I Want My Chin-ups Back -- Advice Please :-)

ice_fire_89

Hi. I've been weight training seriously again for about 3-4 weeks, but am set on getting back in the shape I was five years ago. My favorite exercise that I really measured my progress by was the chin-up. I worked my way up to 19 dead-hang body weight chin-ups over about three years, then stayed at that number (grrr) for the next two years of my committed exercising. I was 20, 125-128 lbs. Now I'm 25, 152 lbs (5'4" female) and I've only worked out sporadically for the last five years. Here is what I am doing for the chin-ups. I want to eventually do 20. I would love advice from anyone serious about their chin-ups or pull-ups, on what worked for you. Thank-you.

-Yesterday I did 6 consecutive chin-ups.
-I am going to start doing 20 chin-ups on the two weight days I don't do back (I do push/pull/legs)
-Back days I have chin-ups and pull-ups interspersed throughout my workout, usually after every exercise. When I can't do anymore I do 1-2 negatives.
-I do lat pull-downs, bent-over BB rows with lat emphasis, seated rows with lat emphasis (I am very upper-back dominant), back extensions, rotator cuff exercises and bicep curls on Pull Day. I stay between 6-12 reps. I like to vary it, but I bust my butt regardless.
-I am limiting myself to 2400 calories a day in order to lose weight.
-I am doing Insanity 5 days a week also to lose weight. I'm almost two weeks in.
Thanks again

BigT555

sounds like you know what you are doing, just keep it up, you'll get there

ice_fire_89

Thanks :-).

I only have one reply :-(. Anyone else....?

Tomm88

You're pretty much doing the right thing already! keep at it!

ice_fire_89

Thanks.

shaunjhill

Hi,
I'm a big fan of chin-ups and pull ups. I increased my chin-ups from 20 reps up to 30 reps by doing ladders. ie do one rep then two then three until you almost reach failure then start again. If your present maximum is six you'd probably end up doing something like 1,2,3,4,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2,1 Each time you do this aim to increase your numbers. You end up doing lots of reps each session without getting too fatigued. I worked up to doing a total of 100 reps in a session with a 45lb weight added and would do this a couple of times per week.
Hope this helps.

ice_fire_89

Thanks!!! I would never have thought of that. I think I'll try it on Friday. Sounds like something I will end up adding 1x a week or doing instead of the 20. 30 is amazing, by the way!!

shaunjhill

Yeah, give it a go. You'll be surprised how many reps you'll manage in the session. Have fun!

1911JR

Hi. I've been weight training seriously again for about 3-4 weeks, but am set on getting back in the shape I was five years ago. My favorite exercise that I really measured my progress by was the chin-up. I worked my way up to 19 dead-hang body weight chin-ups over about three years, then stayed at that number (grrr) for the next two years of my committed exercising. I was 20, 125-128 lbs. Now I'm 25, 152 lbs (5'4" female) and I've only worked out sporadically for the last five years. Here is what I am doing for the chin-ups. I want to eventually do 20. I would love advice from anyone serious about their chin-ups or pull-ups, on what worked for you. Thank-you.

-Yesterday I did 6 consecutive chin-ups.
-I am going to start doing 20 chin-ups on the two weight days I don't do back (I do push/pull/legs)
-Back days I have chin-ups and pull-ups interspersed throughout my workout, usually after every exercise. When I can't do anymore I do 1-2 negatives.
-I do lat pull-downs, bent-over BB rows with lat emphasis, seated rows with lat emphasis (I am very upper-back dominant), back extensions, rotator cuff exercises and bicep curls on Pull Day. I stay between 6-12 reps. I like to vary it, but I bust my butt regardless.
-I am limiting myself to 2400 calories a day in order to lose weight.
-I am doing Insanity 5 days a week also to lose weight. I'm almost two weeks in.
Thanks again

Ok, I will bite, I`m a chin and pull up guy.

I see nothing wrong with what you`re doing now. All that`s left is different exercises and tweaking.

So just keep pulling and resist the negative. So, on a normal set of pull-ups or chin-ups, when you barely get that last one! Don`t do like most people and just drop. Let yourself down as slow as you possibly can. And keep doing more reps and sets. When you do enough total reps that you can`t get a single one, jump up and grab the bar and do negatives. Have a buddy hold your feet and give you a spot on the upside.

ice_fire_89

Thanks for the advice. I do just drop ... I need to remember that's an opportunity for a negative.

steve0820

Looks like You already have a solid plan in place. I love my pull's/chins as well. I went from barely doing a couple last year, to doing 10 reps in an L-sit position with a weight vest on.

I'll just offer up a couple of things that maybe hasn't been mentioned yet:

*Isometric holds. ( you can do these on there own, or while doing a negative. Top position, hold for 5 sec, lower a few inches, hold for 5 sec, lower, hold, lower, hold...you get the idea.

*Pyramids with isometric holds. For example if you pick 5 as your Max. Do 5 reps, and on the 5th rep, hold the top position for 5 sec. Then do 4 reps, on the 4th rep, hold for 4 secs. Then 3 reps, hold for 3 sec........etc.

Hope this gives you some ideas. It helped me, I also, did chins/pulls almost daily, but not very often to failure, I would stop short of failure for the most part, not matter the rep range. I just didn't see the benefit of training to failure often with theses exercises.

ice_fire_89

Thanks :-)