Can Women Do Pull-Ups? (Yes.) How to Get Your First Chin-Up

Can women do pull-ups? Absolutely—but not without intelligent, progressive training and a mindset that treats strength as a skill. In this standalone Beast Over Burden episode, Niki and Andrew cut through the noise around fitness standards and show you exactly how to train for your first chin-up, why benching your bodyweight matters, and how to program upper-body lifts that complement instead of compete. Then they shift gears to the surprising rise of “protein milk” and what the mainstream protein boom means for real-world nutrition.

Can Women Do Pull-Ups? Debunking the Myth

Every few months, social media revives the question: Can women do pull-ups? The short answer—yes, with proper training. The longer answer—most people, regardless of sex, can’t do one until they’ve built general upper-body strength. Pull-ups aren’t about innate ability; they’re about systematic progress.

The debate resurfaced recently when new FBI fitness standards introduced pull-ups, prompting claims that women can’t meet them. But as Niki points out, her clients prove the opposite. With structured strength training and consistency, women routinely hit their first chin-up and beyond. The real issue isn’t gender—it’s approach.

Strength First: Bench Your Bodyweight to Earn Your First Chin-Up

A strong correlation exists between pressing strength and pull-up potential. When you can bench close to your bodyweight, you’ve usually built enough muscle mass and neuromuscular coordination to move your body upward on the bar. The “bench-to-chin” relationship works because it reflects both strength and body-weight management.

For women especially, the upper body is often under-trained, so benching consistently pays off. Combine pressing with horizontal and vertical pulls—rows, lat pulldowns, and deadlifts—to strengthen every muscle involved. As Andrew notes, the bench and chin share overlapping musculature: your lats, shoulders, and arms all work together.

Programming Progressions that Work

Start by assessing how far you are from an unassisted rep. Can you control a slow descent? Can you retract your scapula from a dead hang? These cues determine your entry point. From there, move through this progression:

• Bench and row to build base strength.
• Add lat pulldowns or seated rows to develop vertical pulling capacity.
• Progress to band-assisted pull-ups, but loop the band across J-hooks—not the bar—to avoid unwanted “surprises.”
• Include negatives (3–5 second descents) and inverted rows for accessory volume.

As you gain strength, reduce band assistance, increase total reps, and track each week. Most lifters—men and women—can go from zero to one chin-up in 8–12 weeks of consistent programming.

How Bench & Chins Interact (and Interfere)

Bench and chin-up volume overlap heavily in the upper back and arms, which means fatigue in one can bleed into the other. The fix? Bench first, then chin—it preserves pressing strength and teaches better shoulder control. Keep total weekly pulling sets in the 8–12 range, just like pressing, and manage recovery closely.

Progress slowly with micro-loads or extra reps instead of drastic changes. You’ll build the pulling endurance and elbow integrity needed to sustain progress long-term. Recovery is part of the plan—especially when your goal is sustainable strength for life.

Action Steps: Making the First Chin-Up Inevitable

• Train strength 3–4x/week: Bench, deadlift, and row.
• Practice skill 2–3x/week: Mix negatives, assisted reps, and partials.
• Track progress: Fewer bands, more control, better tempo.
• Recover strategically: Alternate push-pull days to prevent fatigue.
• Fuel smart: Hit 0.8–1.0g protein per lb of bodyweight, using new mainstream options when convenient.

Bonus: Protein Goes Mainstream (and What It Means)

After coaching talk, the duo turns to a lighter current-events segment: Starbucks’ new protein milk. For travelers and busy lifters, it signals a huge shift—protein has gone mainstream. You can now grab 40–60g of protein at an airport café without packing powders.

But not all “high-protein” labels are honest. Many cereals, bars, and peanut-butter products advertise protein content that’s mostly fat or sugar. As Andrew warns, trust but verify. Check macros and ingredient lists; don’t fall for marketing. True progress—whether it’s a stronger pull-up or smarter nutrition—comes from awareness and consistency.

Whether you’re chasing your first chin-up or your fifth, the lesson remains: consistent training trumps controversy. So the next time someone asks Can women do pull-ups?—the answer is right here.