Pull ups / Chin ups

russellvolk

Hey guys,

Since I was a little kid, I could not do a single pull/chin up. Now that I've lost some weight and I've been exercising regularly for the past 3 months, my goal is to finally do at least 1 pull/chin up. I bought a pull up bar for my home, as well as a chin-up max bands. They were just delivered yesterday. I did 1 chin up with the bands, so I'm pretty happy there. Is there a schedule or a challenge program that teaches you how to do pull ups and chin ups? I really want to get stronger, so I don't have to use chin-up max, but for now, I need additional guidance.

I know it will take time. I'm currently finishing up Power 90 program. Before I started the program, I couldn't do a single push up. Now I bang out over 100 of them. So I'm patient. I just need some kind of structure or plan to follow.

Thanks in advance.

toddis

I can't find it at the moment but just google pull up challenge. I see a few sites but they aren't the one I'm looking for =/

Also youtube Scooby and pullups I think...

tennisdude2004

Well done dude,

I started that journey too.

I'm at 2 chin ups in a row from full hang (un assisted).

Chin ups are easier than pull ups (still working on that one) so will be keeping an eye in this thread for tips.

I've got a chin up bar at home as well and try to do one or two pretty much every time I pass it.

At the gym I'm doing inverted rows (if that's the right name for them).

Check out nerd fitness on the internet, they have a bit on starting out on their site.

Just keep with it. It may seem a way off but soon enough you'll get there.

Myhaloslipped

I have been doing them with the negative weight on the machine at the gym, but I hope to be able to do unassisted ones soon. I love them!

bpotts44

Just put it somewhere in the house and everytime you walk by try to bang some out. You can put your foot on a chair to make it a little easier so you can do a set of 5. You can assist up and then hang free down and do the negative at full weight. Enjoy!

tennisdude2004

Also negative pull ups are good.

Starting with your chin above the bar and lowering yourself down slowly.

Glasspack

They are hard as hell but a great exercise. I'm still stuck on assisted ones but workign to unassisted.

corneelvp

Do the twenty pullups challenge! It will probably take a bit longer to complete than suggested, but with repeating a few weeks you'll be able to do 20 in a few months time!

http://twentypullups.com/pdf/

DancingMoosie

I agree with what everyone posted. I have a "doorgym" and had to use a chair to assist myself for a while, or used the assisted pull-up machine in the gym. With the machine, I started with 50lbs of assistance, then down to 25, then 12. 3 sets of 5. At home, when I could finally do 1 unassisted, I would just do 1 as many times a day as I could, or remember, when walking by that room with the doorgym. I slowly progressed to doing 2-3 per set until I could finally do 7 consecutive. But, I could only do 7 as one set, the rest of my sets would be 5 reps. Last week, I actually did 8 consecutive, then 2 reps, and finished with sets of 5 to do 35 total. You can do it!!!

yogicarl

I started one year ago with a pull-up bar across the doorway and tried myself against it every time I wwalked through.

I started only being able to pull and hold a quarter way up, but held the contraction for 10 seconds each time. I also did 5 sets of 8 negative "walk the planks"** twice a week.

**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRznU6pzez0-

Now I can do 2 chin-ups in good form and doing 4 sets of 5 with band assistance. Still working on Pull-ups. Still about 30lbs overweight, so I expect pull-ups/chin-ups to get easier as I drop the excess.

edit: I like the idea of doing 10 sets of 1 chin-up or pull-up. Then when you can do 10x1 in good form, do 9x1 and 1x2, then 8x1 and 2x2 and so on until you are doing 10x2.

ahamm002

Here is a very informative article on performing chin up and pull ups.

http://www.poliquingroup.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/735/Top_12_Tips_to_Improve_Chin-Ups.aspx


When you're first getting started volume is going to be an issue. Try doing a lot of "negatives." Jump up to the pull-up bar and then slowly lower yourself down.

tennisdude2004

Here is a very informative article on performing chin up and pull ups.

http://www.poliquingroup.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/735/Top_12_Tips_to_Improve_Chin-Ups.aspx


When you're first getting started volume is going to be an issue. Try doing a lot of "negatives." Jump up to the pull-up bar and then slowly lower yourself down.

Just read - good article.

OP this should be of some help!

yogicarl

- thanks for the link.

The linked article mentions a minimum of 30 reps per session for growth.

I can see myself doing this amount of volume by doing 5 sets of 6 - unassisted/band assisted/negatives - in that order per set to get the 30 mimimum and aim to do more unassisted and less assisted as I build strength and form.

JoRocka

Google grease the groove technique- for pull ups this is invaluable as you first start.

Also check out NerdFitness- I believe they have a good little mini program- or at least links to some other good articles.

yogicarl

Google grease the groove technique- for pull ups this is invaluable as you first start.

Also check out NerdFitness- I believe they have a good little mini program- or at least links to some other good articles.

Grease the groove is something I will be incorporating as soon as I decrease fat weight (30lbs over) and increase pull-up strength, as I am only able to perform 2 reps at present so I cant work at 50 - 80% capacity; each rep is around a 1RM for me unless GTG can be used along with assistance bands?

waldo56

- thanks for the link.

The linked article mentions a minimum of 30 reps per session for growth.

I can see myself doing this amount of volume by doing 5 sets of 6 - unassisted/band assisted/negatives - in that order per set to get the 30 mimimum and aim to do more unassisted and less assisted as I build strength and form.

Chinups/pullups respond well to high volume. Don't be afraid to push the set volume into the double digits.

I used fixed volume workouts to go from doing a few pullups/chinups to being able to do more than are useful (20+)(at which point form/difficulty and added load are necessary for any useful progress). Fixed volume workouts, pick a (high) number such as 50 or 100, and do the volume as fast as you can. Progress by decreasing the time to complete workout to workout.

navyrigger46

As stated above, negatives are good. If you have some resistance bands you can use them as an offset for your pull-ups, or if your feet touch the ground you can use your legs for minimal assistance. Six months ago I couldn't do a single pull-up, now I can do 5 sets of four from a dead hang.

Rigger

JoRocka

Google grease the groove technique- for pull ups this is invaluable as you first start.

Also check out NerdFitness- I believe they have a good little mini program- or at least links to some other good articles.

Grease the groove is something I will be incorporating as soon as I decrease fat weight (30lbs over) and increase pull-up strength, as I am only able to perform 2 reps at present so I cant work at 50 - 80% capacity; each rep is around a 1RM for me unless GTG can be used along with assistance bands?

assisted with a band- a chair - or a buddy.


I used to do them every time I went to the bathroom- just hand and do 1-2 negatives.

Doing them more often trumps doing lots once a day.

yogicarl

Chinups/pullups respond well to high volume. Don't be afraid to push the set volume into the double digits.

I used fixed volume workouts to go from doing a few pullups/chinups to being able to do more than are useful (20+)(at which point form/difficulty and added load are necessary for any useful progress). Fixed volume workouts, pick a (high) number such as 50 or 100, and do the volume as fast as you can. Progress by decreasing the time to complete workout to workout.

thanks Waldo.

Would you recommend this approach along with assistance bands in the early stages to make the fixed volume target? Certainly at the moment, I would reach a point where I could only do partial reps or take rest breaks that would result in my session taking too long.

Would you use some negative reps in a fixed volume session or is that too much intensity in one workout? So for example, I set a target of 50 reps total volume and do 5 sets of [2 unassisted, 4 band assisted and 4 negatives]?

also - thanks JoRocka. Loads of brilliant info here.

JoRocka

just do them.

a lot. through the day.

Seriously google grease the groove.

Don't worry about them all at once- just DO THEM. I set the bar in my bedroom- and ever time I crossed the threshold of the bedroom I jumped on the bar. 1- 5 whatever. didn't matter. I got on the bar. Negatives- halfsies- whole whatever- get on the bar and get yourself to it. by whatever means necessary.

I used a chair. I don't have bands.

husseycd

When you're first getting started volume is going to be an issue. Try doing a lot of "negatives." Jump up to the pull-up bar and then slowly lower yourself down.

Agree with the negatives. Also, holds should help. I'm an aerialist and couldn't do pull-ups when I started aerial. Through all my aerial training, which with silks you are contantly doing holds because they're required to climb, get into a basic foot lock, hip-key, etc. I can now bang out five or six from a dead-hang, slowly, and with a ton of control. Over hand, under hand, stacked hands (sideways), doesn't matter.

I never trained to do an actual pull-up, they just came with the territory of holding my body weight over and over.

yogicarl

just do them.

- got it! thanks. Doing them tonight and tomorrow and .....

JoRocka

just do them.

- got it! thanks. Doing them tonight and tomorrow and .....

and the next morning- and the next lunch and the next dinner LOL

go forth and lift thyself!!! LOTS!!!

ChaplainHeavin

Hey guys,

Since I was a little kid, I could not do a single pull/chin up. Now that I've lost some weight and I've been exercising regularly for the past 3 months, my goal is to finally do at least 1 pull/chin up. I bought a pull up bar for my home, as well as a chin-up max bands. They were just delivered yesterday. I did 1 chin up with the bands, so I'm pretty happy there. Is there a schedule or a challenge program that teaches you how to do pull ups and chin ups? I really want to get stronger, so I don't have to use chin-up max, but for now, I need additional guidance.

I know it will take time. I'm currently finishing up Power 90 program. Before I started the program, I couldn't do a single push up. Now I bang out over 100 of them. So I'm patient. I just need some kind of structure or plan to follow.

Thanks in advance.

I went from 0 to 9, then pulled something (no pun intended) and had to stop for 6 months and now have to start from scratch. How I built my way up was to do as many half pull ups and chins that I could in 3 sets several times a week. Hope that helps.

waldo56

Chinups/pullups respond well to high volume. Don't be afraid to push the set volume into the double digits.

I used fixed volume workouts to go from doing a few pullups/chinups to being able to do more than are useful (20+)(at which point form/difficulty and added load are necessary for any useful progress). Fixed volume workouts, pick a (high) number such as 50 or 100, and do the volume as fast as you can. Progress by decreasing the time to complete workout to workout.

thanks Waldo.

Would you recommend this approach along with assistance bands in the early stages to make the fixed volume target? Certainly at the moment, I would reach a point where I could only do partial reps or take rest breaks that would result in my session taking too long.

Would you use some negative reps in a fixed volume session or is that too much intensity in one workout? So for example, I set a target of 50 reps total volume and do 5 sets of [2 unassisted, 4 band assisted and 4 negatives]?

also - thanks JoRocka. Loads of brilliant info here.

No. Its not a technique that is all that useful until you can do about 5 or so.

Once you can do 15-20 in a single set, pyramid training becomes about the most effective way to train and continue to progress; its a very strict variant of volume training where you also fix the time and set breakdown, progressing via RPE (when you can do the pyramid without failing, its time to progress a step); it forces you to push the envelope past failure.

SJ46

Is your pullup bar in an area you walk through each day? If so then do as many as you can with the bands each time you walk past the bar. Once you can do one pullup then do a pullup each time you walk past, maybe finish with a set using the band until you can do more than one pullup at once.

If you want to do pullups then you have to do pullups, lots of them! Beware of negatives, they are painful <not that you shouldn't do them but don't feel surprised if you can't raise your arms the next day!>

jwdieter

Keep in mind that pull ups are massively impacted by body weight. Losing (or gaining) just 5-10 lbs will make a large difference in pull up capability. For people at or near normal weight levels.

Topsking2010

Bump

russellvolk

Thank you all for your advice. I can't believe how many chimed in... this is so helpful. I will try to use the bar every chance I get. I tried today a few times and I could do 3 chin ups with chin-up max (all 3 bands). I think once I reach 10 chin ups, I'll remove one of the bands and go from there. I tried pull ups, but those are much harder. I did only 1. I guess I have a lot of work ahead of me.