Pull ups are Hard!

Options
abijones75
abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Today I tried unassisted pull ups on the TRX with a resistance band, I managed 3 sets of 5 lol, pathetic! Are there any women here who can do pull ups? Do you have any tips for me?
«1

Replies

  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 650 Member
    Options
    How do you do them in the TRX? I can't do them. I tried the assisted machine with the assist at 100% - and I couldn't budge! lol
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    I've been doing the assisted machine once a week for about 3 weeks, could manage 3 sets of 10 on that but it was hard! Today my trainer looped a thick band from the top of TRX, he pulled out a little step on the right side at the bottom for me to boost up on and I grabbed the grab handles at top then put both feet in the bottom of the band and went from there...So hard!!
  • Buff_Man
    Buff_Man Posts: 623 Member
    Options
    It will get easier! I started on 4 reps. If you want to improve faster consider doing complementary exercises such as rows and pull-downs which will develop the muscle you need.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Options
    Those are also assisted pull ups ;)
  • ganzelly
    ganzelly Posts: 302 Member
    Options
    I started with a pull-up bar and a foot on a chair for assistance. It took about 3 months doing P90x (pull-ups several days a week) before I was able to kind of jump and pull myself up. Then eventually I could do them with feet off the floor unassisted. Chin-ups are usually easier so start with them. Keep working at it and you will get there!
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Those are also assisted pull ups ;)

    Lol, well not quite as assisted then
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    ganzelly wrote: »
    I started with a pull-up bar and a foot on a chair for assistance. It took about 3 months doing P90x (pull-ups several days a week) before I was able to kind of jump and pull myself up. Then eventually I could do them with feet off the floor unassisted. Chin-ups are usually easier so start with them. Keep working at it and you will get there!

    Thanks for the info, I'll give that a go :smile:
    What's the difference between pull ups and chin ups?
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    Buff_Man wrote: »
    It will get easier! I started on 4 reps. If you want to improve faster consider doing complementary exercises such as rows and pull-downs which will develop the muscle you need.

    Thanks, I hope it does get easier! I already do rows, will add some pull ups into my routine too :)
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    Options
    Pull ups are hard, for sure. I can do neutral grip chin ups more easily. I could always do 1 or two but am up to 4 sets of 5. One day I did 10 in a row but I can't count on being able to do that. My pull up count is like 3 or 4 in a row.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    Options
    I do pull ups.

    When I started and couldn't do any I would get a stool under the bar, pull myself to eye level and hold myself there until I couldn't hold any longer....repeat 5x (stool was to help me get to eye level)

    Then when I could do one unassisted I would do 1 and 2nd one was another hold..and repeated that until I could do 5. That was enough for me...
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Options
    abijones75 wrote: »
    What's the difference between pull ups and chin ups?
    The difference is hand position. Pull ups are with the palms facing away. Chin ups the palms are facing towards you. Typically done on a fixed bar.

    Using a suspension trainer the definition of pull up/chin up gets a little gray because you can freely rotate your wrists throughout the exercise.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Options
    I can do pull ups- I've been doing them for years b/c it was a requirement for school.

    The only way you can get good at them is by doing them- a lot.

    Check out grease the groove technique.

    Do lots of lat pull downs, rows (barbell, dumbbell, cable) and assisted pull ups.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
    Options
    abijones75 wrote: »
    Today I tried unassisted pull ups on the TRX with a resistance band, I managed 3 sets of 5 lol, pathetic! Are there any women here who can do pull ups? Do you have any tips for me?
    TRX are inverted rows which will definitely help with getting the strength needed to do a pull up.
    I also have clients just do "negatives" to get them to fell how their body feels on a pull up on the way down. I push them up, then come down slow. And this also helps them to develop strength to do a pullup.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    Options
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    abijones75 wrote: »
    Today I tried unassisted pull ups on the TRX with a resistance band, I managed 3 sets of 5 lol, pathetic! Are there any women here who can do pull ups? Do you have any tips for me?
    TRX are inverted rows which will definitely help with getting the strength needed to do a pull up.
    I also have clients just do "negatives" to get them to fell how their body feels on a pull up on the way down. I push them up, then come down slow. And this also helps them to develop strength to do a pullup.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    I have started doing negatives and can now do 1-2 unassisted pull ups. I am going to keep at it until I can do 10. They are REALLY hard!
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Options
    Pull-ups are my favorite exercise. Probably cause I spent my entire childhood not being able to do one in gym class.

    Wait till you start adding weight ;)
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Options
    I have only managed to do 2 in a row and that was during a cut (I guess I was getting lighter so it got easier). I started with chin-ups, negative pull-ups, pull-ups with a band, eventually you just get stronger... it took a lot of time and practice though.
  • Bluepegasus
    Bluepegasus Posts: 333 Member
    Options
    I can't even do one!
  • ShodanPrime
    ShodanPrime Posts: 226 Member
    Options
    Something that helped me get doing pullups at a super funny 270, was rock climbing. Bouldering to be exact. Years of trying to do a pullup... A month of bouldering and I could knock out two.
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member
    Options
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I do pull ups.

    When I started and couldn't do any I would get a stool under the bar, pull myself to eye level and hold myself there until I couldn't hold any longer....repeat 5x (stool was to help me get to eye level)

    Then when I could do one unassisted I would do 1 and 2nd one was another hold..and repeated that until I could do 5. That was enough for me...

    I've been doing them for years and this is pretty much how I got going on them. Once you get the first, the rest just follow.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    edited April 2016
    Options
    abijones75 wrote: »
    Today I tried unassisted pull ups on the TRX with a resistance band, I managed 3 sets of 5 lol, pathetic! Are there any women here who can do pull ups? Do you have any tips for me?

    Those are still assisted...you're using the band for assistance. When I started doing pull-ups I started with the thickest band and just did as many as I could until I could do 3x10...then I went to a smaller band...then a smaller band and smaller band until I didn't need the bands. Negatives are also good.

    I still do some band assisted pull-ups when I want to get in some bigger volume.

Categories