Trouble with pull ups!

[RugbyKid]

skimmed over most of the posts, but have you tried using wrist straps ? it'll help you focus more on the back and take most of the bicep out of the pull. are you doing wide grip or narrow ?

I've tried narrow to wide but find myself doing wide more, and I haven't tried wrist straps but I'll give em a shot

[Taunka]

if you want to do more pull ups, start out by a complete dead hang and pull up untill your arms make a 45 degree angle do how ever many you can do( This works to pull your weight with your back) after you do that, start at a 45 degree angle and go till your chin is at the bar as many times as you can (This works your arms to finish, which is the hardest part) this one also will build up your confidence to urge to do more. sounds really stupid, but im currently doing this to do more pull ups in the military. ive done 12 more when i added this routine in a couple months.

[xun_18]

or if he doesnt have the assisted pullup machine a training partner can help him just bent your knees as you pullup and your partner will gently push on your knees to assist you

[MajorPectorial]

Getting back into training I have a problem with pull ups after So long out. A few factors with me. Bf/ weak biceps/weak lats.

So I'm working extra hard on them... Along with everything else :/

[al_capone]

oooooorahhhh


Pull ups are the core arm analysis for physical training in the marine corps. So if anybody tells you size and weight matters they are full of it. My gunnery SGT Was 275 lbs and could do 45 reps. Full hang, no kipping. It's about power to weight ratio. Low reps are common. Most guys started out between 3-6 reps before basic training. 13 weeks later those guys were at 15 +. Personally I came in at 12 and maintained over 30 throughout my service.


Some tips:

1) I wouldn't kip. Form is just as important as any other exercise here, your just cheating yourself in the long run. Full hang until your arms lockout and then backup past the chin. Never swing or sway. (no flack intended oatmeal)

2) Then we had the guys "fatbodies" who couldn't do one. They simply would do what they could until they dropped off the bar and I promise they weren't just aloud to drop off. Even if you're pulling up 10% you are working. Even if you are just hanging there not repping you are developing grip muscles.

3) My buddy in recon also taught me the tree method. That's how I broke my 30 rep mark. First set pull all you can. Say you do 7 reps. Drop down do 20 pushups. Jump back up do 5 reps. Drop down do 20. Jump backup do 3. Drop down and so on until you hit 1. Once you reach one you keep going. Pull 1, drop 20. Pull 1, drop 20. Pull .5, drop 20. Until you reach muscle failure.

4) Do em' everywhere. Sets all day. WE did sets before we ate, shit, slept, and after everything. Get a door frame bar. Do em' at home. Every time you walk through that doorway do a max set. It's all about doing em'. Constant dedication.


The most I've seen in person was 90. The USMC record on the west coast was 131reps I believe. So the limits are your strive.


Best of luck.

[Stosh_112]

To young to ask about lifting techs? give the kid a break, hes not asking about AAS. just a lil lifting advise!

[Stosh_112]

Try some lat pull downs till u get some descent stregnth, then hit the pull ups.
even if u can only do one. Hit 30 sets of one rep. before u know it ull be up to 3 to 5 reps. Main thing is get 30 decent reps even if it takes 20-30 sets!

[MajorPectorial]

Thanks a bunch. Dome great advice. I'm damn sure I'll get there. Just gotta keep pushing. Gunna be hard gaining my weight at the same time. But I'm sure come the cutting stage I'll be pulling up with a Harley strapped to my legs. Ha.

[Misery13]

I suggest doing pulldowns after your pullups. Another technique is do one or two pullups at random throughout the day. Slow and with good form.

Crossfit has its place in the world of exercise. But not mine. I have been around a lot of people who do there style of pullups and the only thing it does is get their face up over the bar. I got into an argument in our unit gym one day with an officer who was flailing up and down with his shirt off. I asked him what muscle group he was trying to work? To make a long argument short. We ended up doing a pullup contest. Tied. And in the end my lats were completely engorged with blood and he was gassed.

Your 17. Take your time. Work on your form. Work on your diet.

Success is a journey. Not a destination.

[oatmeal69]

Crossfit does nothing for me either as far as body-shaping. But I do still like a slower, modified kipping movement. I'm not strong enough to do enough strict pull-ups naturally to really fatigue my lats yet. I do lots of other lat exercises and my pull-ups are improving, but if I really want to burn them up, the extra 15 or 20 I can do with the movement really helps.

[Misery13]

Or you could put a bar up in the doorway to your kitchen and every time you go to get something to eat you have to do pullups with slow perfect form before you can enter...

[Bart55]

Rugbykid i would recommend youtubing Barstars. These guys are awesome and offer programs from beginner to advance and helped me tremendously with my pull ups.

Good luck with your lifting!

[RugbyKid]

I'll check them out for sure, my # of pull ups haven't greatly improved but I have noticed a difference in how it has become easier to pull up my weight. I hope to keep I'm proving down the road.

[Daniel_CN]

For your own good please avoid kipping pullups.

[DiamondJim]

Pullups don't use some of the more powerful back muscles like the extensors and rhomboids as prime movers. Lats are used for about the first 3rd to first 1/2 of the movement but after that there are a lot of smaller muscles being used teres minor major infraspinatus etc. These muscles are difficult to isolate and train. Id advice creating a TUT protocol or an ECCENTRIC protocol until you are able to increase your reps.

[DanB]

I like weighted pull ups,

Partial reps with stupid weight for lats

Best exercise for lats i.m.h.o.