One big day of pullups.

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Dave_54
Dave_54 Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I normally can do around 20 pullups, and do a pullup workout 2-3x per week. Been at that level for awhile seemingly stuck on a plateau.
About a month ago I did 35. It blew me away!
Ever since, I can only do about 20 again, some days only 19, some days 21-22, but hovering around that number. Still on that plateau.
I have no idea how or why on the one day I did 35. Everything clicked, I just kept pulling without my arms getting tired. I figure it was some combination of diet that day, rest, and mental state, but I cannot figure out exactly what triggered that one phenomenal day. My food and workout log show nothing unusual in the few days before. I wish I could do it again!

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  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 698 Member
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    What did you eat that day? Did you lose weight and get lighter?
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    I used to have a pull up day. Would start out with about 7-10 reps, and then just 2-5 reps whenever I walked by my pull-up bar. Ended up with around 60 on a good day. Just keep at it. Somedays are just better than others. There's a lot of factors to consider.
  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
    edited March 2018
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    Dave_54 wrote: »
    I normally can do around 20 pullups, and do a pullup workout 2-3x per week. Been at that level for awhile seemingly stuck on a plateau.
    About a month ago I did 35. It blew me away!
    Ever since, I can only do about 20 again, some days only 19, some days 21-22, but hovering around that number. Still on that plateau.
    I have no idea how or why on the one day I did 35. Everything clicked, I just kept pulling without my arms getting tired. I figure it was some combination of diet that day, rest, and mental state, but I cannot figure out exactly what triggered that one phenomenal day. My food and workout log show nothing unusual in the few days before. I wish I could do it again!

    35 pullups in a row without stopping?

    20 is great too.

    Awesome!

    You were in the zone on your 35 day.

  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    Do more sets fewer reps. Take about 3 weeks doing 35-50 in sets of 7-12 with plenty of rest and plenty of singles throughout the day on doorframes or at home on your door bar.

    35 straight is quite respectable.

    And agree with
    JerSchmare wrote: »
    Add weight and keep trying to hit 20. Create more resistance with weight. That will make you stronger.

    It's probably time to work on loaded and disadvantaged(1 arm/uneven) variations....
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    That's pretty impressive, both on the 20 and the jump to 35. I can't think of anything that would make that happen. But as others have said, going to weighted and single arm progressions are definitely the next step
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
    edited March 2018
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    FWIW, IMO it's not how many pullups that you can do but how you do them that is most important.

    When I see men doing a lot of pullups, they are most often the rapid short arme variety that are less demanding physically. Same thing applies to pushups.

    Much better and more impressive in my opinion to do each pullup from the bottom with the arms fully extended, which requires you to lift your body weight through the entire range of motion.

    If you can do 15-20 full range of motion pullups slowly with control and without kipping from a dead stop at the bottom, you'll demonstrate a level of strength few others can match.

  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,216 Member
    edited March 2018
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    FWIW, IMO it's not how many pullups that you can do but how you do them that is most important.

    When I see men doing a lot of pullups, they are most often the rapid short arme variety that are less demanding physically. Same thing applies to pushups.

    Much better and more impressive in my opinion to do each pullup from the bottom with the arms fully extended, which requires you to lift your body weight through the entire range of motion.

    If you can do 15-20 full range of motion pullups slowly with control and without kipping from a dead stop at the bottom, you'll demonstrate a level of strength few others can match.

    I've been working on the 20 pullup challenge lately. Training weighted atm. I can do 14 strict form dead hang pullups on my best days. I have yet to see a single other person in my gym do anything but fully kipped or half kipped, air walked, or partial range of motion pullups or chinups. 35 strict dead hang pullups is pretty elite level.
  • stingrayinfl
    stingrayinfl Posts: 284 Member
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    I have those moments...I have a number that I do every time I go to the gym. I will do one set after first round of cardio, which is usually 60-70 mins. Then, I do another round after 2nd round of cardio,usally 60 mins. Soetimes, it takes me 3 sets, but I usually get them in 2.
  • jlklem
    jlklem Posts: 259 Member
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    Now do one with one arm hanging...one arm pull up = 1 out of 100 thousand people.

    There brutal
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Impressive.

    I don't do chins on the regular, more of a light pull day every 6 months or so I don't get much frequency practicing them

    My record was 3 sets of 14-15 at 235lb body weight in ten minutes done with strict form.

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