60 seconds of attempting a pull up is the same amount of stimulus as 60 seconds of performing pull ups.

I disagree. You wouldn't hit the full range of motion, so you won't work out all the muscles you need to.

His advice is free and easy to try.

It's really not, it takes months to see results. That's why we should rely on peer reviewed articles with populations to inform our decisions before we waste time on things that don't work. "How Not to Die" is a book that says the exact opposite of this, with research to back it up. If we are talking about anecdotes, I have improved my pullups by doing 5x5 sets.

What biomarkers? Because I have a hard time believing that working out once a week will improve your blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, and blood sugar, which are the biomarkers for longevity.