Pull-Up Progression: 13 to 15 Reps
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.
What This Bracket Means
At 13 to 15 pull-ups a candidate is on the doorstep of a competitive score. The guide changes the structure here more sharply than in any other pull-up bracket: sets drop to 3-4 and reps per set nearly double to 8-10. Each set now covers most of the max, which trains the ability to sustain pulling effort deep into fatigue, the quality that turns 15 into 18. The session total of 24 to 40 reps is modest on paper but heavy in practice, because sets of ten strict pull-ups with slow negatives tax the grip, the elbows, and the lats all at once.
The Daily Workout
Perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 pull-ups on 4-5 days per week, with 1-2 minutes rest between sets, for 24 to 40 total reps. A candidate at 13 starts with 3 sets of 8; a candidate at 15 can attempt 4 sets of 10. Hold PST form throughout, and keep the descent controlled on most reps. Use one set per week at PST speed to rehearse the actual test. The guide's variations remain useful here, particularly the wide grip for lat strength and the commando pull-up for grip, but the standard overhand pull-up should account for most of the weekly volume.
Testing and Moving Up
Keep the weekly max set as the gate. A strict max above 15 moves the candidate into the top bracket. If the number hovers at 14 or 15, resist the urge to add extra sessions. Pull-ups are the PST event most prone to overuse injury, and the guide's calisthenics schedule of 4-5 sessions per week already sits near the limit for connective tissue. Sleep, bodyweight, and honest counting fix more stalls than added volume does. It is also fair to ask whether the remaining effort belongs on a weaker event, since a 15-pull-up candidate is already in respectable territory.
Daily prescription for this bracket
| Sets | Reps per set | Total reps |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 8-10 | 24-40 |
Film your max set from the side. Nearly every candidate at this level loses two or three reps to a chin that never actually clears the bar.
Related Terms
The over-15 pull-up bracket is the top tier of the NSW pull-up progression, for candidates whose strict max set exceeds 15 reps. That places the candidate inside the competitive PST range of 15-20 or more. The guide prescribes 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps, for 30-48 total reps per session.
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.
PST standards define two thresholds for each of the five Physical Screening Test events: a minimum score that qualifies a candidate to enter the Naval Special Warfare pipeline, and a competitive score that reflects the level successful candidates actually arrive with. The gap between the two is the target of the 26-week preparation program.
Progressive overload is the training principle of gradually increasing the demands placed on the body over time. In the NSW preparation program, progressive overload is applied systematically — cardio distances grow week over week, calisthenics rep targets scale with PST performance, and strength training loads increase as the candidate adapts.
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