A ready bar cycle: take the test, get your level and a daily set plan. A resistance band helps at the start.
A wide, strong back and a powerful grip
Mastery of one of the hardest bodyweight moves
Full control of your body in a hang
Better shoulder and shoulder-blade control
Four steps from the test to the next level
Max test — You start with one all-out set. That is your starting point, not a random plan.
Level match — Setrise matches the cycle level to your result, so the plan is never too easy or too hard.
Daily plan — Every training day you get a ready set of series with rep targets and rest times.
Next level — Rest days are built into the cycle. When you finish a level you move straight to the next one.
Technique
1 s up, 2–3 s of controlled lowering.
Exhale at the top, inhale as you lower.
Grip the bar — Overhand grip, hands slightly wider than the shoulders, thumb wrapped around the bar.
Dead hang — Start from a full hang. First pull your shoulder blades down and back.
Pull up — Drive your elbows down, chest to the bar, no leg swing. Chin over the bar.
Lower down — Lower under control to full arm extension. Full range on every rep.
Common mistakes
Swinging the body and kipping instead of clean strength.
Partial range: chin not over the bar or no lockout at the bottom.
Shrugging the shoulders instead of retracting the blades.
The whole program: every level, every day
These are the exact sets the app runs. Your test result picks your level. Open it to see the plan day by day.
max: last set for as many clean reps as you can; the number is the minimum to pass the day. After the last day of a level you move to the next one.
Level 1: Below 4 pull-ups · 6 training days · 3–5 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
2 · 6 · 5 · 5 · 7
2 min
1 rest day
2
3 · 7 · 6 · 6 · 8
2 min
1 rest day
3
4 · 8 · 6 · 6 · 9
2 min
2 rest days
4
4 · 8 · 7 · 7 · 9
2 min
1 rest day
5
5 · 9 · 7 · 7 · 10
2 min
1 rest day
6
6 · 10 · 8 · 8 · 11
2 min
2 rest days
Level 2: 4–5 pull-ups · 6 training days · 3–4 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
4 · 8 · 6 · 6 · 9
2 min
1 rest day
2
5 · 9 · 7 · 7 · 10
2 min
1 rest day
3
6 · 10 · 8 · 8 · 11
2 min
2 rest days
4
6 · 11 · 8 · 8 · 12
2 min
1 rest day
5
7 · 12 · 9 · 9 · 13
2 min
1 rest day
6
8 · 13 · 10 · 10 · 14
2 min
2 rest days
Level 3: 6–8 pull-ups · 6 training days · 2–4 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
2 · 4 · 2 · 2 · max (3+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
2 · 4 · 2 · 2 · max (4+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
3 · 5 · 3 · 3 · max (4+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
3 · 5 · 3 · 3 · max (5+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
4 · 6 · 4 · 4 · max (5+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
4 · 6 · 4 · 4 · max (6+)
2 min
2 rest days
Level 4: 9–11 pull-ups · 6 training days · 2–4 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
3 · 5 · 3 · 3 · max (5+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
4 · 6 · 4 · 4 · max (6+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
5 · 7 · 4 · 4 · max (7+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
5 · 7 · 5 · 5 · max (8+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
6 · 8 · 5 · 5 · max (9+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
7 · 9 · 6 · 6 · max (10+)
2 min
2 rest days
Level 5: 12–15 pull-ups · 6 training days · 2–4 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
6 · 8 · 6 · 6 · max (8+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
7 · 9 · 6 · 6 · max (9+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
7 · 9 · 7 · 7 · max (9+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
8 · 10 · 7 · 7 · max (10+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
8 · 10 · 8 · 8 · max (10+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
9 · 11 · 8 · 8 · max (11+)
2 min
2 rest days
Level 6: 16–20 pull-ups · 9 training days · 3–5 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
8 · 11 · 8 · 8 · max (10+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
9 · 12 · 8 · 8 · max (11+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
9 · 12 · 9 · 9 · max (11+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
10 · 13 · 9 · 9 · max (12+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
10 · 13 · 10 · 10 · max (13+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
11 · 14 · 10 · 10 · max (14+)
2 min
2 rest days
7
11 · 14 · 11 · 11 · max (14+)
2 min
1 rest day
8
12 · 15 · 11 · 11 · max (15+)
2 min
1 rest day
9
13 · 18 · 12 · 12 · max (17+)
2 min
2 rest days
Level 7: 21–25 pull-ups · 9 training days · 3–5 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
12 · 15 · 12 · 12 · max (15+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
13 · 16 · 12 · 12 · max (16+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
13 · 16 · 13 · 13 · max (16+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
14 · 17 · 13 · 13 · max (17+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
14 · 18 · 14 · 14 · max (18+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
15 · 19 · 14 · 14 · max (19+)
2 min
2 rest days
7
15 · 19 · 15 · 15 · max (19+)
2 min
1 rest day
8
16 · 20 · 15 · 15 · max (20+)
2 min
1 rest day
9
17 · 23 · 16 · 16 · max (22+)
2 min
2 rest days
Level 8: 26–30 pull-ups · 9 training days · 3–5 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
16 · 19 · 15 · 15 · max (17+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
16 · 20 · 16 · 16 · max (18+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
17 · 21 · 16 · 16 · max (20+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
17 · 22 · 17 · 17 · max (21+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
18 · 23 · 17 · 17 · max (22+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
18 · 24 · 18 · 18 · max (23+)
2 min
2 rest days
7
19 · 25 · 18 · 18 · max (25+)
2 min
1 rest day
8
19 · 26 · 19 · 19 · max (26+)
2 min
1 rest day
9
21 · 28 · 19 · 19 · max (27+)
2 min
2 rest days
Level 9: 31–35 pull-ups · 9 training days · 3–6 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
20 · 24 · 19 · 19 · max (23+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
21 · 25 · 20 · 20 · max (24+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
21 · 26 · 20 · 20 · max (25+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
22 · 27 · 21 · 21 · max (26+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
23 · 27 · 22 · 22 · max (27+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
24 · 28 · 23 · 23 · max (28+)
2 min
2 rest days
7
24 · 29 · 23 · 23 · max (29+)
2 min
1 rest day
8
25 · 30 · 24 · 24 · max (30+)
2 min
1 rest day
9
26 · 32 · 25 · 25 · max (32+)
2 min
2 rest days
Level 10: 36–40 pull-ups · 9 training days · 3–6 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
23 · 26 · 22 · 22 · max (26+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
24 · 27 · 23 · 23 · max (27+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
24 · 28 · 23 · 23 · max (28+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
25 · 29 · 24 · 24 · max (29+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
25 · 29 · 25 · 25 · max (29+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
26 · 30 · 25 · 25 · max (30+)
2 min
2 rest days
7
26 · 31 · 25 · 25 · max (31+)
2 min
1 rest day
8
27 · 32 · 26 · 26 · max (32+)
2 min
1 rest day
9
28 · 34 · 26 · 26 · max (34+)
2 min
2 rest days
Level 11: Above 40 pull-ups · 9 training days · 3–6 wks
Day
Sets (reps)
Rest
Then
1
25 · 27 · 24 · 24 · max (26+)
2 min
1 rest day
2
25 · 28 · 24 · 24 · max (27+)
2 min
1 rest day
3
26 · 29 · 25 · 25 · max (28+)
2 min
2 rest days
4
26 · 30 · 25 · 25 · max (29+)
2 min
1 rest day
5
27 · 31 · 25 · 25 · max (31+)
2 min
1 rest day
6
27 · 32 · 25 · 25 · max (32+)
2 min
2 rest days
7
28 · 33 · 26 · 26 · max (33+)
2 min
1 rest day
8
28 · 34 · 26 · 26 · max (34+)
2 min
1 rest day
9
29 · 36 · 27 · 27 · max (36+)
2 min
2 rest days
FAQ
How often should I train pull-ups?
3 times a week: a rest day after each workout and 2 after the third. You can do push-ups on rest days.
Why do the sets have different rep counts?
That’s the wave: the first set warms you up, the second is the hardest, the next ones keep the volume up and the last goes to max. 2 minutes of rest gives your back time to recover.
I can’t do a single pull-up. Where do I start?
With controlled negatives. The program starts there when you do fewer than 6 reps. A resistance band can help too.
What if I fail a day?
Rest 2 days and restart the cycle from day 1. Each attempt gets easier. The bar can be demanding; that’s normal.
What equipment do I need?
A pull-up bar. A resistance band is optional and helps beginners.
How long to my first or to many pull-ups?
It depends on your strength base. Setrise shows progress after each cycle instead of promising fixed deadlines.
Can I combine pull-ups with push-ups?
Yes, it’s a good push/pull pair. Enable both programs at once in Setrise.