For those of you who do pull-ups or chin-ups at home.

Mellouk89

How many sets per workout and how many times a week?

In the past 2 months i've been doing chin ups 3 times a week, 5 sets of 12-15 reps. I have gotten a little bit stronger even if I gained 5lbs in that period, but I still can't do 15 reps on every sets.

Should I start doing weighed chin-ups? I have a 25lbs vest, but i'm afraid for my door frame as you can see in this picture :

Slacker16

Sadly, my current apartment doesn't have any doorframes or hallways sturdy enough to trust with a pull-up bar

Back when I had one, I would do one set at max reps (12-18 range, depending on the day) every morning, sometimes one in the evening too. Once or twice a week I would do a proper routine, usually a pyramid so not sets*reps.

Oh yeah, and personally I'd find another place for that bar...

Fflpnari

I have a squat rack with a pull up bar. Doing it on a door frame would make me nervous

Mellouk89

It's making me nervous, but in my area the gyms are closed for another 2-3 months. It's the only somewhat challenging exercise I can for now with the material I have. I think I might get this model it appears to be better :

https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=pull+up+bar&qid=1605755825&sr=8-5

I think it might fit.

Mithridites

I would get a wall-mounted bar that can attach it to studs with proper hardware. Nothing sets one back as much as injuries. That door frame looks ready to splinter. Good luck!

KickassAmazon76

Mellouk89 wrote: »

It's making me nervous, but in my area the gyms are closed for another 2-3 months. It's the only somewhat challenging exercise I can for now with the material I have. I think I might get this model it appears to be better :

https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=pull+up+bar&qid=1605755825&sr=8-5

I think it might fit.

I had one of these and it was pretty good. I never got very good at chinups and found my height made it awkward. The weight was handled well, but over time it did damage the sides of the frame where the wood takes the distributed weight. I don't know that I'd do weighted with that get up though... I guess it would depend on the weight it says it can support.

Chieflrg

So your goal is to do 15 reps per set or something else your goal?

Mellouk89

Yeah right now my goal is to do 15 reps for at least 4 sets. I'm doing them full range of motion and try not to swing. I thought maybe that training with a vest would get me there faster.

Also I think 3 times a week is a bit too much as I am not making big improvements.

Mellouk89

KickassAmazon76 wrote: »

Mellouk89 wrote: »

It's making me nervous, but in my area the gyms are closed for another 2-3 months. It's the only somewhat challenging exercise I can for now with the material I have. I think I might get this model it appears to be better :

https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=pull+up+bar&qid=1605755825&sr=8-5

I think it might fit.

I had one of these and it was pretty good. I never got very good at chinups and found my height made it awkward. The weight was handled well, but over time it did damage the sides of the frame where the wood takes the distributed weight. I don't know that I'd do weighted with that get up though... I guess it would depend on the weight it says it can support.

I'm not that tall myself but I have to do them with my legs raised otherwise my feet will touch the floor. Though it is good for engaging the core.

heybales

Mellouk89 wrote: »

It's making me nervous, but in my area the gyms are closed for another 2-3 months. It's the only somewhat challenging exercise I can for now with the material I have. I think I might get this model it appears to be better :

https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=pull+up+bar&qid=1605755825&sr=8-5

I think it might fit.

That will work better.
Though you already have damage now to the intersection that will be bearing the weight, unless you change doors, or fix the frame.
You'll be higher, careful on first pullup!

If you need more width from this new one, you can get some electrical pipe to fit over their tubes to make it longer, also increases the size a bit making it better for grip I think. Their pipe size is rather small and intended for the foam, but I prefer metal but needs to be thicker.

Chieflrg

Mellouk89 wrote: »

Yeah right now my goal is to do 15 reps for at least 4 sets. I'm doing them full range of motion and try not to swing. I thought maybe that training with a vest would get me there faster.

Also I think 3 times a week is a bit too much as I am not making big improvements.

Ok. So what strategies are/have you used to progressively overload?

Mellouk89

Slow reps, doing full range of motion, not using momentum, trying to engage my core. Training to failure on the last set, or the last 2 sets.

Chieflrg

Mellouk89 wrote: »

Slow reps, doing full range of motion, not using momentum, trying to engage my core. Training to failure on the last set, or the last 2 sets.

Okay. I would highly suggest to add volume.

We can accomplish this by using variation as well. So weighted pull ups at a lower rep range, performing chins instead of pull ups or vise versa, grip width change.

Adding frequency with a day of myo reps is also a option.

So not forgetting your goal of 15 reps but adding volume as a current goal to increase your overload of stimulus.

While increasing your volume I would adjust your load management by leaving 1-3 in the tank instead of failure.

Working to failure is more of hypertrophy strategy and not a strength strategy for adaptation that I would recommend.

Mellouk89

Ok so 3 days a week of chin ups is good? And what about the rest between sets? Right now i'm resting 3 minutes, does it matter at all? I notice that when I increase my rest time to 4-5 minutes I can perform more reps.

Didn't know that training to failure was not optimal for strength, it is noted.

And because of the pull up bar that I have right now I could only do close grip pull ups, should I even bother? I heard it emphasizes the forearms muscles mostly.

wiigelec

Here is some pull up programming you may find useful:

http://www.50pullups.com/50-pullups-programme/16-20-pullups

Chieflrg

Mellouk89 wrote: »

Ok so 3 days a week of chin ups is good? And what about the rest between sets? Right now i'm resting 3 minutes, does it matter at all? I notice that when I increase my rest time to 4-5 minutes I can perform more reps.

Didn't know that training to failure was not optimal for strength, it is noted.

And because of the pull up bar that I have right now I could only do close grip pull ups, should I even bother? I heard it emphasizes the forearms muscles mostly.

3 days is fine if you are recovering. Rest time is what it is. I wouldn't dose more than 3-3.5 minutes on pull ups for adaptation purposes. There is a fine line to ROI on time training. Notice trends and adjust.

Nothing wrong with close grip once a week until you need to adjust. You will have to test waters and see how you respond.

Training to failures exhausts all muscle motors which can be "part" of hypertrophy. The one thing is default and drives progress of hypertrophy and strength adaptations is volume almost always. One surely doesn't need to exhaust muscles to develop a strength adaptation. One needs enough stimulus. If we exhaust to early, then we might not stimulate adequately.

Close grip, slow essentric drops, weighted, etc...should all give you feed back over time if you pay attention.

Slacker16

Mithridites wrote: »

I would get a wall-mounted bar that can attach it to studs with proper hardware. Nothing sets one back as much as injuries. That door frame looks ready to splinter. Good luck!

Easiest way I've found is to look for a place where you have support beams facing each other (you can tell by tapping on the walls) and set up the bar there with long screws.

If they're sturdy enough to hold the house up, they can probably hold my fat kitten up...

MikePfirrman

Mellouk89 wrote: »

It's making me nervous, but in my area the gyms are closed for another 2-3 months. It's the only somewhat challenging exercise I can for now with the material I have. I think I might get this model it appears to be better :

https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=pull+up+bar&qid=1605755825&sr=8-5

I think it might fit.

My son has that one. He likes it a lot.

sgt1372

I use to do 3x20 pushups and 3x15 pullups in my rack every 3 days after a lifting workout, but no more due to a chronic condition which makes it impossible for me to do those exercises w/o causing serious pain in my right elbow due to bone/joint deterioration.

Oh well . . . a symptom of old age among other things.

However, if you are looking for better "over the door" equipment in order to do pullups, I'd recommend either of the following products made/sold by Rogue Fitness.

The 1st is just a simple bar that's meant to me bolted into the studs above a door. You can install a backing plate to install the bar to if the stud alignment isn't exactly right.

It only costs $95 and is the simplest thing you can do and far better than any other door mounted pull bar available.

See: https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-jammer-pull-up-bar

However, if you want to go all out, I'd recommend the Door Mounted Fold Back Rack that you can not only use for pullups but as a squat rack and bar rest as well. It's bolted into the studs around/next to the door frame.

It's spendy at $510 BUT if you don't have the space for a full rack, this is hard to beat.

See: https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-rml-90-slim-door-mount-fold-back-rack

Mellouk89

I ended up buying this, it works great. I also can do push ups and dips :

https://www.amazon.com/Happybuy-Adjustable-Multistation-Station-Fitness/dp/B07ZFCTG82/ref=sr_1_14?dchild=1&keywords=power+station+fitness&qid=1606513070&sr=8-14

Btw every since I started doing chin ups 3 times a week I notice that my upper lats are sore constantly, particularly in the armpit area, even after I rest for two days on the weekend. Is this due to the frequency? My biceps and elbows recover just fine.

Mrrodik

Don’t overdo it. Try and change grip to work on other arms and back area

Jthanmyfitnesspal

The best door units screw in place, in my opinion. With screws, this approach is very stable and won't cause all that much damage (putty and paint). The spreader types are very bad for your doorway. How is the OP going to fix that? It might require taking the plaster off the wall and re-doing the door frame. YIKE$!

The doorway hook-on units (as suggested by @Mellouk89) can be good, but they can also fail if you're not careful. They are putting a lot of faith in the molding over the doorway, which is not structural.

The screw-into-wall or ceiling units are fantastic if properly installed.

But, best overall is a free-standing unit. Even better if also secured to a wall. Unfortunately, my ceilings aren't high enough!

Theoldguy1

I attached a homemade bar made from lead pipe to the rafters in my garage using pipe flanges. The house will fall down around it before that thing goes anywhere.

wiigelec

Theoldguy1 wrote: »

I attached a homemade bar made from lead pipe to the rafters in my garage using pipe flanges. The house will fall down around it before that thing goes anywhere.

exactly what i did. forget $100 contraptions, $20 at the hardware store, good to go!