lb 4:20 miler, I think my PR was 13. A year or two later in college I would do three sets of them to exhaustion and that was usually something like 12, 10, 9 with a few minutes rest in between. I wasn't getting any better at them (could not break 13) despite doing them all the time, but I think my running was eating all my muscle away.
Around 40 years old and 150 lbs, and out of shape, I could only do 3 despite being a lot stronger in my arms and body. Now I'm just over 50 and I doubt I could do more than 1, but I weigh 160. Pullups feel like the absolute hardest thing in the world at this weight even though my arms are much stronger than when I was in my 20s. It's all about having a light body. I'm sure if I keep working out and drop 40 lbs I could do 10 pullups again (hopefully we'll see in 6-12 months as I've just started working out again).
Distance runners who are really fit and reasonably well trained in the arms will probably come in around the 10-15 range. If you quit distance running and become a basic gym bro before you just get fat, you can probably get it up to the 20-30 range without too much difficulty. Most people don't do the specific exercises necessary to be good at this.
Age 54. About 48- in 60 seconds. 2 cameras. Strict. Not those fake Guinness shrug pull-ups . Next closest age 50+ verified is 33. My long term goal is 40 at 80.
Had shoulder surgery in October so just starting back now with upper body. But even at 40 before my shoulder surgery this past year I was at 20 perfect dead hang. On active duty my best judged by a SEAL instructor during a PST was 30 dead hang. I have done 48 before perfect dead hang. Pull-Ups where my strongest evolution.
My take on his pull-ups: It's time to retire. I've never been a Centro fan and he's been off the radar screen for a long time now. Can't hold a candle to today's top milers and there is zero chance of ever doing so. Zero. Going back in time, he was not a consistent or frequent competitor, and I did not respect that. The Olympic gold was a ridiculous, fluke of a race. 3:50...gimme a break.
When I was in middle school, we had to do them for some kind of annual fitness test. At the time I wasn't a runner yet and, though I played a lot of sports and we were much more active than kids today, I was a total non-athlete. I smoked the entire class including the top athletes in my grade, with 8 or 9. It was strictly because I was in decent shape and super light weight (probably 90 pounds at the most).
As a high school athlete, where I was a 5'7 105 lb 4:20 miler, I think my PR was 13. A year or two later in college I would do three sets of them to exhaustion and that was usually something like 12, 10, 9 with a few minutes rest in between. I wasn't getting any better at them (could not break 13) despite doing them all the time, but I think my running was eating all my muscle away.
Around 40 years old and 150 lbs, and out of shape, I could only do 3 despite being a lot stronger in my arms and body. Now I'm just over 50 and I doubt I could do more than 1, but I weigh 160. Pullups feel like the absolute hardest thing in the world at this weight even though my arms are much stronger than when I was in my 20s. It's all about having a light body. I'm sure if I keep working out and drop 40 lbs I could do 10 pullups again (hopefully we'll see in 6-12 months as I've just started working out again).
Distance runners who are really fit and reasonably well trained in the arms will probably come in around the 10-15 range. If you quit distance running and become a basic gym bro before you just get fat, you can probably get it up to the 20-30 range without too much difficulty. Most people don't do the specific exercises necessary to be good at this.
Stop making excuses, you do NOT need a light body per se, just proportional strength and endurance.
I bet if you * tried * you could be back up to 5-6 within a month or two. Back to 10 in three or four months, if you do pull ups 3-4 times a week...
mixed with sets of dips (harder then pull ups btw), push ups, body weight squats, step ups.
I'm confused- I'm 64 and I can do 10 quite easy. Pull ups and chin ups.
If I knew how to post a video here I would. Notice- I'm 64. LOL
This isn't a thread about you. What exactly are you confused about? Why do you have to brag about yourself when no one even knows you. Post a video or it didn't happen
I was confused at the down vote because I just posted a situation showing that pull ups aren't all that difficult.
That's it. It's NOT about me, it's about pull ups. LOL
For some reason I’ve always been gifted at pull-ups, if only it would translate to running times! Even if I haven’t done them a few weeks, I can always hit about 12. When I’m doing them regularly, tend to max around 20 clean. Alas that the old-ass house I moved into doesn’t have a single door frame that I can mount my bar onto so I only do them when I hit the gym on inclement weather days. fwiw I’m about 118lbs, 5’6”
It’s actually true that running and doing pull-ups together can be very tough.
True, tried doing them simultaneously and it seemed impossible coz there’s nothing to hold on to while running, and you can’t run freely on a solid surface when pulling up.
My take on his pull-ups: It's time to retire. I've never been a Centro fan and he's been off the radar screen for a long time now. Can't hold a candle to today's top milers and there is zero chance of ever doing so. Zero. Going back in time, he was not a consistent or frequent competitor, and I did not respect that. The Olympic gold was a ridiculous, fluke of a race. 3:50...gimme a break.
Move on to something productive in life.
He has had a great career agreed!!!! If likes it do it for fun!!!
60 yrs old - Former marathoner trying to get back into shape. I do 12-13 after a long run (10-14 miles) every weekend. During my master yrs (2:48 marathoner), use to do 3 sets of 10 post long runs (5’7, 130lbs)….Now I weigh 140lbs - Too heavy for long distance running….Mainly do pull ups to strengthen my back and maintain proper form during my runs…..Keep at it….
60 yrs old - Former marathoner trying to get back into shape. I do 12-13 after a long run (10-14 miles) every weekend. During my master yrs (2:48 marathoner), use to do 3 sets of 10 post long runs (5’7, 130lbs)….Now I weigh 140lbs - Too heavy for long distance running….Mainly do pull ups to strengthen my back and maintain proper form during my runs…..Keep at it….
Great job. Keep it up. Yes, I agree 100% pullups help with running form.
June 3-4 I have a world record attempt- breaking my owm Men's age 50+ 1 minute pull-up record, strict. Maybe 48. I plan to build back to 50 and hold that through age 60. Age 70 45, 80- 40. Sounds crazy, but it is within the realm of possibility. I'm 5'9", currently 149.
At age 30, I did 25. (And, 18 min for 3 mile run.) Now, not so many . . . maybe not any . . . haven't tried in years. I'm reminded of an older patient I once saw . . . rotator cuff repair. "How did it happen," said I. "Years ago, I used to be a gymnast. One day I saw a bar, and wondered how many I could still do."
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