Training college-age women to perform the pull-up exercise

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of a combined strength and aerobic conditioning program on the ability of college-age women to perform the pull-up exercise and to identify the characteristics of women successful in performing a pull-up at the end of the program. Participants significantly increased upper body strength and fat-free mass and decreased fat mass and percentage of body fat. Participants successful at performing a pull-up had significantly greater I repetition maximum strength, strength to mass ratio, and strength to fat free mass ratio. A two variable equation ( % body fat and strength to fat free mass ratio) was developed to predict which women would be successful at completing a pull-up at the end of a similar training program.