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illustration of three stages of doing pull-ups on colorful background
There is no definitive data on how many adults can perform a proper pull-up, but two things are clear: they are very difficult and look extremely cool. Illustration: Carmen Casado/The Guardian
There is no definitive data on how many adults can perform a proper pull-up, but two things are clear: they are very difficult and look extremely cool. Illustration: Carmen Casado/The Guardian

Very difficult and extremely cool: how to start doing pull-ups

Long considered an important milestone in one’s fitness journey, pull-ups build upper body strength and look impressive in the gym

The pull-up has long been seen as an important fitness metric. From 1966 to 2013, public middle and high school students in the US were required to do pull-ups as part of the presidential fitness test (an evaluation Donald Trump has considered reinstating). US Marine Corps members were long required to perform pull-ups as part of their regular