Pull Ups (Core Strength)

thetine713

Sup everyone. I started going to the gym and eating the same meals daily for the past 2 months and have dropped around 20 lbs. Its cool and all, but I can’t do 2 pull ups. Any specific workouts or input would be much appreciated. It’s kinda my next goal lol.

Thanks,

neilfitz1

Hi, Pull ups are an extreme exercise theyre really hard ! Start with Pushups for 3 months , keep a log, ask your Gym managers for guidance.

JBanx256

neilfitz1 wrote: »

Hi, Pull ups are an extreme exercise theyre really hard ! Start with Pushups for 3 months , keep a log, ask your Gym managers for guidance.

Um....what? They're not particularly extreme; they don't require any pushing movements (3 months?!?), and IF you have knowledgeable trainers at your gym, fine to ask them for pointers but a pullup is hardly technical and doesn't require intricate instruction/supervision. Buncha "woo" in that comment.

Does your gym have an assisted-pullup machine? If so that's probably a good place to start. If not, if you can get hold of some resistance bands, you can loop them around the bar, put your foot in the band, and use that to give you a bit of a boost. As you get stronger, use the lighter bands for less assistance. I know a lot of people start out with jumping pullups since the bottom portion of the pullup is often the most difficult; give yourself a bit of a hop to break the deadhang portion and give you some momentum; make your lats and biceps work to get you the rest of the way up.

Also try variations - overhand, underhand, parallel grip, wide, narrow, staggered, etc.

Lat pulldowns, bicep work, etc.

Phirrgus

^^^ Look up aussie and negative pull ups as well. They can go a good way towards strengthening the right muscles for you.

Keto_Vampire

Aussie pullup = inverted row; easy set up (smith machine, TRX, some dip stations, @ home with table & chair, etc.)

tinkerbellang83

I was just doing some reading on this the other day for my own benefit so advanced disclaimer, I'm by no means an expert. Although my shoulders are quite strong my triceps and core are quite weak. Something I've discovered during some recent pole dancing classes.

So I am starting to do exercises/yoga poses that focus more on these areas to build strength, I have also started doing timed dead hangs on the pull up bar, I've had to start with assist band, cos literally last about 2 seconds without it. Once I've mastered that without the band, I'll try again with assisted pull ups.

trochanter

http://scoobysworkshop.com/2011/09/10/how-to-do-your-first-pullup/

Phirrgus

tinkerbellang83 wrote: »

I was just doing some reading on this the other day for my own benefit so advanced disclaimer, I'm by no means an expert. Although my shoulders are quite strong my triceps and core are quite weak. Something I've discovered during some recent pole dancing classes.

So I am starting to do exercises/yoga poses that focus more on these areas to build strength, I have also started doing timed dead hangs on the pull up bar, I've had to start with assist band, cos literally last about 2 seconds without it. Once I've mastered that without the band, I'll try again with assisted pull ups.

@tinkerbellang83 - I was literally shocked at my lack of grip strength when I began timed dead hangs. That's a great suggestion for this thread, not recommended enough in my opinion.

mom23mangos

Great advice from all on this thread. Another suggestion is to work on both the top and bottom portions since that is where most people get stuck. For the bottom, do scapular shrugs. From a dead hang, depress and then elevate your scapula. This will help you build up strength for the initial pull. For the top, spend time in a bent arm hang. Use a box and jump to the top of a pull up position and hold it for as long as you can and then come down to a dead hang slowly.

Since you can already do 1 pullup, it won't take you long at all to start adding reps. The first is the hardest!

gradchica27

Megan Callaway’s Ultimate Pull-up program is awesome, or something similar

h7463

I recommend cable pulldowns as exercise to work up to pullups.

I had never been able to do..or even try... any pullups or chinups until I managed a variety of cable pulldowns (lat, close grip, reverse grip...) with weights at about 80% of my bodyweight at the time. At this point, I decided one day to try a chinup, and before I knew it, I was looking across the bar...yay...

Silkysausage

Smith Machine inverted pull-ups have recently been advocated by Erin Stern, she moves the bar up from initial hip height to increase strength.

mbaker566

my students and i do negatives.

ExistingFish

Okay, I've done chin-ups several times and like one pull up recently. Things to help:

You can do inverted rows, and lat pulldowns (I've always done kneeling). You can do chin ups or pull ups with a band. You can do negatives (pull up with a step or something, lower yourself slowly). You can start from standing (maybe on a step), or do a jump assist (jump halfway and use the jump to assist yourself to the bar) and combine with negative. You can use an assisted pull up machine.

I'd try chin ups first, they are slightly easier because your biceps can help. I can do about 3 chin ups in a row from a dead hang, I can only do one pull up (so far).

When I do lat pulldowns, I do with more than my bodyweight. I can do lat pulldowns with 20lbs over my bodyweight more times than I can chin up or pull up.

This video helped me, it's calisthenics.
https://youtu.be/tB3X4TjTIes

jasonpoihegatama

Lat pulldown , use a band for assistance. jump to start and try and do one every time you go gym then to. It takes time you got to learn to crawl before you can walk

Keto_Vampire

Note: advantage using TRX or smith machine - one can adjust the angle to alter the intensity; more vertical = more difficult for inverted row/Aussie pullup, more horizontal = less difficult (can use for drop sets for more volume overall)