I need tips on how to lift my body weight

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Clairejuly
Clairejuly Posts: 9 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Mastered the monkey bars somewhat but chin ups are proving tough🤪😬 any tips on how to strengthen those arms?

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  • Cassandraw3
    Cassandraw3 Posts: 1,214 Member
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    Use a resistance band or chair to practice the movement. Do negatives (start from the top and slowly bring yourself down, take about 10 seconds). Flex arm hang (just hold yourself at the top).
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    How's your push ups? I take it you lift weights? Your upper body needs more strength for the chin ups. Hoping you get some good feedback here :smile:
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,217 Member
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    This article has some progression steps.

    https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/do-a-pull-up/
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Cassandraw3 wrote: »
    Use a resistance band or chair to practice the movement. Do negatives (start from the top and slowly bring yourself down, take about 10 seconds). Flex arm hang (just hold yourself at the top).

    This. You can also incorporate lat pull-downs to help strengthen those muscles. Although the chin-up is more bicep oriented, so bicep curls will help as well.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    Also, inverted rows. You can do them with a squat rack, you just adjust the bar height to where you need it.
  • Tic78
    Tic78 Posts: 232 Member
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    Hanging leg or knee raises probably help as well
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
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    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Yeah, lats and core are important for chin ups too (says the woman who can't do any chin ups and pulled an ab when she tried). Also it doesn't hurt to just hang there and strengthen your grip too. I watched a youtube video once on how to learn how to do them that was made by a woman.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-e4mV0RN1o

    I haven't tried this method yet myself as I got pregnant after watching it and didn't want to strain my already stretched abs.... and now I'm pregnant again... so it'll be a while...

    Do you mean watching the video can make one pregnant :o
    (Sorry that was too tempting)

    Our gym has an assistance machine. I've seen others use it, but not tried it myself.
    I am hoping lat pulldowns and hanging leg raises will get me there eventually.

    In no rush, I'd rather be able to do a hand stand right now.

    Cheers, h.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    middlehaitch wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Yeah, lats and core are important for chin ups too (says the woman who can't do any chin ups and pulled an ab when she tried). Also it doesn't hurt to just hang there and strengthen your grip too. I watched a youtube video once on how to learn how to do them that was made by a woman.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-e4mV0RN1o

    I haven't tried this method yet myself as I got pregnant after watching it and didn't want to strain my already stretched abs.... and now I'm pregnant again... so it'll be a while...

    Do you mean watching the video can make one pregnant :o
    (Sorry that was too tempting)

    <3
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    middlehaitch wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Yeah, lats and core are important for chin ups too (says the woman who can't do any chin ups and pulled an ab when she tried). Also it doesn't hurt to just hang there and strengthen your grip too. I watched a youtube video once on how to learn how to do them that was made by a woman.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-e4mV0RN1o

    I haven't tried this method yet myself as I got pregnant after watching it and didn't want to strain my already stretched abs.... and now I'm pregnant again... so it'll be a while...

    Do you mean watching the video can make one pregnant :o
    (Sorry that was too tempting)

    Our gym has an assistance machine. I've seen others use it, but not tried it myself.
    I am hoping lat pulldowns and hanging leg raises will get me there eventually.

    In no rush, I'd rather be able to do a hand stand right now.

    Cheers, h.

    Come join our handstand challenge H!

    Another good starting point is scapular pull-ups. A lot of people have trouble getting started from a dead hang and learning how to engage the scapula will help with that. Not to mention it's just really, really good for you anyway. Basically, from a dead hang, pull your scapula down towards your waist and then elevate them into a shrug, keeping your arms straight the whole time. Build up to 10+ reps.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
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    Ooh thanks for the scapular 'dead hang' info. Never thought of that.

    I lurk the handstand thread.
    That, and cartwheels, have been goals for about 4 years, I keep getting distracted so don't progress well.

    The things I'll do to impress a now 8yo grandson.

    How come I could do them with ease when I was 15, could walk across the room, and they are sooo hard 50 years later. Hahahaha, fear of falling on my head.

    Cheers, h.
  • Clarque_oo7
    Clarque_oo7 Posts: 7 Member
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    Good afternoon

    All methods mentioned work, but I prefer the old skool method of no resistance bands. Jump up to the bar, or use a step and lower yourself down for a count of 10-15 second at full stretch.

    You may be on 2- 5 seconds to start with, but when those seconds go up, you know you're getting stronger 💪🏽
    By the time you can do 4-5 sets at 5 reps @15 seconds, (no need to kill yourself) you should be able to pull yourself up.

    Tip: Alternate each session with supernated grip - Chin ups.then your next session - pronated grip - Pull ups, this way you are activating all the muscles in your forearms, biceps and rear dealts, shoulders and lats.
    Always pull from your scapular THEN grip.

    You also need to focus on dead hangs to improve your grip strength. Start with 30 seconds and work yourself up to 3 min.

    Falmers walks
    Use a hex barbwith a heavy weight, if no hex bar...
    2 x 20-30 kg kettlebells EACH
    Or 2 x 25 kg Plates
    Walk up and down your gym and hold for as long as possible. REPEAT! 👀

    Lastly, do deadlifts with NO STRAPS. It defeats the object of improving your grip strength.

    I hope these work for you. You will be very strong in no time.

    Good luck, and keep at it. I'm a woman and I thought It would take forever, but now I can do both. Just don't give up and do it every other day, give your muscles a chance to rest and grow.

    Message me if you need any advice. I'm Pandoras box, I promise you 😊😊😬
  • Grambo54
    Grambo54 Posts: 75 Member
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    Ok, so how much do you weigh? You have to lift that weight. If youre way over weight you'll just hurt yourself trying. Chinups use 2 main muscles, the lats and biceps. And biceps do alot of work. Forearms figure big as well. Try this. Day 1 do 4 or 5 sets of chins. I mean just go as far as you can, even if its a 1/4 chin and do as many as you can until you cant move. Also try negatives as Clarque suggested. Stand on a chair, chin over bar and then lift feet off chair and let yourself slowly drop resisting all the way. Day 4 you do barbell curls. 4 sets, start with a medium warmup set, add weight and go heavy and to failure on the last 2 sets for about 6 reps.Then do 3 sets of 10 reverse curls for forearm strength. Arm strength is what you need. By the way its easier for the average person to chinup with an underhand grip(more biceps) than overhand (more lats).
  • AudreyJDuke
    AudreyJDuke Posts: 1,092 Member
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    Great suggestions!!!!!

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