Pull-Up Progression: 10 to 12 Reps
The 10-to-12 pull-up bracket is the tier where a candidate's max set meets the PST minimum of 10 and begins to move past it. The NSW guide prescribes 4-5 sets of 5-6 reps, for 20-30 total reps per session. Competitive scores of 15-20 or more are still ahead.
What This Bracket Means
Ten strict pull-ups qualifies on the PST, and 12 gives a small buffer. Neither is competitive. This bracket is the middle of the progression and often the slowest to move through, because the easy strength gains of the first two tiers have been collected. The guide holds the set count at 4-5 and lifts reps per set to 5-6, so a session totals 20 to 30 strict reps. That is enough volume to keep pushing the max upward without wrecking the elbows and shoulders, which is a real concern once weekly pull-up totals climb past 100.
The Daily Workout
Do 4-5 sets of 5-6 pull-ups, 4-5 days per week, resting 1-2 minutes between sets, for a total of 20 to 30 reps. Start at 4 sets of 5 and grow toward 5 sets of 6 as the max approaches 12. Strict form on every rep: dead hang at the bottom, chin over the bar at the top, no kick or swing, controlled descent. The guide's grip variations earn a regular slot in this bracket. Rotating in a supinated or commando grip set once or twice a week spreads the stress across the elbows and forearms and builds the grip endurance the higher brackets need.
Testing and Moving Up
Retest with one all-out set each week and graduate to the 13-to-15 bracket at a strict max of 13. A candidate who stalls at 11 for several weeks should first confirm the count is honest, since half reps at the top are common when fatigue sets in. Then confirm recovery. The calisthenics block runs 4-5 times a week alongside upper body lifting on separate days, and the guide is clear that exhausting the same muscles twice in one day is a mistake. Finally, remember that 10 is the floor. Arriving at BUD/S with exactly 10 pull-ups leaves no margin.
Daily prescription for this bracket
| Sets | Reps per set | Total reps |
|---|---|---|
| 4-5 | 5-6 | 20-30 |
Ten pull-ups gets your paperwork accepted. The candidates who finish BUD/S arrive closer to twenty. Keep this event moving.
Related Terms
The 13-to-15 pull-up bracket covers candidates whose max set sits between 13 and 15 strict reps, above the PST minimum of 10 and at the edge of the competitive range that begins around 15. The NSW guide prescribes 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps, for 24-40 total reps per session.
The 6-to-9 pull-up bracket covers candidates whose max set is between 6 and 9 strict reps, just under the PST minimum of 10. The NSW guide prescribes 4-5 sets of 4-5 reps, for 16-25 total reps per session, to close the gap to a qualifying score.
Pull-ups are an upper-body calisthenics exercise and one of the five scored events in the Physical Screening Test (PST). Unlike push-ups and sit-ups which are timed, PST pull-ups are performed as a single max-effort set with no time limit, testing absolute upper-body pulling strength and endurance.
Upper body strength training in the NSW preparation program targets the major pulling and pushing muscle groups through compound barbell and dumbbell exercises. These sessions complement the calisthenics work (push-ups, pull-ups) by building the raw strength that supports higher-rep endurance performance.
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