Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

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The pull-up

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Deena_Bean
Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
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So I can do exactly zero of these. It's never bothered me really that I can do zero, but I'm wondering if I should try to. I imagine it works a set of muscles that otherwise don't get worked - is that the reasoning? Aside from the obvious reason of being stronger. And if you can only do zero, how do you even start. Like...I just hang there...and then fall down. Seems like that's not helpful in getting started LOL. I'd like to say I can do a few, I just don't know where to start with it.

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  • Ariadnula
    Ariadnula Posts: 435 Member
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    Ha, I like the idea of just hanging there. I suppose you would get stronger even just doing that!

    I used the pull up assist machine at the gym - it's got a pad that you kneel on and you can adjust how much it helps you? And then one day, wow, I could do one without it. And now I can do five!

    (Actually, I can do five chin ups. Pull ups are harder and I can do two...)

    I know you can use bands for assistance, though I haven't tried. And even slowly letting yourself down (ha...) is supposed to be good training.

  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
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    Yeah, I do the home gym thing (i.e. no padded kneeling device available) - my power rack has a pull-up/chin-up bar on it, but either way I'll need a ladder to reach it lol. I suppose I can just use the ladder and hang in the chin-up position for a minute (or a nano-second) and then let myself down. Pulling myself up seems basically impossible in my little mind, though...
  • rlw911
    rlw911 Posts: 475 Member
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    There are several pull-up/chin-up progression programs out there. Most of them do involve dead hangs. Also, negatives, band assists and inverted rows. Doing a chin-up is one of my goals for the year.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited February 2016
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    i'm doing negatives. use a chair to jump up to the top position and then slowly let down. 'with control' as they like to say. hands facing away is harder than the other options and works more of the stuff across the upper back. hands towards you is a biceps workout.

    trainer's protocol for a noob like me goes like this:
    singles at first, adding one more each time till you reach 6x1. you're increasing your volume
    then group those same six into doubles: 3x2. you're decreasing your rest intervals.

    i don't remember what happens next. 3x3 i think, and then regroup into 2x4 and start slowly building an extra set until 3x4. by that point it might be time to do a real one, dk.

    anyway that's a good start. it will WORK your lats, and everything between bra band and panty line in the front. the surprise for me was what it does to your abs and all your ribcage muscles.
  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
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    Well now it's definitely more appealing! The bra line is one of my peeves...even at my smallest I see a small bulge by the bra line!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    try starting out with 3 or 4 singles. check in with your obliques and intercostals tomorrow , and see what they have to say about it.
  • ninenines
    ninenines Posts: 197 Member
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    Haha, oh my god my rib cage is screaming at the moment on the overkill effort a couple of days ago! I forgot how much that area gets worked. I'm currently doing negatives like @canadianlbs described.

    Dead hangs are great, and will really help with your grip strength. Do it from the top. Also from the bottom and practice engaging your lats. (I struggle there.)

    Negatives where you drop down slow as possible are great, but I never felt like I was getting closer to the up part, so I got some verging strength bands to use at home on the pull up bar to practice the up motion. It made me feel like I was doing a more complete practice.

    I have found the biggest factor has been frequency, I practice a little every day, which is easy when you have a bar at home.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
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    http://theathleticbuild.com/quick-tip-to-make-pull-ups-easier/

    I found this exercise helpful. I'm up to 4 sets of 5-6 chin ups (parallel grip) & 2-3 pull ups, unassisted.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    Sumiblue wrote: »
    http://theathleticbuild.com/quick-tip-to-make-pull-ups-easier/

    I found this exercise helpful. I'm up to 4 sets of 5-6 chin ups (parallel grip) & 2-3 pull ups, unassisted.

    wow. i'd forgotten all about that part. tried them out as sets of 5 in the gym today and holy moly.
  • christch
    christch Posts: 238 Member
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    I just about managed my first pullup today. Ok so it was on the bars in the kids playground and used a palm facing grip. Could do 5negitives and if I didn't start from a full hang (arms fully extended) I could pull myself up. Helped that the bars weren't too high above me. Gives me hope :)
  • ninenines
    ninenines Posts: 197 Member
    edited February 2016
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    Oh I've never seen that tip before, it makes so much sense. I'm keen to try it out!
  • DeadsAndDoritos
    DeadsAndDoritos Posts: 267 Member
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    I'm doing band assisted twice a week and negatives once a week. I also do bicep curls, lat pulldowns, rows and face pulls to help strengthen the required muscles and deadhangs and farmer's walk to strengthen my grip. My negatives have improved dramatically. I started out basically coming straight down but now I can hold for over 20 seconds. On the band assisted, I started being able to do 3-4 reps per set and can now do 7-9 reps per set.

    When I started, I felt like an idiot and like I would never be able to do it, but I feel much more hopeful now. I'm going to try the tip in the video too.
  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
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    Gonna watch the video and give it a whirl. I so want to use "if I can do it, you can do it" on my kids!
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    I was using this program last summer: http://twentypullups.com/ I got up to four and then I broke my wrist. :disappointed:
  • ninenines
    ninenines Posts: 197 Member
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    :( are you planning to start the program again now your wrist is healed @Mouse_Potato ? Maybe not immediately, how much are you able to do to start with?
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    ninenines wrote: »
    :( are you planning to start the program again now your wrist is healed @Mouse_Potato ? Maybe not immediately, how much are you able to do to start with?

    I'm going to try. First I have to get to the point where I trust my grip enough to put my wine glass in that hand. ;)
  • ninenines
    ninenines Posts: 197 Member
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    A small but very important step! :D
  • andylllI
    andylllI Posts: 379 Member
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    I can actually do as many if not more pull ups compared to chin ups. Probably years of climbing vs weak biceps. And neutral grip? Hah that reduces my rep count.

    Which is to say I think there is some value in changing your hand position.

  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    I was using this program last summer: http://twentypullups.com/

    ot, but from that link . . . "stud bar" ???? ksnrrk.

  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,495 Member
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    canadianlbs wrote: »
    Mouse_Potato wrote: »
    I was using this program last summer: http://twentypullups.com/

    ot, but from that link . . . "stud bar" ???? ksnrrk.

    That's where I hope to meet my next ex-husband. ;)

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