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  1. #1
    Chemical King's Avatar
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    Cant do pull ups

    As much as my strength has gone up over the last 12 months I still cant do anymore than 3 pullups, let alone do it on wide grip.

    I have been using wide grip lat pulldown machine as an alternative, but is this as effective for thickening out the back ?

    think i need to do more work on my shoulders though to recruit some strength to do more pull ups

  2. #2
    taiboxa's Avatar
    taiboxa is offline "Vanity Redefined" ~VET~
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    no foo do negatives
    get a bench or chair
    sand on it
    so ur at peak position then try to hold ur self there as u lift ur feet up
    ur weight should pull u down slowly the eccentric motion will cause greatest tears on fibers THIS IS GOOD oh yeah do a few sets of lat pull downs w/ strict solid slow concentric motion first and dont worry about negative motion save that for the chair routine.

  3. #3
    Chemical King's Avatar
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    ok il give it a shot

  4. #4
    Jantzen4k's Avatar
    Jantzen4k is offline Anabolic Nittany Lion
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    if you cant do pullups, start with hanging in contraction position for as long as u can till u build up more back muscles.

    or do that girl machine where you put knees on and weights so your only doing a pull up with 1% of your bodyweight

  5. #5
    SwoleCat is offline AR Hall of Fame
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    I never do pull-ups either, they kill my shoulder girdles.

    I can do the sh*t outta pull-ups though, and my back never has suffered and it's pretty d*mn wide and thick!

    ~SC~

  6. #6
    taiboxa's Avatar
    taiboxa is offline "Vanity Redefined" ~VET~
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    Quote Originally Posted by SwoleCat
    I never do pull-ups either, they kill my shoulder girdles.

    I can do the sh*t outta pull-ups though, and my back never has suffered and it's pretty d*mn wide and thick!

    ~SC~
    im ... im confused
    i think all my extra fat is making me squint ><
    lat pulls?

  7. #7
    SwoleCat is offline AR Hall of Fame
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    Sh*t, sorry, still half asleep!

    Don't do pull-ups.

    I do utilize lat pulldowns.



    ~SC~

  8. #8
    Chemical King's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SwoleCat
    I never do pull-ups either, they kill my shoulder girdles.

    I can do the sh*t outta pull-ups though, and my back never has suffered and it's pretty d*mn wide and thick!

    ~SC~
    Oh yeah cos yous so fu*king pefect and your so dam wide and thick.....Only kidding dude, Il be your size one day then Il..........I dunno challenge ya to a game of bash the penguin or sumit

    Im talking crap now so IL just shut up

  9. #9
    SwoleCat is offline AR Hall of Fame
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    Bash the penguin is a fun game!

    ~SC~

  10. #10
    bluethunder is offline Anabolic Member
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    If you cannot do your own bodyweight with front lat pull downs, then yes it may be very difficult to do pull -ups(chins). You could kinda cheat and use the underhand grip ultilizing assistance from your biceps. Then as you drop a bit body fat and doing underhand you may find it easier. But chinning your body weight correctly is never easy anyways.

  11. #11
    chicamahomico's Avatar
    chicamahomico is offline Respected Member
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    I would start by adding chins into your routine. If you can't do one, start doing negatives before you hit your back. I realize that everyone's goals are different but I would prefer to at least be able to do a dozen or so chins (minimum) as a component of overall fitness and functional strength regardless of how my back looks.

  12. #12
    SwoleCat is offline AR Hall of Fame
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    I'd love to do them to, but when it pains my shoulders to do so, I have to leave it to the others.

    Just as I know I'll never squat super heavy ever again. Sometimes you have to make adjustments around injuries and what not. I'm just thankful that I still am able to showcase such a look having butted heads w/a few intense injuries over the years, all non-bb'ing related.


    ~SC~

  13. #13
    Klossus's Avatar
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    assisted pull-ups perhaps ???

  14. #14
    BDTR's Avatar
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    Wimps

  15. #15
    Chemical King's Avatar
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    hey welcome back BDTR

  16. #16
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    I started out only doing one, and every 3 weeks it seemed like I could do a little more...now I'm doing sets of 15. My back has never looked better and I'm telling you bro, you gotta do these. Even Arnold lives by them as he says in his book.

  17. #17
    SwoleCat is offline AR Hall of Fame
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    I just like heavy rows (thickness), moderate pull-downs (width), and some serious deads to finish it all off.

    BackBlaster!

    ~SC~

  18. #18
    Panzerfaust's Avatar
    Panzerfaust is offline Ron Paul Nuthugger
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    I started implementing "assisted" pull ups in my back routine, i don't think i have ever been able to do one. I did some but i used some weight to help me.

    I am starting to do these only because they make you do them going through the police academy.

  19. #19
    BDTR's Avatar
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    Just curious, how much do you all weigh so that you can't do pullups?

  20. #20
    Chemical King's Avatar
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    Im at 172lb

  21. #21
    Juggernaut's Avatar
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    I tip the scales at 250 and I can just now do two full pull-ups. I've been doing the negative portion only and it's been working very well. Had to do the same thing for dips. The funny thing is when someone does one it's like a half dip or pull-up. A real pull-up, imo, is from arms straight, pull up until your chin is over the bar and all the way back down. when you make someone do it this way they seem to only get a few as opposed to 50 or whatever. Same thing for dips....dropping down an ich and back up is for ****.

  22. #22
    Mr. Sparkle's Avatar
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    BDTR how many can you do?

    I can do a fair amount, but Im a light weight...

  23. #23
    Chemical King's Avatar
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    i can do half pull upt with no probs

  24. #24
    BDTR's Avatar
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    I can do 4-5 with a 100 lb dumbell.

    I dont know how many i can do without weight though.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Sparkle
    BDTR how many can you do?

    I can do a fair amount, but Im a light weight...

  25. #25
    Juggernaut's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BDTR
    I can do 4-5 with a 100 lb dumbell.

    I dont know how many i can do without weight though.
    A 100 pound dumbbell?!!!! Well then screw me! When I say I can do two pull-ups that's totally naked! I have to lighten to load to get my fat ass off the ground.

  26. #26
    Panzerfaust's Avatar
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    I put 80lbs on it when i did mine but i think i could easily lighten it but i want to start out slowly and let my back muscles grow into the movement.

    I am 210lbs, i have never done them before so i am a wuss at them for now.

  27. #27
    znak's Avatar
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    Do negatives. Start with pull downs to warm up, then go for it.

    In five years I went from not beign able to do one pull up to being able to do ten with 40 kgs (88 pounds) hanging off my waist.

    Might be able to do more, haven't checked in a while cause I have been emphasising my bis on my back/bi day.

    I weight 220 now and weighted 186 then.

    I absolutely swear by weighted negatives. Make sure that you have a bench in place and that you don't go all the way down to the point that you have transferred all the weight to your joint.

  28. #28
    Deezuhl is offline Anabolic Member
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    I started doing them assisted with 40lbs assisting me at my 212 weight. so i am really pulling 170lbs. it took about 16 weeks and now i can do 6 wide grip on my own at 205lbs. Close grip underhand or hammer grip i can do 20+ where 10 months ago i couldnt do 1. Pulldowns didnt do nearly as much for me as pullups. You need to have much more strict form on the pulldown to utilize it properly.

  29. #29
    J.S.N.'s Avatar
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    you def. wanna be able to do wide grip pullups- they are essential in my book.

    def. try negatives or having a friend lift your body a little, and also use straps when you do them, at least until you can do them proper. i'm 235 and do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, but if i do them at the end i still might use straps to feel them better or if my hands are blown out.

  30. #30
    crazle43764's Avatar
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    I can do about 20 reps without weight and 6 reps with a 45 pound weight around my waist. I weigh 220lbs, like everyone else said negatives seem to work wonders.

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