Chin Ups and like exercise

kgreenRDLDN
kgreenRDLDN Posts: 248 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok so here is my situation-I'm doing the Insanity 60 day work out and a 30 day ab challenge. I plan on doing a 30 day arm challenge next month. The reason for my post is that in May I will be doing my first Spartan Race! I know there is a need for upper body strength for several obstacles and need to build mine up greatly. The problem? I have no extra money to buy equipment of go to a gym for chin up bars. Other than tricep dips, V push ups (from Insanity), and push ups what can I do to strengthen my upper body so that I can pull myself up a rope or other obstacle?

Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Ok so here is my situation-I'm doing the Insanity 60 day work out and a 30 day ab challenge. I plan on doing a 30 day arm challenge next month. The reason for my post is that in May I will be doing my first Spartan Race! I know there is a need for upper body strength for several obstacles and need to build mine up greatly. The problem? I have no extra money to buy equipment of go to a gym for chin up bars. Other than tricep dips, V push ups (from Insanity), and push ups what can I do to strengthen my upper body so that I can pull myself up a rope or other obstacle?

    Lay down on your back underneath your kitchen table. Grab the edge of the table with both hands, and then pull up. That'll start building you up some. Another thing you can do is find a friend and go bouldering. Low gear requirements, and good strength building.

    A lot of places also have chin bars at the local park for running circuits.

    PS - climbing a rope is more legs than arms. You should be able to do a good static hold with your arms, but the climbing firepower is the legs and technique.
  • blkpag1
    blkpag1 Posts: 34 Member
    Lay down on your back underneath your kitchen table. Grab the edge of the table with both hands, and then pull up. That'll start building you up some.

    This will really help you on your way to do pullups! You might even try with your feet on a chair on the other side of the table when trying these.

    Make sure the table is stable for this though.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    that's a good point...

    don't do it with ikea stuff. ;)
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    So I don't have a sturdy table, but I do have a sturdy broom. I put my broom on top of 2 chairs, lay underneath and pull myself up. Lots of variations you can do with that, overhand or underhand grip, straight or bent legs. Also if you do have a sturdy door you can do let-me-ins (look it up) and practice assited pullups with a chair by gripping onto the top of an open (sturdy) door and pulling yourself up. You can practice a dead hang this way too. And additonal exercises to work the biceps and forearms (though not lats) would be towel curls and regular curls with a weighted back pack. Lots of options.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    If you have open trusses in your garage you can hang rope/chains off of them and slide a scrap piece of pipe in the loops or simply rest on top of the trusses. Many ways of building it for less than $15 dollars.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I agree with the suggestions above about trying inverted rows. You can get pull-up bars for your house pretty cheaply also and can do negatives or band-assisted. For something a bit different

    http://www.stumptuous.com/pulling-without-pullups-how-to-train-your-no-tech-pull
  • kgreenRDLDN
    kgreenRDLDN Posts: 248 Member
    thanks for all the great ideas. right now we are lucky to break 20 degrees so the park is out for now. don't have a kitchen table, but I do have a sturdy coffee table. not sure about our broom....and too cold for the garage right now. keep the ideas coming!!

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