Strength Training Questions

tappae

So, I'm just starting back doing body-weight exercises and I have two questions:

I'm using the twentypullups.com plan to develop my pull-ups. Since I can only do one good one, I started on week -2 and am doing mostly negatives, but just one per set. My question is: wouldn't I develop faster if I did 5 negatives per set, or as many pull-ups as I can and then add negatives to total 5 until I can do 5 pull-ups per set?

My other question is about body-weight leg work. I found a progressive plan on another member's profile and discovered that unilateral bent-leg body-weight dead-lifts were the exercise that was challenging enough to make 5 reps a good work out. On Wednesday, I had to stop during my 3rd set because of knee pain. I was being careful not to extend my knee out past my toes, but it still started really hurting. By the evening it was gone and hasn't hurt since, but it's made me think that I might need to do an easier exercise to build up knee strength to be more balanced with my quad strength.

Thanks!

tappae

anyone?

cantfail

I've been a fitness professional for almost 14 years. I looked at the pull-up routines you are talking about and I think I would stick with it if you like that sort of challenge. The initial phases are trying to build up strength, slow and controlled negatives can do that. Please keep in mind that there are 3 phases of muscle development: strength - very heavy with muscle failure at low reps (up to 6), hypertrophy (getting bigger) - heavy with muscle failure at mid reps (8-15) and endurance - light weight with hight reps (20+).

Your other question about your leg workout... Single leg stuff requires a lot of stabilization in the knee and core. Your knee may have some instability that is causing the pain (especially if you can only do 5 reps).

Shawshankcan

Its not always about going full tilt right to the bitter last rep and pounding away.

If you look at powerlifting programs for the elite, they aren't always using their 5 rep max, but will still do 5 reps with a lesser weight and work up to an end point.