I want to do pull ups!

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jmac4263
jmac4263 Posts: 245 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have always thought I have a weak upper body... My struggle used to be being able to do push ups I have got better at them and can do them in sets. One thing I cannot do is pull ups. How do I get there?!? I do upper body lifting but I cannot seem to get a pull up or chin up to happen... suggestions?

Replies

  • Soundwave79
    Soundwave79 Posts: 469 Member
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    I struggled for a while with them too when I first started P90X3. I ended up getting a pull up assist band on Amazon that you can adjust as you progress. Eventually I was able to do them without the band at all.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    start with negatives, jump up to get to the top and then lower yourself down as slow as you can. Also just work on any kinda lat exercises, the lat pull down, bands pulls, rows whatever. See if you can get someone to assist you and hold your legs on the pull up bar. Strong lats will help your pushup strength too.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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    SonyaCele wrote: »
    start with negatives, jump up to get to the top and then lower yourself down as slow as you can. Also just work on any kinda lat exercises, the lat pull down, bands pulls, rows whatever. See if you can get someone to assist you and hold your legs on the pull up bar. Strong lats will help your pushup strength too.

    This!
  • sdado1013
    sdado1013 Posts: 209 Member
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    you can get a pullup assist or put a chair/stool under you and use your legs to take some of the weight off while you pull up.
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
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    What the above poster said about negatives. That will help alot. Also, if you go to a gym there may be a pull up machine (weighted assist). Counter acts with your body weight. Start with a heavy assist, and work down to eventually being able to do it with no assist at all. I still struggle with pull ups, I understand your frustration. Keep at it though :smile: Good luck!
  • jmac4263
    jmac4263 Posts: 245 Member
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    I SOOOO wish our gym had an assit machine but it doesnt. Our pull up bars are in the middle of the cable machine I cant even jump up and grab them, So i may have to just use a bench. The negatives sound like a good idea. I will start doing them and see where I get! Thanks everyone!!
  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
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    IMO, negatives hurt like hell. I am also a lot shorter than the available bars at my gym. I bought a bar to hang on my door frame at home but I haven't put it together yet.
  • Larissa_NY
    Larissa_NY Posts: 495 Member
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    Does your gym have a Smith machine? Try putting the bar on the highest hook and doing them there. Smith machines aren't good for much else anyway.

    I'm 5'3 and there's no way I could get hold of the cable-machine pull-up bars either. I bought an over-the-doorway bar to use at home and called the problem solved.
  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
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    There are 2, maybe?, smith machines but they are in a crowded part of the gym so I don't like being over there.
  • musclegood_fatbad
    musclegood_fatbad Posts: 9,809 Member
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    Like others have said, negatives and assisted are the best ways to improve. You can also you a bench or chair underneath you to assist you. Put one foot on and use to aid yourself only as much as you need.
  • HTECHS
    HTECHS Posts: 55 Member
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    Just try every day. Took me 3 months to do my first... now I do a hundred+ a day 5-6 days a week.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    - do negatives
    - do band assisted pull-ups (I think they are superior to the assist machines)
    - do lat pull downs
    - do rows
  • Kida_Adeylne
    Kida_Adeylne Posts: 201 Member
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    I can't do a pull-up in the slightest (still working on that push-up!) but I was wondering what other people thought of the pullup progresson on this chart. The Push-Up one makes sense, so I was thinking when I decided to start working it in that I would use this progression: http://bodyweighttrainingarena.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Progressions-Poster-JPG.jpg
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Kida_Adeylne wrote: »
    I can't do a pull-up in the slightest (still working on that push-up!) but I was wondering what other people thought of the pullup progresson on this chart. The Push-Up one makes sense, so I was thinking when I decided to start working it in that I would use this progression: http://bodyweighttrainingarena.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Progressions-Poster-JPG.jpg

    Looks good. Startbodyweight.com also has a progression that is good.

    Things that have helped me:
    • rows
    • lat pulldown
    • losing weight (this is actually #1--less to pull=easier)
    • assisted (band) pull ups
    • switching to chin ups, which are pull ups slightly easier cousin
  • jmac4263
    jmac4263 Posts: 245 Member
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    Kida_Adeylne wrote: »
    I can't do a pull-up in the slightest (still working on that push-up!) but I was wondering what other people thought of the pullup progresson on this chart. The Push-Up one makes sense, so I was thinking when I decided to start working it in that I would use this progression: http://bodyweighttrainingarena.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Progressions-Poster-JPG.jpg

    I used to hate them now i can tolerate them. I started off with ones on my knees and it became easy quickly. Im still not amazing at them but better than I was by far.

    Thank you for all the suggestions! I will try the smith machine too, but like someone else said there are alot of people who use it, we tend to have to take turns in our gym alot because its so small. On the other hand i am glad that I am one of the few females that go to the weight side in our gym because there are some nice guys out there that will let girls go first haha :)

    Have a great wednesday all!!
  • SR_86
    SR_86 Posts: 58 Member
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    My goal is also to do a pull up :)

    I have been using the assisted pull up machine and also doing other back exercises like lat pulls and bent over rows.

    I tried some 'negatives' the other day and they are hard!!!! But I'll get there :)

    Good luck!
  • neaneacc
    neaneacc Posts: 224 Member
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    I like both the negatives to train the muscles, but I also test my ability to just hang there for as long as I can hold on. The amount of time has been gradually increasing. I am almost to a full set of pull-ups, and will continue working on it until I can.

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