Back ?'s

[sammycasper]

ok here it goes:

I am 6'2" 215 LBS about 15-16% bf, when doing wide grip lat pulldowns I am doing the first set at 250x10 2nd set 260x8 and 3rd set 270x6 (usually failure)
but on odd back days I do pull-ups and I can only do 10 before failure. Is it just different mechanics in the movements or am I just a wussy?

and do any of you guys use pyrmid pull-ups? If so what numder do you go to? I usually go to 6-8 and back down.

[6_pak]

Yeah its different mechanics. For one your body is stabilized by the knee, thigh support on pulldowns. And two its very easy, if you dont watch closely, to incorporate other muscles to help pull the weight down, which would make it that much easier. During pull ups (wide Grip) if your not incorporating bis ,as primary muscle used, and letting your lats pull you up, which is what is intended, then it will be much more difficult, but the more you do them, the stronger you will get, and before long you'll be able to do more.
I dont pyramid pullups. I'll do anywhere from 30-50 reps and as many sets as it takes to get to my desired rep range.

[*Narkissos*]

Yes the mechanics of the pull-up differs from that of the pull-down

In the pull down the bar travels a more fixed path.The lower-body is stabilised, thus leverage is generated to aide in pulling down the weight.

In pull-ups..there's no such leverage

[bluethunder]

Not only that but the 250 that reads on the plate is in reality not 250lbs but less..

[needmorestrength]

Yea man.. its very easy to utalize bi-ceps as well on pulldowns. I Have found that pull-ups isolate the back much more! and the boyz are correct too because you are stabalized by the knee pad

[sammycasper]

I had Duty yesterday so I Couldn't go to the gym But right outside my office there is a pull-up bar so I did a pyramid to 8 at about 9am and another at 5pm and my back is feelin' it this morning