Upper body strength

dougpconnell219

I (6'4" 280 lb male) have ZERO upper body strength. I have never done a pull up in my life. Can't really do proper pushups. Dips are extremely hard.

I was in a body pump class the other night... It called for push ups. I was the only guy. All the girls just started cranking out pushups, I couldn't do it. Quite embarrassing. Even doing leg raises is hard, not for the abs, but in my shoulders.

I'm doing body pump, and working with a trainer doing strength training.

Any tips other than that to build upper body strength? Obviously, the other part of the equation is to lighten my fat *kitten*. I would like you've able to do a reasonable number of push and pull ups.

Katiebear_81

A trainer that I saw for a while recommended starting to do push ups against a wall, until you can do some of those easily, then progressively lean forward more (ie. setting a bar at the gym on a stable rack, using the back of the couch at home, then a lower bench, etc.) until you're more horizontal. This will gradually add weight to your push ups without sacrificing form or causing injury. As for the pull ups... I still can't do them unassisted. I use those big rubber bands to help still.

jemhh

Katiebear_81 wrote: »

A trainer that I saw for a while recommended starting to do push ups against a wall, until you can do some of those easily, then progressively lean forward more (ie. setting a bar at the gym on a stable rack, using the back of the couch at home, then a lower bench, etc.) until you're more horizontal. This will gradually add weight to your push ups without sacrificing form or causing injury. As for the pull ups... I still can't do them unassisted. I use those big rubber bands to help still.

This is good push up advice. You could also use a set of stairs and go down a step each time you've mastered a certain level. Startbodyweight has alternative progressions as well.

For pull-ups, do you have a lat pulldown machine available at your gym? Adding that to your routine will help. You might also work on horizontal pulls, which aren't the exact same movement but will help you build strength. Startbodyweight has a good list of progressions for this kind of movement too. The big thing will be losing the extra weight. I have pull ups as one of my goals and losing weight has been a big help toward it. You might consider using chin ups as an initial goal because they are slightly easier than pull ups. They are done with your palms facing you as opposed to palms facing out. It'll still be a while before you get there but they can be a stepping stone.

bostonwolf

Start against a wall if needed, or do them from your knees if you can. Pull ups and dips just forget about for now unless there is a machine in the gym that can assist. If there are rings you can do ring rows (google for video) or the same by setting a barbell low in a rack, hanging down from it and pulling yourself up. Adjust your angle to make it easier or harder as needed.

I'm about your size (6'3 295) and quite strong and I can't do a pullup. When I was down around 284 I could almost do one, but not quite. That's one of those things where losing weight is going to be the single biggest factor.

Pushups will work pecs, triceps and shoulders so will help with dips.

Tell your trainer that this is an area you want to focus on and he/she should be able to offer more help. Be patient, it will take some time.

MisterZ33

OP, i just want to add that i know it is embarassing being in a class full of girls and not being able to keep up with the exercises. im a fan of yours for sticking through with it. keep up the great work and dedication!

Islandgirl52

I've ordered a book called convict conditioning that apparently works you through a slow progression of push-ups, ( starting with wall push-ups) pull-ups, squats ect. Starting slow and building your strength at each stage helps to avoid injury.....

dbmata

dougpconnell219 wrote: »

I (6'4" 280 lb male) have ZERO upper body strength. I have never done a pull up in my life. Can't really do proper pushups. Dips are extremely hard.

I was in a body pump class the other night... It called for push ups. I was the only guy. All the girls just started cranking out pushups, I couldn't do it. Quite embarrassing. Even doing leg raises is hard, not for the abs, but in my shoulders.

I'm doing body pump, and working with a trainer doing strength training.

Any tips other than that to build upper body strength? Obviously, the other part of the equation is to lighten my fat *kitten*. I would like you've able to do a reasonable number of push and pull ups.

So you no longer rock climb?

Pullups are a matter of weight. There are freakdudes that can bust out a ton of them at 280, but these guys are going to be hardcore, yoked, and few and far between.

Now, you can work up to a pull up if you'd like, but it takes some effort. First, rock climbing helped me a lot. So did banded and negatives. Then, once I could do one, I kept doing one until I could do two. Then sometimes I can do three.

So, once you can do it, keep doing it until you can do more. Set a number for a workout, say 30, and keep doing them until you can hit that number. First it may take you 20-30 sets, then 15, then 10, then 3. You'll have improvement.

Pushups? Get down and do it. Get on your knees if you have to. Keep doing them. Helps to do a few an hour, then increase that number.

Sometimes I'll go to doing sets of 10 or 20 an hour on non-training days.

AllanMisner

Do heavy squats and deadlifts. This will cause a natural increase in testosterone and growth hormone. Some studies have shown that you can gain upper body strength without training the upper body if you do heavy squats and/or deadlifts. The hormone response is what they posit causes this.

And since this relies on maximizing those hormones, also make sure you’re getting good sleep and avoid alcohol.

I predict you won’t be pushing walls for long.

dbmata

You'll gain overall body strength yes, but really... a heavy squat isn't going to train the pull up. Different movement patterns, different muscles being activated.

You want to pull up, you train the pull up. You want to push up, you train the push up. Hell, at least bench helps with pushups.

Sam_I_Am77

AllanMisner wrote: »

Do heavy squats and deadlifts. This will cause a natural increase in testosterone and growth hormone. Some studies have shown that you can gain upper body strength without training the upper body if you do heavy squats and/or deadlifts. The hormone response is what they posit causes this.

And since this relies on maximizing those hormones, also make sure you’re getting good sleep and avoid alcohol.

I predict you won’t be pushing walls for long.

Hey Allan, not trying to crap on your comments by any means but I just listened to this yesterday and I think maybe some of the theory on the hormone response is changing. It happens but perhaps not as significant as was previously thought. Check this out if you have time.



@ OP: It sounds like you've just begun, so congrats on doing something about it. The next step is to understand that you have to be patient, strength and weight management is a life-long process; there is no instant gratification or at least very little. Stick with your CPT and do what they say for now. Eat smart, work hard / smart, recover well and you'll get there.

Edit: To Alan's other point about upper body strength he is on to something. Securing the bar in the back squat does involve some Lat recruitment. Even though it really just becomes an isometric hold, they are activated to some degree. With the Deadlift, every muscle in your upper body gets activated isometrically as well. I'll never forget the first time I did a Deadlift, my pecs were sore the next day. You're not going to develop significant upper body strength by doing those alone but they do compliment your other upper body work. Not to mention having a strong and stable lower body and core also translates into everything else.

Packerjohn

Katiebear_81 wrote: »

A trainer that I saw for a while recommended starting to do push ups against a wall, until you can do some of those easily, then progressively lean forward more (ie. setting a bar at the gym on a stable rack, using the back of the couch at home, then a lower bench, etc.) until you're more horizontal. This will gradually add weight to your push ups without sacrificing form or causing injury. As for the pull ups... I still can't do them unassisted. I use those big rubber bands to help still.

This and inverted rows are the best use of the Smith machine at the gym.

DopeItUp

Big dudes are always going to struggle with bodyweight exercises. Even after a few years of heavy, heavy strength training, my BW abilities are not good. I can deadlift low-mid 500s, bench around 300 but I can barely do 5 BW dips. Pull-ups aren't much better either, the best I've ever done is 10. I see little people cranking out sets of 10 with added weight and no problem. But in the actual barbell lifts I crush them.

Having said that, losing weight will help a lot. When I was your weight I don't think I could do a single pull-up. But being a big tall guy will always be a disadvantage when it comes to BW training.

My suggestion is to just use actual weights, BW training is for the birds :P

ScientificExplorerGirl

Islandgirl52 wrote: »

I've ordered a book called convict conditioning that apparently works you through a slow progression of push-ups, ( starting with wall push-ups) pull-ups, squats ect. Starting slow and building your strength at each stage helps to avoid injury.....

^^^Agree!!

All of the convict conditioning videos are also available on Youtube. I have been doing several of the progressions for the past few months. My goal is to do my first ever pullup this year! I can't recommend these workouts highly enough!

sofaking6

Katiebear_81 wrote: »

A trainer that I saw for a while recommended starting to do push ups against a wall, until you can do some of those easily, then progressively lean forward more (ie. setting a bar at the gym on a stable rack, using the back of the couch at home, then a lower bench, etc.) until you're more horizontal. This will gradually add weight to your push ups without sacrificing form or causing injury. As for the pull ups... I still can't do them unassisted. I use those big rubber bands to help still.

After failing to do pushups forever, I finally took this advice, although I started on the kitchen counter instead of the wall. It was the first time ever that I felt my chest muscles. I realized that it's not just about building strength slowly enough, it's about NOT putting yourself in a position where other muscles (shoulders, back) are doing the work that your chest ought to be doing in a pushup.

dbmata

Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »

Edit: To Alan's other point about upper body strength he is on to something. Securing the bar in the back squat does involve some Lat recruitment. Even though it really just becomes an isometric hold, they are activated to some degree.

I'm not arguing that he isn't on to something, as there will be some benefit, yes.

It's a compliment for training the pull up, and like the deadlift, will help some. I don't know though, I wonder if the pendlay row at bodyweight+ might be a better choice for a complimentary exercise, assuming other large compounds are being done.

At least in that you're directly hitting most of the muscles you'd use in the pull up in the movement pattern of the pull up/chin up.

EvgeniZyntx

Begin here (see their other videos for progressions)

http://youtu.be/brA8BYaj7YQ

and here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nr3rltL3aQ

Islandgirl52

Thanks for posting these videos....I was close to doing a real push-up and hurt my shoulder - ( not doing push-ups) and I'm back to doing wall push-ups... Going to take each stage slow....
Maybe I'm dreaming thinking that someday I'll be able to do a pull-up, but hopefully the slow progression will help me get there someday!

cajuntank

DopeItUp wrote: »

Big dudes are always going to struggle with bodyweight exercises. Even after a few years of heavy, heavy strength training, my BW abilities are not good. I can deadlift low-mid 500s, bench around 300 but I can barely do 5 BW dips. Pull-ups aren't much better either, the best I've ever done is 10. I see little people cranking out sets of 10 with added weight and no problem. But in the actual barbell lifts I crush them.

Having said that, losing weight will help a lot. When I was your weight I don't think I could do a single pull-up. But being a big tall guy will always be a disadvantage when it comes to BW training.

My suggestion is to just use actual weights, BW training is for the birds :P

Will concur. Maybe at your current bodyweight, it's too heavy for a beginner and you will have to do weird stuff to get into angles to offset the weight. I know when I started, I just ran StrongLifts 5x5. The program recommends you start off with just a 45lbs bar for your exercises to work on form and add weight every workout. I know after several weeks of the program, I was able to do a couple of pull-ups (something I had never been able to do beforehand).

martyqueen52

Pullups = train lats

dougpconnell219

dbmata wrote: »

dougpconnell219 wrote: »

I (6'4" 280 lb male) have ZERO upper body strength. I have never done a pull up in my life. Can't really do proper pushups. Dips are extremely hard.

I was in a body pump class the other night... It called for push ups. I was the only guy. All the girls just started cranking out pushups, I couldn't do it. Quite embarrassing. Even doing leg raises is hard, not for the abs, but in my shoulders.

I'm doing body pump, and working with a trainer doing strength training.

Any tips other than that to build upper body strength? Obviously, the other part of the equation is to lighten my fat *kitten*. I would like you've able to do a reasonable number of push and pull ups.[

DopeItUp wrote: »

Big dudes are always going to struggle with bodyweight exercises. Even after a few years of heavy, heavy strength training, my BW abilities are not good. I can deadlift low-mid 500s, bench around 300 but I can barely do 5 BW dips. Pull-ups aren't much better either, the best I've ever done is 10. I see little people cranking out sets of 10 with added weight and no problem. But in the actual barbell lifts I crush them.

Having said that, losing weight will help a lot. When I was your weight I don't think I could do a single pull-up. But being a big tall guy will always be a disadvantage when it comes to BW training.

My suggestion is to just use actual weights, BW training is for the birds :P

Oh I am doing weights. I was just thinking of adding some body weight stuff at home in the mornings, at work when I'm bored, etc.

jgnatca

I was gonna say, you're trying to lift bodyweight! That's a lot! I have very poor upper body strength too. I don't do pushups either. I have progressed to Downward Facing Dog and the Cobra in my yoga class. Baby steps.

There's a legend that the greek wrestler Milo of Croton built up his strength by carrying a calf around every day. There came a day he was carrying a bull around with him.