If you can't do 10 dead hang pull ups you are too weak

At 140lbs I can't do a single pullup, and can barely do 10 pressups. It's not good, but I don't feel I'm missing out in running because of it. I can sprint pretty fast as well.

Title of this thread is an absolute fact. Even in the example of the 240lb guy. Whatever your weight, if you can't do 10 strict pull ups then your'e not strong enough for your weight. Time to either get stronger or lighter.

feeling old wrote:

Tips for an older codger

Thanks.

Tip #1 don't ever use this word "codger"

Each week, I usually do a mix of pull ups and chin ups as follows:

Tuesday

2 x 7 pull ups

2 x 8 chin ups

Thursday

1 x 7 pull ups

Saturday

2 x 7 pull ups

2 x 8 chin ups

On a very good day I could do 1 x 10 chin ups with bad form on the last one. I have experienced elbow tendonitis in the last few months, but I'm fairly sure now it is from playing Crossy Road on my iPhone.

running and forums wrote:

This is a running forum. Pull ups do not matter for running. Why is this on a running forum

TONS of threads here that have....0.....to do with running, honest!

I’m 45 and I do 4 sets of 20 pull ups every week on back day. I’ve always done pull ups since my USMC days, although when I was in they allowed you to do “kip” pull-ups. That said, I’m 5’5” 160 lbs and carry a lot of upper body muscle. I don’t think many average people out there can perform 10 dead hang pull-ups. I don’t see that many at my gym that I think can and these are folks who are working on their fitness.

I can’t do 6 pulls ups for the life of me. But I can military style push ups all day every day. My wrists are not flexible so a pull-up or chin up hurts my wrists more than anything.

sbeefyk2 wrote:

I can’t do 6 pulls ups for the life of me. But I can military style push ups all day every day. My wrists are not flexible so a pull-up or chin up hurts my wrists more than anything.

I call BS on this, it takes way more wrist mobility to do hand stand push ups than it is to do pull ups/chin ups.

Sand Dunes wrote:

sbeefyk2 wrote:

I can’t do 6 pulls ups for the life of me. But I can military style push ups all day every day. My wrists are not flexible so a pull-up or chin up hurts my wrists more than anything.

I call BS on this, it takes way more wrist mobility to do hand stand push ups than it is to do pull ups/chin ups.

Military style would be your traditional push up in my book, not a hand stand push up

Siglio133 wrote:

Sand Dunes wrote:

I call BS on this, it takes way more wrist mobility to do hand stand push ups than it is to do pull ups/chin ups.

Military style would be your traditional push up in my book, not a hand stand push up

Regular push ups would also require more wrist mobility compared to chin ups/pull ups. When he said military style it made me think of the military press.

I got tendonitis in the elbow from dumbbell tricep extensions and also seated dumbbell curls, which were great for isolating the biceps. I went to an orthopedist and did PT, mostly cable extensions in every direction with elbow tucked in by the side. The ortho advised to drop the tricep extensions entirely (still get tricep work from other exercises) and switch to hammer curls. That did the trick. The tendonitis went away.

I lift at home and don't have a pull up bar, so no pull ups for me.

Good luck!

Sand Dunes wrote:

Siglio133 wrote:

Military style would be your traditional push up in my book, not a hand stand push up

Regular push ups would also require more wrist mobility compared to chin ups/pull ups. When he said military style it made me think of the military press.

It depends which direction it hurts to move his wrists. He may have pain when he rotates his wrists, but not when bending them forward and backwards. Pull ups require you to rotate your wrists outward a bit. The narrower your grip, the more your wrists have to rotate.

At 45 I could run a 1500 in 4:19 and do a max set of 24 pull-ups (climbed 5.13)

Now age 62 I would die trying to break 5:10 for 1500 but can do 30 max set pull-ups (no kipping). Dead hang I can do 21. I can do a fingertip pulp with 60# strapped on. Climbing 5.14 now.

OTOH my long run used to max at 16-18 with a bonk, but now I can run 30 miles just on water, no bonk. But that was morality from a simple diet change.

Running is the most brutal sport in terms of aging.

Climber/runner geezer wrote:

At 45 I could run a 1500 in 4:19 and do a max set of 24 pull-ups (climbed 5.13)

Now age 62 I would die trying to break 5:10 for 1500 but can do 30 max set pull-ups (no kipping). Dead hang I can do 21. I can do a fingertip pulp with 60# strapped on. Climbing 5.14 now.

OTOH my long run used to max at 16-18 with a bonk, but now I can run 30 miles just on water, no bonk. But that was morality from a simple diet change.

Running is the most brutal sport in terms of aging.

At age 62 you're climbing 5.14? Outdoors leading or in the gym?

Climber Dude wrote:

Climber/runner geezer wrote:

At 45 I could run a 1500 in 4:19 and do a max set of 24 pull-ups (climbed 5.13)

Now age 62 I would die trying to break 5:10 for 1500 but can do 30 max set pull-ups (no kipping). Dead hang I can do 21. I can do a fingertip pulp with 60# strapped on. Climbing 5.14 now.

OTOH my long run used to max at 16-18 with a bonk, but now I can run 30 miles just on water, no bonk. But that was morality from a simple diet change.

Running is the most brutal sport in terms of aging.

At age 62 you're climbing 5.14? Outdoors leading or in the gym?

Haven't sent it yet. I am falling at the 13c crux...give me a few more weeks, should go by then. Should be my first 14a (pending confirmation) after 40 years and is a first ascent. Another 62-year old has done 14a, but it wasn't a first ascent.

A completely wild route, overhangs 90 degrees for 70 feet.

45year old, 135lb

I can do 25 to30 pullups in one go and can do 60 to 70 pushups in one go.

My body is ripped and lean.

I can2 wrote:

45year old, 135lb

I can do 25 to30 pullups in one go and can do 60 to 70 pushups in one go.

My body is ripped and lean.

What's your height?

feeling old wrote:

I'll confess, I'm too weak. 54 and the last decade just got away from me... strength-wise.

Tips for an older codger looking to get some basic strength back?

Pull-ups. What other exercises would you recommend for someone feeling like he's starting from scratch again?

Thanks.

Google "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe.

Basically going to have you do big compound movements: Deadlifts, Squats, Bench, Bent over Rows, Overhead Press, etc.