Why Can't Women Do Pull-Ups in Gym?

A pullup is simply when you grab onto a raised horizontal bar with a forward grip (palms down) and use the upper body strength to pull your body upwards until your chin raises over the bar.  A chin-up is the same exercise, except you would use a backward grip (palms up) and find it easier to achieve.

In the marines, women are not required to do pullups, as it's obvious that most women's bodies just can't do it. 

picsource: officercandidatesschool.com


Researchers took 17 women who could not do a single pull-up and had them work out their biceps and latissimus dorsi back muscle for 3 months. At the end of the training period they had increased their upper body strength by 36% and dropped 2% body fat.  But guess how many could now do a pullup?  Four.

Obviously it takes more than just fitness and strength to do a pull-up.  Women (and men) who can do a pullup have a particular combo of strength, short stature and low body fat.  Women have less testosterone and therefore don't build as much muscle.  Women also can't reduce their body fat as much as men.  Men can get down to as low as 2% body fat, while women usually only can get down to about 10% at most.

For more on this study click here.