Navy SEAL PST Pull-Ups: Hit 20+ Reps for BUD/S

SEAL PST minimum is 10 pull-ups. Competitive is 15-20. Elite is 25+. Most candidates who make it to BUD/S walked in with 20+ clean dead-hangs — and kept training during Prep.

This is a 12-week pull-up-focused program for PST candidates currently hitting 10-15 reps.

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Why BUD/S Candidates Stall

Between 10 and 20 pull-ups is where most candidates plateau. The reasons:

• Training to failure once per week (no frequency)
• No eccentric work (leaves strength gains on the table)
• Weak grip (dead-hang requirement amplifies grip failure)
• No weighted work (can't strengthen past bodyweight capacity)

The 12-Week Plan

Two pillars: daily greasing the groove + 2 focused sessions per week.

Greasing the groove (daily): 6-10 sets of 40-50% of max. Max of 10? Do sets of 4-5 throughout the day. Never approach failure. At least 30 min between sets.

Dedicated session A (Tuesday):

• 5 sets of max reps (cap at 80% of max — stop before failure)
• 3x 5-second eccentrics
• Bent-over rows 4x8
• Face pulls 3x15

Dedicated session B (Friday):

• Weighted pull-ups 5x3 with 25-45 lb
• Dead hangs 3 sets to failure
• Chin-ups (underhand) 4x6
• Pull-up holds at the top 3x :10-15

Band Assistance

If your current max is under 10, use a medium band looped to the bar. Do sets of 8-12 strict reps. The band takes load at the bottom (where pull-ups are hardest) and lets you build volume without form breakdown.

Grip Strength Protocol

BUD/S pull-ups are strict dead hang. Grip fails before lats for most candidates.

• Dead hangs 3 sets max time, 2x per week
• Towel hangs 3x 30 seconds (increase bar diameter)
• Plate pinches 3x 30 seconds
• Farmer carries 4x 40m heavy

Accessory Back Work

Pull-ups need more than lats. Build the supporting system:

• Bent-over rows 4x8 (mid-back thickness)
• Face pulls 3x15 (rear delts — critical for shoulder health under BUD/S volume)
• Chin-ups 4x6 (biceps + brachialis)
• Dumbbell rows 3x10 per arm

Calculate your SEAL PST tier with your pull-up numbers →

Week 12 Target

Starting at 10 clean reps: expect 18-22 by week 12. Starting at 15: expect 22-26. Starting at 6: get to 12-15 first, then retry the plan from there.

20 dead-hang pull-ups gets you past PST into competitive BUD/S candidate territory. Don't stop there — BUD/S PTs ask for 20-40 pull-ups multiple times per week.