Looking to up my Pull-Up game... pointers needed...

danacondah

Looking for advice on how to do more pull-ups/ better pull-ups/ all the pull-ups.

It has previously been recommended that I get a bunjy-type cable thingamajiger to assist... and before I commit to that I'd like to hear some pointers that do not require buying new equipment.

Some things about me...
-On a day where my upper body muscles are not fatigued I can whip out 1-2 pull ups (back of hands facing towards me and my grip is a little past shoulder width
- 5'7, 137 lbs
- When using the assisted pull-up machine I can do 3x10 using 90lbs to assist
- I lat pull down 3x10 @ 75lbs and I max 95lbs

Any advice on the how-to's, form, etc. is welcome. Whatchu got?

GiddyupTim

I do as many as I can, and then I do a few extra negative pull-ups (where i jump up to get my chin above the bar and then let myself down slowly). I think it is better than lat pulls or those assisted machines. Somehow a pull-up is different from either of those.
Keep at it. If you can do a few on the good days, I am going to bet you can make progress fast!

lemmie177

One of the most effective things I did to get better at pull-ups was doing a few several times during the day. It's also called "greasing the groove" technique, where you do the same exercise frequently, but never to fatigue. Since my pull-up bar is in the kitchen, I'd do one whenever I passed though, or if I was waiting for something to cook.

Since you can do 1-2 bodyweight pullups, I'd recommend you grease the groove with negatives (use a chair/step stool to get your chin over the bar, then lower as slowly as you can under your own power), as doing a full pullup will take you too close to fatigue for now.

As for the bunjy thingamajiger, I used bands to assist in the beginning, but didn't find them helpful. Due to the stretched tension, they assist a lot during the hardest part of the pullup (bottom), and very little at the easiest (top). So you end up getting better at the part of the pullup you don't actually need help with, while progress crawls at the sticking point.

drachfit

if you can do 1-2 pull ups then just do a bunch of sets of 1-2 pull ups with as much rest as you need in between. try for 8 sets of 1 pull up.

if you do this every day or nearly every day, you will quickly find you can do sets of 2, then 3, then 4, then 5 and so on. on your first or second set every day, really try your best to get 1 more rep than yesterday. you usually will.

once you can do 5, aim for 5 sets of 5 pull ups and try and increase that to 5 sets of 8 by adding 1 rep to one or two of the early sets at a time.

do pull ups AT LEAST 3 days a week. you can probably handle 5.

pull ups build very quickly if you just do a bunch. since you can already do at least one, you are already over the biggest hurdle most people face, which is getting to 1 solid pull up.

singingflutelady

I like inverted rowa to help pullups along with everyone else's suggestions

SonyaCele

i don't use bands for pull ups, its better if you can get a spotter to hold your legs . Or if you get a bar closer to the ground you can spot/assist yourself. And negatives are awesome, do lots of negatives.

blues4miles

I believe the book New Rules of Lifting for Women has a bunch of targeted weight lifting that's supposed to be able to get you to either do a pull-up or do more pull-ups. It's been a while since I read it though. I borrowed it from my library before I bought it.

FabianRodriguez94

What worked for me was what I refer to as "cheat" pull ups. I'd jump to the bar and as soon as I had a grip, I would use the momentum to pull myself up and then lower myself as slowly as possible (So basically negatives). I could barely do one rep back in November, and with the help of that momentum I am now able to do normal wide grip pull ups for 7 reps.

BalletAndBarbells

Women's health did an article on training to do pull ups - give it a Google search. I've made pull ups a challenge for myself in March!