Pull-Up Progression: Under 6 Reps
The under-6 pull-up bracket is the entry tier of the NSW pull-up progression, for candidates whose max set is fewer than 6 strict pull-ups. The guide prescribes 5-6 sets of 2-3 reps, for 10-18 total reps per session, which builds pulling strength through frequent, low-rep practice.
What This Bracket Means
A max under 6 pull-ups is well short of the PST minimum of 10, and the competitive range of 15-20 or more is distant. This is the most common starting point for candidates without a climbing or gymnastics background, and it is not a barrier. Pull-ups respond to frequency and strict form more than to grinding. The guide's answer is tiny sets, 2-3 reps, done often. Every rep starts from a dead hang with the arms fully extended and finishes with the chin even with or above the bar, with an overhand grip at shoulder width and no kipping.
The Daily Workout
Do 5-6 sets of 2-3 pull-ups, 4-5 days per week, resting 1-2 minutes between sets, for 10 to 18 total reps. Each set should stop well before failure so the reps stay strict. A candidate who maxes at 3 does sets of 2; a candidate who maxes at 5 can do sets of 3. Lower under control on every rep, taking at least twice as long to descend as to pull. Pull-ups sit in the same Push-Sit-Pull session as push-ups and sit-ups, and the guide keeps upper body lifting on separate days so the lats and biceps are not worked twice.
Testing and Moving Up
Once a week, do one max set of strict pull-ups from a dead hang and log it. When the max reaches 6, move to the 6-to-9 bracket. Progress at this level can feel slow, since going from 3 to 6 doubles the max, but the weekly total of 10-18 quality reps adds up. Resist adding assisted or kipping reps to inflate the count. The PST allows neither, and training the strict version is the only thing that raises the strict max. Dead hang holds at the end of a session build the grip and shoulder tolerance the later brackets depend on.
Daily prescription for this bracket
| Sets | Reps per set | Total reps |
|---|---|---|
| 5-6 | 2-3 | 10-18 |
Never drop off the bar to rest in the PST; hang instead. Start practicing dead hangs now so a ten-second hang between reps feels normal by test day.
Related Terms
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.
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.
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