Pull-ups are an awesome exercise for 13-year-olds.
Why?
Well, for starters, you can do them from the comfort of your home (if you have a pull-up bar).
If you are 13, then you might be wondering how many pull-ups you should be able to do.
And that’s exactly what we’re going to answer today.
How Many Pull-Ups Should A 13 Year Old Do? (Short Answer)
If you’re a 13-year-old boy, then you should be able to do between 3 – 4 pull-ups each set. Whereas if you’re a 13-year-old girl, you should be able to do 1 – 2 pull-ups per set.
This is a very rough range though and I’m now going to cover why.
How Many Pull-Ups Should A 13 Year Old Do? (Long Answer)
Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer to the range of pull-ups a 13-year-old should be able to do.
There are many factors at play which we’re now going to explore in more detail.
Your Bodyweight
When doing pull-ups, you’re lifting pretty much all of your total bodyweight.
So, the heavier you are, the more weight you have to “lift” during pull-ups.
If you’re a heavy 13-year-old, then you’ll likely be able to do less pull-ups than someone who weighs less.
The Type of Pull-Up
Another consideration is the type of pull-up you’re doing.
There are many pull-up variations, and some of them, like wide grip pull-ups and one-arm pull-ups, are harder than others.
Easier variations include negative pull-ups and assisted pull-ups.
Obviously, the harder the pull-up variation, the less reps you’ll be able to do. And the easier the pull-up variation, the more reps you’ll be able to do.
The Tempo of Pull-Ups
Another key factor is how fast you do your pull-ups.
The slower you do pull-ups, the harder they’ll be, and so the less reps you’re able to do.
(This is because your muscles are under tension for longer per rep.)
On the other hand, the faster you do pull-ups, the easier they’ll be.
Your Strength
Now for a more obvious factor – your strength!
It’s a fact that some people are naturally stronger than others.
If you’re genetically lucky and are naturally strong, you’ll be able to do more pull-ups than someone who’s naturally weaker.
How Often You Do Pull-Ups
You’ve probably heard the saying “practise makes perfect” and it’s true – even when it comes to pull-ups!
The more often you do pull-ups, the stronger you get and the more you’re able to do.
If you’re someone who does pull-ups many times a week, over a few months, you’ll likely be able to do more pull-ups than someone who only does them once a week.
Your Gender
Males usually have more upper body strength than females.
Apologies if that offends you ladies, but it’s a fact.
So, a 13-year-old male will typically be able to do more pull-ups than a 13-year-old female.
Your Arm Length
Pull-ups are harder for people with longer arms.
This is because they have a bigger range of motion, so their muscles are under tension for longer per rep.
If you have long arms, then you’ll probably be able to do less push-ups than someone with shorter arms.
How Many Pull-Ups Should A 13 Year Old Do A Day?
As covered earlier, a 13-year-old should be able to do 1-4 pull-ups per set depending on whether they’re a boy or a girl.
If you’re a boy, you should be able to do 2-3 sets of 2-3 pull-ups in a day. So, a total of 4-9 pull-ups.
Whereas if you’re a girl, you should be able to do 1-2 sets of 1-2 pull-ups in a day. So, a total of 1-4 pull-ups.
Conclusion
In summary, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to the number of pull-ups a 13-year-old should do as it depends on many factors.
That’s all for this article, but do pull-ups work chest? Or you may be wondering why are pull-ups so hard?
Hope this helped!
Sources
Males Are Stronger Than Females
I’ve been in the fitness and strength training industry for nearly a decade. In that time, I’ve gained 30 pounds of muscle, written hundreds of articles, and reviewed dozens of fitness supplements. As for my educational background, I’m a currently studying for my Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training.