The pull-up is a test of upper body strength. The following information describes the procedures as used in Singapore's National Physical Fitness Award Scheme (NAPFA). There are two versions of the test - full pull ups are performed by males aged over 15. Females and males aged 15 and under perform a modified inclined pull-up test.
test purpose: This test measures upper body strength and endurance.
equipment required: Horizontal overhead bar, at an adequate height so that the participants can hang from with arms fully extended and feet not touching the floor (see pull-up bars), or waist high bar for incline pull up test.
pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender and test conditions. Measure and record the height of the bar. Perform a standard warm-up. See more details of pre-test procedures.
procedure (full pull-up): Hang by your hands from an overhead bar, with either an overhand grip (palms facing away from body) or underhand grip (palms facing toward body). Pull yourself upwards till your chin reaches the bar, then lower your body again to a position with the arms fully extended. The feet must remain off the ground for the duration of the test.
procedure (incline pull-up): Grip a bar at that is about waist-high and hang below it. The arms should be straight, the torso and legs stiff and straight, with only your heels resting on the ground. Pull yourself towards the bar till your chest touches it, then lower yourself to the starting position. (Note, the specific details of this test has not been confirmed, though it is similar to the modified pull-up)
scoring: The maximum number of correctly completed pull-ups in half-a-minute is recorded.
advantages: the equipment readily available, and the test is easy and quick to perform.
Similar Tests
- A general description of the pull up test procedure.
- Pull up procedure from the PFT
- Cadence Pull-Up Test — at a rate of 15 per minute
- Modified Pull-Up — with the body horizontal, grasp a bar set just out of reach, and pull up towards the bar.
- Horizontal Pull-Up Test — a variation of the hanging pull-up, made easier as the whole body weight does not need to be lifted.
- Flexed-arm hang
Related Pages
- More about Singapore's National Physical Fitness Award Scheme (NAPFA).
- Where to buy pull-up or chin-up bars.
- POLL: Do you call it a chin-up or pull-up?
- Overhand or underhand - a description of each of the grip types
- chin up test videos
- Pull-up test norms
- World Records for Chin-Ups