The Cornerstone of Upper Body Strength: The Pullup

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Replies

  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,352 Member
    Great info. Thanks!
  • deninevi
    deninevi Posts: 934 Member
    Great info! Thanks!
    Pull ups are way harder, but working on them!
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Good post, but I have to disagree on the difference b/w pull-ups and chin-ups.

    Pull-ups don't have anymore back involvement than chin-ups. Just think about where the muscles attach. They dont' attach to your forearm! The reason chin-ups are easier is b/c you have more biceps activation. So you're just using more muscles, which is why the chin-up is the real king of upper body exercises and has been proven to activate more upper-body muscles to exercise levels than any other upper body exercise.

    You couldn't be more wrong.
    .

    The difference b/w them has been beaten to death pretty much everywhere. Bottom line is that they aren't much different, except that the chin-up includes more biceps activation which is why they're "easier" and probably more bang for your buck. Yes there are other slight nuances such as forearms likely being worked more with pull-ups. But if you want the details:
    A study about the differences between pull-ups and chin-ups, using EMG analysis, was published in the December 2010 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The researchers found that both variations of the exercise were initiated by the lower trapezius and pectoralis major, and then completed by the biceps brachii and latissimus. The major differences are that chin-ups more strongly activated the pectoralis major and biceps brachii than the pull-up, whereas the pull-up more strongly activated the lower trapezius than the chin-up. To this I would add that pull-ups work the forearm muscles more and tend to put less stress on the wrists and elbows.

    Further, the study found that both variations were initiated by the lower trapezius and pectoralis major, and then completed by the biceps brachii and latissimus. However, consider that because the lats are internal rotators of the shoulders, chin-ups are not a good exercise to reverse round shoulders.
    http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/856/Chin-ups_vs_Pull-ups.aspx

    Link to the study:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20664364
  • Ambrogio1
    Ambrogio1 Posts: 518 Member
    Good post, but I have to disagree on the difference b/w pull-ups and chin-ups.

    Pull-ups don't have anymore back involvement than chin-ups. Just think about where the muscles attach. They dont' attach to your forearm! The reason chin-ups are easier is b/c you have more biceps activation. So you're just using more muscles, which is why the chin-up is the real king of upper body exercises and has been proven to activate more upper-body muscles to exercise levels than any other upper body exercise.

    You couldn't be more wrong.
    .

    The difference b/w them has been beaten to death pretty much everywhere. Bottom line is that they aren't much different, except that the chin-up includes more biceps activation which is why they're "easier" and probably more bang for your buck. Yes there are other slight nuances such as forearms likely being worked more with pull-ups. But if you want the details:
    A study about the differences between pull-ups and chin-ups, using EMG analysis, was published in the December 2010 issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The researchers found that both variations of the exercise were initiated by the lower trapezius and pectoralis major, and then completed by the biceps brachii and latissimus. The major differences are that chin-ups more strongly activated the pectoralis major and biceps brachii than the pull-up, whereas the pull-up more strongly activated the lower trapezius than the chin-up. To this I would add that pull-ups work the forearm muscles more and tend to put less stress on the wrists and elbows.

    Further, the study found that both variations were initiated by the lower trapezius and pectoralis major, and then completed by the biceps brachii and latissimus. However, consider that because the lats are internal rotators of the shoulders, chin-ups are not a good exercise to reverse round shoulders.
    http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/856/Chin-ups_vs_Pull-ups.aspx

    Link to the study:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20664364

    Vanilla and Chocolate. Mix it up and you will be alright.

    It is a great post
  • wood2415
    wood2415 Posts: 53 Member
    Bump
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    great info!
  • Cathy7794
    Cathy7794 Posts: 223 Member
    If my surviving a zombie apocalypse is dependent on me being able to do pull ups, I'm so dead. :tongue:
  • lemonadem
    lemonadem Posts: 398 Member
    Thanks for posting Joe!
  • _Khaleesi_
    _Khaleesi_ Posts: 877 Member
    Thanks Joe!! We actually just got a pull up bar thinnger last night!! The Boy will be happy to have this info too!!
  • shesquats
    shesquats Posts: 91 Member
    Excellent read Joe. I am using the assisted machine so I guess from your post I should NOT be. ;o) I will search out the appropriate machine at the gym and get on this.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Excellent read Joe. I am using the assisted machine so I guess from your post I should NOT be. ;o) I will search out the appropriate machine at the gym and get on this.

    Stop using it, and either start with Chinups or start with 10 sets of 1 rep. If you can't do 1 rep, you can use a resistance band. Gyms have them. You can pick one up at Sports Authority or ****'s Sporting Goods for cheap.
  • FlyEaglesGuy
    FlyEaglesGuy Posts: 436 Member
    I guess I better step up my pull up game then huh!!!
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    damn.. i can barely hang there.. grip strength has somehow completely vanished over the years... how can you pull up if you can't hang on?
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    I can knock out 40 if I cheat - 20 dead hangs, and for a guy pushing 50, not bad.
    Oh, how life has changed....:drinker:
  • ChappyEight
    ChappyEight Posts: 163 Member
    Good stuff.
  • russeljames
    russeljames Posts: 103 Member
    fkn bump
  • JayByrd107
    JayByrd107 Posts: 282 Member
    Santa got me a pull-up bar for this very reason.
  • AmyLRed
    AmyLRed Posts: 856 Member
    bump

    Thanks!
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
    Frekain' awesome. I'd like to add some comments/questions:

    "6. Perform negative movements. Start in the up position, and go down slow. This will help not only form, but strength as well."

    Excellent advice, this is how I got started. Convert those negatives into positives.

    "10. Initiate with your lats. When you start to pull, keep shoulders back, head up and fire your lats FIRST, not your biceps/arms. If you are doing this correctly, you'll know it."

    Very important. A little clarification, since this eluded me for a while. When you start, pull the shoulders back and pull blades inwards towards each other. Made a huge difference.

    "12. Pull your chin over the bar. Sure when you're starting to build strength, you may not be able to which is fine, but eventually you need to. Nothing else needs to be said."

    Yes, but be sure not to crane your neck out and point the chin. You can screw up your cervical spine like that. (I did.)

    "13. Use different grips. Palms facing away, Palms facing you, Palms facing each other. Also use different widths of your grip."

    Also, mismatched grips. One away, one towards you, etc.

    "14. Keep elbows slightly bent throughout your set. Don't lock your elbows in the middle of a set. Keep them bent at all times."

    Care to explain? I thought the lockouts made it harder. I can do a lot more if I don't lockout.
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    Excellent read Joe. I am using the assisted machine so I guess from your post I should NOT be. ;o) I will search out the appropriate machine at the gym and get on this.

    I use the assisted machine because, until recently, I had never been able to do a single pull-up in my entire life.

    Thanks to the assisted machine, I can do about 3 actual pull-ups now, before being completely drained for a day or two.
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
    I mean......................Opinions can vary on this. Chinups and Pullups are a mans exercise no doubt.
    But for me to call it the best its hard to overlook things such as bench, squats, deads. Chinups/Pullups are right there though.
    The information and quality of the post is there and many will learn from it so thats a gret job by you

    But in the scenario below I will take the dealifter
    And I will use PHRAK the guy who posted above

    Phrak. Who can deadlift 800 lbs but onlyp ullup his wiehgt 4 times
    vs
    SUPER HUMAN 10000 PULLUP GUY

    PHRAK=WINNER



    FACT

    Chinups/Pullups don't involve your legs. The biggest muscle on the human body
    Squats/Deads/Bench do.

    1. The initial post stressed pullups as a measure of upper body strength

    2. How does Bench work your legs? You're not supposed to use legs at all during bench - dats cheating!

    3. I agree, Deads are awesomel; but pullups are key, too.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Thanks for the post Joe.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    I really want to work on pullups, but do not currently have access to a gym. Are there any reasonably priced at-home bars that someone could recommend? Those door-frame ones kind of worry me, but I'd get one if someone (or several someones) highly recommends a specific one.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    Excellent read Joe. I am using the assisted machine so I guess from your post I should NOT be. ;o) I will search out the appropriate machine at the gym and get on this.

    Stop using it, and either start with Chinups or start with 10 sets of 1 rep. If you can't do 1 rep, you can use a resistance band. Gyms have them. You can pick one up at Sports Authority or ****'s Sporting Goods for cheap.

    the assisted machines get a lot of use at my gym...are you saying they are a waste of time or that they are detrimental?

    what about lat pull downs? do they get you better prepared for pull ups?

    good tips
  • BerylX
    BerylX Posts: 108 Member
    Bump for later. Thanks for the info!!!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    "You don't lock your elbows straight in a dead hang position while in the middle of a set. You keep them slightly bent. "

    Again, why?
    Because it takes tension off the muscle being worked. "Locking" out shifts the resistance of any exercise to joints.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
    Greetings fellow MFP'ers. It's your "friendly" neighborhood Joe here to speak with you today about the SCALE of upper body strength known as THE PULLUP.

    ... This is your "friendly" neighborhood Joe....signing off.

    Thanks, great post!
  • MoveTheMountain
    MoveTheMountain Posts: 764
    I really want to work on pullups, but do not currently have access to a gym. Are there any reasonably priced at-home bars that someone could recommend? Those door-frame ones kind of worry me, but I'd get one if someone (or several someones) highly recommends a specific one.

    There are several 'door jam' pullup bars that work pretty well. I have one that has definitely been adequate - my only complaint is that I'm sorta wide through the shoulders, so that if I try to do chin ups, I'm all squoooshed up. But it's great for wide grip pull ups.

    Here's a link:

    http://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Fitness-Gear-All-In-One-Exercise/dp/B002LN9XJI/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1340722107&sr=1-1&keywords=door+frame+pull+up+bar
  • mskari77
    mskari77 Posts: 142
    I really want to work on pullups, but do not currently have access to a gym. Are there any reasonably priced at-home bars that someone could recommend? Those door-frame ones kind of worry me, but I'd get one if someone (or several someones) highly recommends a specific one.

    We have the Perfect Pullup bar at home, it was $30 at Target. It is the door frame one. My husband, whose weight fluctuates anywhere between 200 and 220 uses it all the time. My 5 year old twins use it on a daily basis to hang and play on, and my 10 year has done flips on it. My house is 115 years old, and it is very sturdy in the frame.

    Thank you Joe for this article....I do use the assisted machine at the gym, but am still no closer to doing one pull-up. I will try this at home!
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Excellent read Joe. I am using the assisted machine so I guess from your post I should NOT be. ;o) I will search out the appropriate machine at the gym and get on this.

    Stop using it, and either start with Chinups or start with 10 sets of 1 rep. If you can't do 1 rep, you can use a resistance band. Gyms have them. You can pick one up at Sports Authority or ****'s Sporting Goods for cheap.

    the assisted machines get a lot of use at my gym...are you saying they are a waste of time or that they are detrimental?

    what about lat pull downs? do they get you better prepared for pull ups?

    good tips

    Assisted machines get a lot of use because people are put into this mindset from "trainers" or their friends that they work. You might get a little benefit from them. You are better off taking it slow and start with Pullups without the machine, and go through the guidelines I outlined in the first post.

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