Pull ups are Hard!

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  • kuftae
    kuftae Posts: 299 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    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 ;)

    Nothing more beastly than doing sets of 10 pullups with a 45 pound nutzsack hangin from your belt.

    To answer op's question, i saw my mom do 8 pullups unassisted last moth and she is 64. it's definitely possible.
  • Adi4Fitness
    Adi4Fitness Posts: 97 Member
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    Struggle to do even 1. for me a pull up is a wide grip pull up from dead hang , no kicking / cheating stuff ... and the chin has to go above the bar.
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
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    At the Air Force Academy the dormitories all have pull-up bars in the stairwells at each floor. Practice, practice, practice!
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    Villae81 wrote: »
    Do kip pull ups

    And start making contributions to an account to fund your shoulder surgery.

    Kipping pull ups done right are a demanding techical movement. Done wrong, a visit to the operating room.
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
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    No idea what a Kik pull up is, and yes I already realised what I did today was an assisted pull up, not unassisted (see earlier comments) .. I just meant not on the assisted pull up machine. I'm a small girl and I found it bloody hard no matter what you want to call them, no idea how bigger heavier people manage. Bigger and better muscles I guess!
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
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    The 2 biggest thing that helped me to get unassisted pull-ups were super slow negatives (especially making sure they were slow all the way to the very bottom where arms are fully extended since lat activation for the initial pull was a major problem for me) and doing ring rows using a box to prop my feet so I was parallel to the ground. Good luck OP!

    I also wouldn't advise kipping pull-ups until you have solid strict pull-up strength and have been taught to do them efficiently, just my opinion.
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
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    Keladelphia wrote: »
    The 2 biggest thing that helped me to get unassisted pull-ups were super slow negatives (especially making sure they were slow all the way to the very bottom where arms are fully extended since lat activation for the initial pull was a major problem for me) and doing ring rows using a box to prop my feet so I was parallel to the ground. Good luck OP!

    I also wouldn't advise kipping pull-ups until you have solid strict pull-up strength and have been taught to do them efficiently, just my opinion.

    What is a negative and a ring row? I've only been going to the gym for 3 months and I'm not familiar with a lot of the terms being used here, an explanation would be great :)
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
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    abijones75 wrote: »
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    The 2 biggest thing that helped me to get unassisted pull-ups were super slow negatives (especially making sure they were slow all the way to the very bottom where arms are fully extended since lat activation for the initial pull was a major problem for me) and doing ring rows using a box to prop my feet so I was parallel to the ground. Good luck OP!

    I also wouldn't advise kipping pull-ups until you have solid strict pull-up strength and have been taught to do them efficiently, just my opinion.

    What is a negative and a ring row? I've only been going to the gym for 3 months and I'm not familiar with a lot of the terms being used here, an explanation would be great :)

    A negative is where you either jump up or use a box or something of that nature to get your chin over the pullup bar and then you slowly lower yourself all of the way down until you are at a dead hang and repeat. This is a link to what a ring row is http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/58_07_Ring_Row.pdf you could use the safety bar on a squat rack too if you don't have access to rings.

    Hope that helps!
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Negatives were the best for me, too. Jump yourself up into the top position of the pull-up, or step over from a box, then slowly lower yourself. It took me years to get a pull-up but once I did it was the coolest thing! And I worked up to five in a few months- the first one is the hardest. Seriously get a bar in your kitchen and just try all the time and do negatives. It will eventually happen.

    And I agree with the above poster, do NOT do kipping until you are very solid at strict pull-ups, and you have good coaching for your form. I now can do zero pull-ups and have to begin again because I injured my rotator cuff doing sh*tty kipping.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,207 Member
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    Yes they are hard. In my life I have never been able to do a pull-up or chin-up unassisted.
  • JoshuaMcAllister
    JoshuaMcAllister Posts: 500 Member
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    Keladelphia wrote: »
    abijones75 wrote: »
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    The 2 biggest thing that helped me to get unassisted pull-ups were super slow negatives (especially making sure they were slow all the way to the very bottom where arms are fully extended since lat activation for the initial pull was a major problem for me) and doing ring rows using a box to prop my feet so I was parallel to the ground. Good luck OP!

    I also wouldn't advise kipping pull-ups until you have solid strict pull-up strength and have been taught to do them efficiently, just my opinion.

    What is a negative and a ring row? I've only been going to the gym for 3 months and I'm not familiar with a lot of the terms being used here, an explanation would be great :)

    A negative is where you either jump up or use a box or something of that nature to get your chin over the pullup bar and then you slowly lower yourself all of the way down until you are at a dead hang and repeat. This is a link to what a ring row is http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/58_07_Ring_Row.pdf you could use the safety bar on a squat rack too if you don't have access to rings.

    Hope that helps!

    Ring rows are basically a TRX row, which you are already doing just using another piece of apprentice as to not over complicate thing.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Villae81 wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Villae81 wrote: »
    Do kip pull ups

    And start making contributions to an account to fund your shoulder surgery.

    Kipping pull ups done right are a demanding technical movement. Done wrong, a visit to the operating room.

    I don't do it it was just an option

    so is chopping off both your legs just above the knee so you weigh less. Doesn't make it a less *kitten* idea.

    Kipping pull ups aren't pull ups.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    abijones75 wrote: »
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    The 2 biggest thing that helped me to get unassisted pull-ups were super slow negatives (especially making sure they were slow all the way to the very bottom where arms are fully extended since lat activation for the initial pull was a major problem for me) and doing ring rows using a box to prop my feet so I was parallel to the ground. Good luck OP!

    I also wouldn't advise kipping pull-ups until you have solid strict pull-up strength and have been taught to do them efficiently, just my opinion.

    What is a negative and a ring row? I've only been going to the gym for 3 months and I'm not familiar with a lot of the terms being used here, an explanation would be great :)

    Negative- get your self up to the bar- lower yourself as SLOW as possible.
    Ring pull up- those are like using the TRX- only your feet are on the ground out in front- or bent to support you- so you pull your chest to the "bar" (or space where the bar would be)

    Just 2 different ways to develop the same pulling muscles.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,714 Member
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    This is my next personal challenge. Currently I'm working on push-ups, which I can do, but I'm increasing volume.

    I have a pull up bar over the doorway to my bathroom. Just sitting there taunting me. I worked on negatives for a while and made progress but then got lazy. This thread has reminded me to get back to it. I have it. Might as well make use of it.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
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    I just happened upon a solid article about pull-ups! Lots of good stuff in here. http://drjohnrusin.com/female-pull-up-makeover/
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    Negatives help as well. Start at the up position, and lower yourself slowly. Also, your forearms play a big roll, so make sure to work those forearms. Lat pull downs are as close as you can get to a pull up. Add those in as well.
  • Dula73
    Dula73 Posts: 29 Member
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    @CJMQ great article thanks for the link!

    Sorry I have no advice, it's a goal to do one at the moment so lots of fab tips here! I will get there!

    It seems quite split opinion if banded assisted pull-ups are a good or bad (that's what I'm doing) but I think I'll give negatives a go along with he banded.
  • chaney3000
    chaney3000 Posts: 261 Member
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    Pull ups are hard but a great exercise. They take time and PRACTICE. Negatives, Lat Pull downs, rows are great motion exercises that will strengthen your muscle groups needed for pull ups. The key to them is repetition and form. Learn the form first. And use assistance bands if needed. Do as many as you can without assistance and then go to assistance. Keep working on them. You will get there
  • abijones75
    abijones75 Posts: 116 Member
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    Thanks for all of the great info, glad I'm not alone in finding them hard!
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
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    My daughter who has never trained and who is 90 lbs soaking wet can jump up there and do them. Me ... I can train for months and still not do them. I have a lot more butt to pull up though. :)

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