Me and pull-ups are in a fight.

WithWhatsLeft · January 2014

I love that I'm getting stronger, but I still can't do a chin-up or pull-up. I've been doing some reading, and my first problem is that my grip sucks!

Even wearing gloves with a bit of a grippy pad on the palm, I still can't hang there for much more than 20 seconds, and I've been randomly grabbing things and just hanging there by them at the gym for 2 weeks now.

Does anyone have any advice? I'd really like to be able to do this.

dbmata · January 2014

What made it happen for me after doing stuff like that at the gym.

I started rock climbing. Presto, changeo, grip rearrangeo.

I can open jars better, and pull up.

deksgrl · January 2014

For me it was core strength. Once I was stronger all over I could do one.

chard_muncher · January 2014

I think the best solution is to follow a plan and to use bands if you can't do unassisted pull ups. Your plan could be as simple as:

M - 5 sets of pull ups, max effort (1min rest)
W - 5 sets of chin ups, max effort (1min rest)
F - Sets of 5 pull ups, as many as you can do. (30 sec rest)

I would use the bands until you can do a set of 2-3 pull ups unassisted. Then only use the bands when you absolutely have to.

Negatives are also an option (start at the top and let yourself down slowly), but I think doing a full range of motion with the assistance of a band is better.

Good luck.

tyrsnbdr · January 2014

Try lifting wraps. It will take pressure off you grip and allow you to work out your other muscles. Try doing pullups until you fall off, then use the wraps, and do pullups until you fail. This will allow you to continue increasing your grip strength and allow you to work out your "other" pullup muscles.

Nothing worse than not getting a good work out because your grip gives out.

lisalsd1 · January 2014

I started out being able to do 1 kinda weak chin-up. I started using the assisted chin-up/pull-up machine. I started out at like 10, then 8, then 6, then 4 plates. It's taken about 6 weeks, but I did 3 plus 1 weak chin-up on Saturday; so, we'll say 4!

Are you doing pull-ups or chin-ups? Chin-ups were easier for me to start, b/c I had been working on biceps before I started on back.

amysj303 · January 2014

bumping because I would also like to be able to do a pullup!

dakotababy · January 2014

I thought you meant the diaper.

jwdieter · January 2014

If you can hold on for 20 seconds, that's plenty of time to do a pull up. Obviously not optimal grip strength, but it's not like you're falling off in 3 seconds. Anyway, keep trying with assisted pull ups, negatives, etc. The grip strength will build along with the pull up practice. Hanging from things isn't bad, but it's not the key to getting that first pull up.

urban_ninja · January 2014

If you're at the gym, use the lat bar. Start small until you reach your weight. At home, you can put a chair under you and use your legs to help you up. As you progress, use less legs and put the chair farther away. There's also a chin-up assist device. It's like rubber bands that you connect to the bar and step in with one foot. Any of these practices will get there!

crazyvermont · January 2014

Have you tried the "Cheater liftt" which is found on machines in many gyms? Starts with your own weight and you gradually reduce to where you could easily do 45-100 on your own. Probably would work up to this in 90 days......I did

ElliottTN · January 2014

Aim for 4 sets of 10. If you start breaking down early then do smaller sets but still get to 40. Do this every third day. You can go to Target or wherever and go get a cheepo doorway pullup bar. Doesnt matter at this point. Also pick up a storage bin while you are there to use as a box.

Step 1. Put a box about knee height about 2 feet behind you.
Step 2. Step on up to the ole pullup bar. (weeee!)
Step 3. Try to do a pull-ups until fail within sets of 10 (doesn't matter if you fail on your first one, that is not the point. Start out each set this way. No excuses if you have balls or a vagina, this is just your body weight dammit)
Step 4. Once you fail. Put your feet on the ground, shake out your arms. Prepare to not fail. Put the tops of your feet on the box behind you WITH your ankles crossed. You can now use a bit of your legs to push up and finish your sets. Try to use as little legs as possible. Finish your set.
Step 5. Repeat step 3 and 4 until you hit 40.

The first two weeks will be rough but then you will be amazed how fast your body will really take off.

Dont worry about lat pulldowns and crap like that. If you want to get good at lat pulldowns then do lat pulldowns. If you want to get good at pull-ups then you are going to have to do pull-ups.

Oh and kipping pullups...get that **** outta here.

Oh annd don't do a pullup from a full dead hang. Your elbows should be just slightly bent at bottom position. This will save your shoulders some pain.

WithWhatsLeft · January 2014

Thanks all, good advice here.

I don't want to bother with the bands - I either have the strength to do it, or I don't and need to build it. I don't need to hog the one good apparatus for this at my gym slinging myself up & down on a rubber band if I can't actually do the damned thing. There are people there waiting to dangle from their toenails while they read poetry or whatever.

I was just sort of hanging on stuff because 1. I liked the idea of it and 2. this: http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/the-proof-is-in-the-pull-up-10-tools-for-getting-better-at-pull-ups - she recommends just hanging to build up to it.

I can do a few scapular pullups quite comfortably before I drop, so maybe I just need to go for it.

I have the assisted machine at my gym, and with all but 40 or 50 lbs of my weight redacted, I can do about 10 chin-ups/pull-ups with a good break in-between. The last few are weak sauce, though chin-ups seem easier. My heart rate def cranks.

I like the idea of rock climbing; there's a facility near here I could try.

Also, thanks ElliottTN for the advice - esp for not going at it from a dead hang. Cause yeah, I was thinking on it! Will drag a step box over and everybody's going to have to wait till I'm done.

WithWhatsLeft · January 2014

I thought you meant the diaper.

Only after a hard night out with the girls, dahlink.

rainbowbow · January 2014

You need the strength to do it. I wouldn't try the assisted as i find people generally use it for way too much help as opposed to when they're forced to try and do a real pull-up.

Build the strength (or hey, weigh less and it will be easier LOL) and work on it consistently.

SJ46 · January 2014

I don't understand why you are reluctant to use the bands, they help you to build the strength to do a pullup on your own. The benefit to using a band instead of the assisted pullup machine is that you will use more of your core muscles and it requires more strength at the top of the movement.

ETA: Negative pullups will get you there. WARNING - they are painful!

steve0820 · January 2014

I found negatives and isometric holds worked best for me when I started with pull ups. I've incorporated the same Technics to others exercises I wanted to improve on (pistols, muscle ups) and it has worked great for me.

Negatives have been mentioned in this thread already, working from the top of the movement until your reach the dead hang. I'm not totally against the hang, it does put more pressure on the shoulder, but helps tons with grip strength.

For the Isometric holds, you can add that while doing the negatives. Hold 5 secs, go down a little, hold 5 secs, down, hold....etc.....

And if you're looking for minimal assistance without bands, I used a chair, 1 leg assisted, pushing with only the toes.

chrisdavey · January 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peKdTXpL6I8

frequency is key imo.

I've had girls go from 2 chin-ups to doing 8 with 5kg(11lbs) hanging off them.

Your post got me thinking. I can do chin-ups and pullups just fine but trying to increase my max weight pullup. I should really be including these same exercises with weight added to increase strength rather than just plugging away with 5x5 or 3x6 or whatever. Thanks

Chieflrg · January 2014

Anybody that wants to start doing pull/chin ups, just watch this video. Scooby has been around for decades. He is has a lot of info that would benefit new lifters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRznU6pzez0

crb0077 · January 2014

If you want to improve your grip - which is something I need to do - try doing farmers walks with kettle bells…..This is improving my grip for all heavy lifting…as far as pull-ups go…I can manage about 4….and I don't seem to be improving…that said I haven't dedicated any time to it as I'm embarrassed to try at the gym

SezxyStef · January 2014

it's not grip but if it was then you need to improve grip strenght.

Chinups and pullups can be done if you have the strenght.

I did my first chinups/pullup last week after 20 years of not being able to...(I used to be able to in my 20s)

I didn't do negatives, I didn't use bands, I don't use straps....I lifted heavy

I do negatives now to build up my strength

em9371 · January 2014

I went from being able to do no pullups at all to now being able to do 5, or one plus 14kg. I stand on a aerobic step so my arms are only just bent, I'm too short to reach the bars from standing on the floor

I found the assisted pullup machine / bands / inverted rows no help at all, after doing them for months I still wasnt any closer to doing a proper one. What did it for me was jumping up, holding up at the top for as long as possible, then lowering really slowly. I started with chin up narrow grip, then when I could do a few of those tried the normal wide grip. I do a few every time I go to the gym now, trying to get up to 10 wide grip. I find that if I do a few weighted ones first, then the normal ones seem much easier :-)

Me and pull-ups are in a fight.

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