Pull ups: why gender matters

http://www.aahperd.org/rc/publications/rqes/upload/RQES_Mar03.pdf

Training College-Age Women to Perform the Pull-up Exercise (pp. 52–59)
S. P. Flanagan, P. M. Vanderburgh, S. G. Borchers, and C. D. Kohstall
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of a combined strength and aerobic conditioning
program on the ability of college-age women to perform the pull-up exercise and to identify the characteristics of
women successful in performing a pull-up at the end of the program. Participants significantly increased upper body
strength and fat-free mass and decreased fat mass and percentage of body fat. Participants successful at performing
a pull-up had significantly greater 1 repetition maximum strength, strength to mass ratio, and strength to fat-free
mass ratio. A two variable equation (% body fat and strength to fat-free mass ratio) was developed to predict which
women would be successful at completing a pull-up at the end of a similar training program.



http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/why-women-cant-do-pull-ups/?ref=health