chin-up bar

arturts
arturts Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello everyone! I bought a chin up bar, and today was the first time I've ever done chin ups.
Since I've never done any chin up exercises before, today I just did 5 sets till failure (about 4/3 per set. Lame, I know!)

Could anyone give me ANY advice on routines or whatever? I'd like to do at least 10 chin ups, someday!
Thanks!

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    you're looking for a chin-up *only* routine? Well, you could just do what you did, 2-3 times per week. You'll get there that way.

    But please tell me you are doing some other work for the rest of your body like your legs and chest.
  • arturts
    arturts Posts: 7
    Yeah, I exercise my whole body! But I only use dumbbells, is that bad? Can't afford a gym (gym memberships in Brazil, at least where I live, are REALLY expensive!), so I bought a dumbbell set a few months ago.

    Also, I'm a bit worried that on january I'll be travelling and I can't bring the DBs, just the chin up bar. Dunno what I'm gonna do!
  • GrAlVt
    GrAlVt Posts: 42
    Aside from the pull-ups and chin-ups, you can do a hang-and tuck. Just hang from the bar in any position, keep your knees bent at 90 degrees (or more) and pull them up as high as you can. If that gets to easy, pull your legs up and extend your knees at the end of your movement, until your legs are straight. This'll build your abdominal strength and leg strength a little bit.

    If you just want to do more pull-ups, just keep doing as many as you can a few days per week, and push yourself every now and then. You can improve your gains by doing 'negatives' as well. At the top of your pull-up or chin-up, let yourself back down slowly, don't just drop with gravity. This keeps your muscles engaged and prevents you from just letting gravity do the work on the down slide.

    If you can already do pull-ups and chin-ups, just hanging by both of your arms won't do much, but you can try hanging by a single-arm to improve strength further, not to mention grip strength.
  • kzcortes
    kzcortes Posts: 208 Member
    Marines use the Armstrong Pull Up Program (http://www.lamarineofficerprograms.com/The_Armstrong_Workout.pdf)

    Or go to google and type in: "marine ocs prep filetype:pdf" and the first link should be an 8 week workout program.

    I would use both or one of them to increase your chin ups.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Dumbbells only is just fine. You may want to work add in a good all around body weight routine, if you haven't already. I'm guessing you have already looked into it already

    Buy a jump rope. Jump ropes travel well
  • arturts
    arturts Posts: 7
    Dumbbells only is just fine. You may want to work add in a good all around body weight routine, if you haven't already. I'm guessing you have already looked into it already

    Buy a jump rope. Jump ropes travel well

    Yeah, I have already done that, thanks! I'll bring my jump rope too, thanks for reminding me!

    Thanks for the advices, everyone!
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
    Just leave your chin up bar up in your doorway and pop off a few every time you walk by. I want to do 10 one day also :) When you're traveling without weights, just do pushups, squats, abs, planks and burpees. Learn a few kinds of pushups... diamond, clapping, spiderman... and you're pretty good to go anywhere.
  • r0ckclimbingm0m
    r0ckclimbingm0m Posts: 23
    Resistance bands are the way to go while you're traveling; very compact!

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