04/22/2026
Women (and my 12 year old daughter) should be doing pull-ups. Period.
Not assisted forever. Not avoiding them. Not assuming they’re “not for you.”
Because here’s the truth most people don’t say out loud:
Up to ~95% of untrained women cannot do a single pull-up
Read that again.
That doesn’t mean women can’t do pull-ups.
It means most women have simply never been trained to do them properly.
Pull-ups are one of the purest tests of relative strength: your ability to move your own body through space. And yes, women often start at a disadvantage:
Less upper body muscle mass
Different body composition
Less exposure to pulling movements
But none of that equals “impossible.”
In fact:
Even military data shows many women initially struggle, but performance improves significantly with training
With consistent programming, women absolutely can build the strength to do them and multiple reps
So what’s the real problem?
Most women:
Stay stuck on lat pulldowns
Rely on bands forever
Or never train the specific strength needed
And then conclude: “I just can’t do them.”
No.
You just haven’t trained for them yet.
Pull-ups aren’t just an exercise. They’re a standard.
They build:
Back strength
Shoulder stability
Core control
Confidence like nothing else
And let’s be honest, there’s something powerful about being able to pull your own bodyweight up to a bar.
If 95% of women can’t do one that means this: You’re already separating yourself.
And if you can’t yet?
Good. That’s your next goal.