Pull ups

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jamd95
jamd95 Posts: 21 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys,

So I've been going to the gym coming on a month now and I have been making good strength gains however I cannot do a pull up. I'm around equal strength to my friends and they are all capable of doing 10+ pull ups in a row. Its really annoying me that I cannot even do one. Is their any specific exercises I can do that will allow me to complete the exercise? Pull ups are the only exercise I just cannot do.

Any help would be appreciated or just your experience with them.

Thanks
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Replies

  • LPlovescake
    LPlovescake Posts: 18 Member
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    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/04/25/do-a-pull-up/
  • asianmonkie
    asianmonkie Posts: 264
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    Awesome! Thanks for the link. I was just wondering the same thing myself.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    I can't do them either but just bought myself 3 (different resistances) resistance bands so I can do assisted chin-ups till I work my way up to the real thing, might be an idea for you.

    I just got showed up in the garage tonight by my 62 yr old dad when I asked if he could do them (unassisted) and he did :/
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
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    Start with assisted and negative pull ups, this is what I am doing right now. Chin ups are so much easier!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Are you doing any back work? To be fair, if they can do multiple pullups and you can't do one, you aren't anywhere near "around equal strength." Pull ups pretty much use your lats, so you need to make sure you are working your back, lat pull downs, barbell rows, etc.
  • Derf_Smeggle
    Derf_Smeggle Posts: 611 Member
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    Couple years ago couldn't do 1 unassisted pull-up or chin-up. Started using one foot on a chair to assist me doing 10. Found it was a very small window in the range of motion of the exercise that was the problem. Used that chair for about a week and a half. Was able to do 3 unassisted by two weeks. Kept on using the chair for another couple of weeks to get to my 10. The number of assisted pull-ups steadily went down.
  • GeminiFitness1
    GeminiFitness1 Posts: 63 Member
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    You want to built your back muscles up like lats for the pull down. Also shoulders as well. If you don't have assisted chin up machine. Where the pull up bar is to do pull ups. Use an elastic band that has a strong resistance to assist you. Meaning have the handles of the band across the pull up bar Put your foot in the band. .
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Negatives....**shudder** LOL. I would like to be able to do a pull up too. Negatives will really help. They are brutal! My trainer had me do some. Um...ouch...
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
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    Are you doing any back work? To be fair, if they can do multiple pullups and you can't do one, you aren't anywhere near "around equal strength." Pull ups pretty much use your lats, so you need to make sure you are working your back, lat pull downs, barbell rows, etc.

    Well this isn't strictly true I would think. You could be lifting the same weights every where else including lat-pull down etc. and not be able to do a pull-up when your friend could. The most likely explanation in that case is body weight. Are you heavier than your friends because one really easy way to make pull-ups easier is to drop some fat.

    I second the nerd fitness link above. I found it very helpful at working towards my first pull-up
  • Amadbro
    Amadbro Posts: 750 Member
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    Start with assisted and negative pull ups, this is what I am doing right now. Chin ups are so much easier!

    This.

    Negatives will help alot..when I started I could do maybe 1 with proper form. After doing negatives I'm now up to around 15-17 all with proper form and I'm 182 lbs. I've also learned that a wider grip will not only make you wider but seem easier after doing them for a while.
  • towens00
    towens00 Posts: 1,033 Member
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    Bump
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
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    Are you very tall? I've noticed a lot of tall guys have problems doing pullups. Doesn't say much about your strength really-- some people just have better biomechanics for doing certain movements.

    And if you're overweight at all, they're a lot more difficult, of course. Pull-ups are one of those exercises that get easier really fast as you gain strength and lose weight.

    But yeah, negatives are a great way to build up to it.
  • ionHouse
    ionHouse Posts: 12
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    Pull ups are a great compound movement that use multiple muscles. A strict pull up starting from a hanging position can be difficult if you have never done them before. Like people said above, Negatives are a great way to start to build strength up.

    Alternatively, place one foot on a chair and use it as support. As you get better, keep moving the chair further away until it is no longer needed.

    Another good way to start to build up your pull ups is by lifting your knees up as you start the upwards movement. People will complain that this is using momentum, but its a form of scaled reps that allow you develop your pull ups. Once you can do 8-10 of these comfortablly then stop moving the knees and keep your form strict for as many as possible.

    Try not to get too worked up over what others can do in the gym. Everyone starts somewhere, and the beauty of exercise is that it is always progressive. What you can not achieve today can be done tomorrow.
  • jamd95
    jamd95 Posts: 21 Member
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    Hey guys

    In relation to some of the questions asked I'm actually the shortest and heaviest out of my friends 5'11 and 170 pounds. Despite being the heaviest I really am not overweight . I train back around twice a week so I don't see that as a problem. I have started working on negatives as I started that way with chin ups and I can easily do 5-10 depending on when I attempt the exercise.

    Thanks for the responses guys. I am aware that pull ups are probably one of the hardest and most effective exercises for the upper body and could really be advantageous to use in my workouts so I'm pretty eager to get working on my ability to execute these bad boys
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
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    What's a negative??

    I do assisted chin ups pull ups and dips 4 times a week or more. Slowly need less weight.. But it's slow coming. Also working on my back muscles, reducing body fat and overall weight. I think it's helping. Overall body strength helps, cause I'll tell you.. I feel all my muscles engaged when i'm trying to do a pull up. lol and it gives me some awesome burns calorie wise, so I know i'm working hard. :drinker:
  • jamd95
    jamd95 Posts: 21 Member
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    Negatives are basically starting at the top of the exercise (head above the bar) and as slowly and controlled as you can going back to the starting position and repeating for a number of reps.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Hey guys

    In relation to some of the questions asked I'm actually the shortest and heaviest out of my friends 5'11 and 170 pounds. Despite being the heaviest I really am not overweight . I train back around twice a week so I don't see that as a problem. I have started working on negatives as I started that way with chin ups and I can easily do 5-10 depending on when I attempt the exercise.

    Thanks for the responses guys. I am aware that pull ups are probably one of the hardest and most effective exercises for the upper body and could really be advantageous to use in my workouts so I'm pretty eager to get working on my ability to execute these bad boys

    chit son- at 5'11" and 170- you are by no means heavy. I was 170 and I was 5'8" and I never considered myself "fat" I was still in really great shape strength wise (could do pull ups)

    You just need to figure out HOW to do them- meaning you probably need to bring attention and awareness to your back muscles and which ones you use for pulling.

    A lot of women REALLY struggle with lifting because they don't know what muscles they are supposed to be using... and for a pull up- when you say back- most people think the lats- in the mid back- forgetting the lat is a HUGE fan shaped muscle- it pulls all the way down to the oblique.

    Good way to "wake up" or identify those pulling muscles is put your arms out straight to the side- palms forward (so not down or up)

    now- bend your elbows so they are 90* and your fingers are point straight up- palms still facing forward.

    now pull your elbows down to your sides/hips/waist. they will float just behind the body line- and pinch in just a bit- Generate your own resistance if you can.... and if not

    Grab a friend and have them stand there with their hands under your elbows... and put resistance on you as you pull down.

    THOSE are the muscles you need to feel- and you should feel it at the top of your back and then it will work it's way down your back and almost into your sides/obliques.


    SO. Now that you know what you should be using!!!!

    Inverted rows/Australian pull ups- use a smith machine or railing- or table for these- stand behind the bar- put your hands on it- walk your feet down under the bar- keep arms extended (so DON"T BEND)... get to a point that's comfortable- most people can't start completely under the bar- it's either to hard- or it's unnerving- you can do this at a very shallow angle- work where you are comfortable.

    Looking forward (neutral spine)- pull your sternum to the bar.
    BAM.

    The further out your feet are- and the lower you are- the harder it is- you can alternate with one foot pulls- or putting your feet on a stability ball.

    Dumbbell Rows
    Barbell Rows
    Self Assisted Pull Ups
    Band Assisted Pull ups
    Negative pull ups- these can be done with almost any of the above exercises as well- not just alone with no assist)

    and very bottom of the list would be actual mechanical assisted pull ups (you know the one's with a knee or foot thing that help you up- those are the MOST UNHELPFUL tools ever. They are NOT the most effective way to train for pull ups- avoid them at all costs until you've exhausted your resources to use the above methods.
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
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    One thing I would suggest is to work on strength... meaning when you are doing back lifts to go heavy weight with no more then 5 reps. If you are doing 8-10reps + on back lifts this is not working on strength. Just my $0.02.
  • AZ_Gato
    AZ_Gato Posts: 1,270 Member
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    One thing I would suggest is to work on strength... meaning when you are doing back lifts to go heavy weight with no more then 5 reps. If you are doing 8-10reps + on back lifts this is not working on strength. Just my $0.02.

    I've made myself a goal of 25 unbroken pullups (in a row). Prior to starting on it, I could barely do two or three chin-ups and barely a good pullup. I started lifting heavier on bent over rows and lat pull downs. At same time, I started forcing myself to do 25 pullups at the start of every workout. Some days I'd have to hop a little just to build enough momentum to get myself up there. At 6'4 and 225, it hasn't been easy for me. I can proudly say that I can now do 15 unbroken, full range pullups. It took a couple of months, but it is feasible. Danny is correct, work on your strength...it will be the quickest route to those ten pullups.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
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    Here is what worked for me. Get a box (like a Tupperware container) and one if those cheapo pull-up bars from target/Walmart whatever that sits in your doorway. Put the box a couple feet behind you and the pull-up bar.

    Shoot for 4 sets of 10 every other day.

    Start each set unassisted. When you fail, still hanging from the bar, take your feet and cross them at the ankles ad place the top of your foot on the top of the box. You will be able to use your legs to help finish the set but still shoot for using as much as your upper body as possible. Finish each rep and each set. If you have to do it assisted than so be it. But at the beggining at each set start unassisted even if you fail miserably on the first one. Week by week you will start to notice your progress. If you can't do one yet then you'll will still see the progress as getting higher and higher unassisted until you nail that first one. After you get the first one ten game on, you will start to progress faster.

    This method was used by our strength coach for football. When I started I could barely do 3. A year later I was doing sets of 25 while gripping rags thrown over the bar. It works.

    I'm using this system now to get my reps higher (although doing it in my 30s = slower progress than before)

    Negatives are pretty good. Don't worry so much about lat pull downs or bicep curls as assisted for pull-ups. Those are great for their own workout but will never really get you to good pull-ups in any timely manner.

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