Women and chin ups

Picola1984
Picola1984 Posts: 1,133
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Can anyone confirm that these get easier with practice?

I attempted my first today and totally sucked!!

I had being lifting weights prior so next time will give them a go first to get a better idea
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Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I suck at them too, but I suck less than I did a few weeks ago so yes, they're still hard but not as hard as they were. (chin ups are an equal opportunity hard exercise! :laugh: )
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I suck at them too, but I suck less than I did a few weeks ago so yes, they're still hard but not as hard as they were. (chin ups are an equal opportunity hard exercise! :laugh: )

    Yup.

    Just keep practicing. I'd say do them 3 to 4 times a week. If you can only do partials then just do as many partials until you get better.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    I got better when I put a jelly donut right above the bar. Pull up *chew*
  • cyncetastic
    cyncetastic Posts: 165
    They definitely get easier as you get stronger!

    Does your gym have the assisted pull up machine? Those help - or using one of those elastic bands or a stand to support your feet and help you up.

    I've only just recently been able to do 3 in a row! (Goal is 10)
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
    You can also work on lat pull downs until you get strong enough to lift your own weight and then can transition to the pull ups.
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    Yes! They do get easier!

    Also, what hiker said.

    2193703_9714.jpg
  • _Christine_
    _Christine_ Posts: 1,385 Member
    I'm not attempting them till I drop some weight. Then I should be better at them. ;)
  • FlyeredUp
    FlyeredUp Posts: 632 Member
    Yep they get easier!! Whatever you do dont use the lat pull down machine, use a chair to assist you and you will see that you need less and less help to get thru them. Also if your gym has a pullup asssit machine they are great aswell.
  • ThePhoenixRose
    ThePhoenixRose Posts: 1,978 Member
    Yep they get easier!! Whatever you do dont use the lat pull down machine, use a chair to assist you and you will see that you need less and less help to get thru them. Also if your gym has a pullup asssit machine they are great aswell.

    Why not the lat pull down machine??
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    I do mine in the pool using the start blocks. Ok, fine, I'm a cheater :P
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    One of my goals
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    Yep they get easier!! Whatever you do dont use the lat pull down machine, use a chair to assist you and you will see that you need less and less help to get thru them. Also if your gym has a pullup asssit machine they are great aswell.
    Um... I used the lat pull down, and also the pullup assist machine. I did it on my own for the first time on a playground, but I certainly strengthened my muscles with the lat pull downs and pullup assist machine.
    I still do the lat pull downs, actually, but can do OVER my body weight now. (I weigh between 155-160 and can do 165 lbs).
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Wait, I think I'm confused now. The difference between pull ups and chin ups is the way your hold the arm/the way your arms face right???
  • sbrBirdy
    sbrBirdy Posts: 224 Member
    After about 8 months of assisted, I can do 4 in a row. It seems like the lat pull down would help - but sometimes the best way to get better at something is just to do it. Keep working at it - it is an awesome feeling.
  • FlyeredUp
    FlyeredUp Posts: 632 Member
    Yep they get easier!! Whatever you do dont use the lat pull down machine, use a chair to assist you and you will see that you need less and less help to get thru them. Also if your gym has a pullup asssit machine they are great aswell.
    Um... I used the lat pull down, and also the pullup assist machine. I did it on my own for the first time on a playground, but I certainly strengthened my muscles with the lat pull downs and pullup assist machine.
    I still do the lat pull downs, actually, but can do OVER my body weight now. (I weigh between 155-160 and can do 165 lbs).
    I did 4 sets of wide and 4 sets of close grip pull downs every back day for about 9 months, I did keep getting stronger and made great progress. But one day I decided to see how many wide grip pullups I could do and barely did 6. I was shocked!! I found out your lower back is very important for doing pullups and lat pulldown machine isolates your body so your not using your lower back. So I stopped using the lat machine and started using a chair to assist me and now 3 months later I can do 4 sets of wide grip pull ups and 4 sets of closed grip pull ups without the chair. Basicly using a lat machine isnt nearly as effective as doing pullups even if you need to use a chaiir for assistance. ( I'm actually doing weighted pullups now)
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    Yep they get easier!! Whatever you do dont use the lat pull down machine, use a chair to assist you and you will see that you need less and less help to get thru them. Also if your gym has a pullup asssit machine they are great aswell.
    Um... I used the lat pull down, and also the pullup assist machine. I did it on my own for the first time on a playground, but I certainly strengthened my muscles with the lat pull downs and pullup assist machine.
    I still do the lat pull downs, actually, but can do OVER my body weight now. (I weigh between 155-160 and can do 165 lbs).
    I did 4 sets of wide and 4 sets of close grip pull downs every back day for about 9 months, I did keep getting stronger and made great progress. But one day I decided to see how many wide grip pullups I could do and barely did 6. I was shocked!! I found out your lower back is very important for doing pullups and lat pulldowns isolate your body so your not using your back. So I stopped using the lat machine and started using a chair to assist me and now 3 months later I can do 4 sets of wide grip pull ups and 4 sets of closed grip pull ups without the chair. Basicly using a lat machine isnt nearly as effective as doing pullups even if you need to use a chaiir for assistance. ( I'm actually doing weighted pullups now)
    Well, of course it's better to do the real ones - or to do negatives until you can do the real ones - but that doesn't mean you *shouldn't* do lat pull downs.
  • FlyeredUp
    FlyeredUp Posts: 632 Member
    Yep they get easier!! Whatever you do dont use the lat pull down machine, use a chair to assist you and you will see that you need less and less help to get thru them. Also if your gym has a pullup asssit machine they are great aswell.
    Um... I used the lat pull down, and also the pullup assist machine. I did it on my own for the first time on a playground, but I certainly strengthened my muscles with the lat pull downs and pullup assist machine.
    I still do the lat pull downs, actually, but can do OVER my body weight now. (I weigh between 155-160 and can do 165 lbs).
    I did 4 sets of wide and 4 sets of close grip pull downs every back day for about 9 months, I did keep getting stronger and made great progress. But one day I decided to see how many wide grip pullups I could do and barely did 6. I was shocked!! I found out your lower back is very important for doing pullups and lat pulldowns isolate your body so your not using your back. So I stopped using the lat machine and started using a chair to assist me and now 3 months later I can do 4 sets of wide grip pull ups and 4 sets of closed grip pull ups without the chair. Basicly using a lat machine isnt nearly as effective as doing pullups even if you need to use a chaiir for assistance. ( I'm actually doing weighted pullups now)
    Well, of course it's better to do the real ones - or to do negatives until you can do the real ones - but that doesn't mean you *shouldn't* do lat pull downs.
    Well, you can do things the easy way or the hard way to make progress, its up to you. When I started working out I could do 3 wide grip pullups so I decided to use the lat machine instead, nine months later I could do 6 wide grip pullups. In the last 3 months of doing wide and closed grip pullups and using a chair for assistance, I now can do 4 sets of each without a chair. If I would have just kept doing pullups using a chair from the start 13 months ago, I would have been alot farther along than I am now.
  • taemegod
    taemegod Posts: 2
    Yes, they do get easier. However, just a word of caution. When I was 18 and training for Mrs.Fitness( I had already been in steady training for over year with a personal trainer who ran the Golds gym, I tore my bicep while doing chin ups. It didn't hurt, but obviously not good. My arm turned purple and grew about twice its normal size. If you've ever seen pictures in muscle mags you'll no what I mean its totally gross and unbelievable that theres no pain. Funny eh. Anyway, practice cautiously if you are new try fewer reps and try supporting your weight either by having a spotter or chair to support a bit of weight, or lower bar you can stand under letting your crossed legs touch the ground a little.
  • CharleneExtreme
    CharleneExtreme Posts: 372
    oh God!! Please say your triceps better now!!
  • FlyeredUp
    FlyeredUp Posts: 632 Member
    Wait, I think I'm confused now. The difference between pull ups and chin ups is the way your hold the arm/the way your arms face right???
    Yes Cynthia you got it. :happy:
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    Wait, I think I'm confused now. The difference between pull ups and chin ups is the way your hold the arm/the way your arms face right???

    Chin up = palms facing you. They are a bit easier and engage the biceps more

    Pull up = palms facing out. Harder to do but engage the back more
  • FlyeredUp
    FlyeredUp Posts: 632 Member
    Yes, they do get easier. However, just a word of caution. When I was 18 and training for Mrs.Fitness( I had already been in steady training for over year with a personal trainer who ran the Golds gym, I tore my bicep while doing chin ups. It didn't hurt, but obviously not good. My arm turned purple and grew about twice its normal size. If you've ever seen pictures in muscle mags you'll no what I mean its totally gross and unbelievable that theres no pain. Funny eh. Anyway, practice cautiously if you are new try fewer reps and try supporting your weight either by having a spotter or chair to support a bit of weight, or lower bar you can stand under letting your crossed legs touch the ground a little.
    Great point!! You need to use caution doing any lifting exercise. Two nights ago a girl got her pony tail caught in the lat pulldown cable/bar and was to embarressed to ask for help and when she finally couldnt hold the bar any more and had to let it go hurt her neck.
  • amyindm
    amyindm Posts: 93 Member
    Ouch! That sounds painful ;|

    I'm working on this goal. I think I've heard that chinups are slightly easier than pull-ups but I'm not sure about that and if so, why. Pullups are with palms away, chinups are palms toward you yeah?

    Our gym has the assisted pull-up machine but I've also heard of using a bar on a squat rack and setting it about hip height... then getting under it and pulling your chest up to it, if that makes sense. Like a 45 degree angle and then progressively decreasing the angle to make it harder.

    I have heard about the chair too but haven't tried it yet. Is this a better option if you can't even do one yet?

    I have liked using the assisted machine because I like to see the help needed decrease over time. I geek out over the numbers. Hehe!
  • FlyeredUp
    FlyeredUp Posts: 632 Member
    Ouch! That sounds painful ;|

    I'm working on this goal. I think I've heard that chinups are slightly easier than pull-ups but I'm not sure about that and if so, why. Pullups are with palms away, chinups are palms toward you yeah?

    Our gym has the assisted pull-up machine but I've also heard of using a bar on a squat rack and setting it about hip height... then getting under it and pulling your chest up to it, if that makes sense. Like a 45 degree angle and then progressively decreasing the angle to make it harder.

    I have heard about the chair too but haven't tried it yet. Is this a better option if you can't even do one yet?

    I have liked using the assisted machine because I like to see the help needed decrease over time. I geek out over the numbers. Hehe!
    Yes and thank you for bringing it up! Like amyindm said you can use the squat rack and keep adjusting the angle as you make progress. But I still recommend using the assist machine or a chair.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    tumblr_m1abk2FFC11qb8f4co1_500.jpg
  • sbrBirdy
    sbrBirdy Posts: 224 Member
    @Jeff - Love love love the photo.... that's awesome.
  • b0t23
    b0t23 Posts: 260 Member
    6-7 months ago I could barely do 1 half assed chinup
    and not 1 pullup

    a few months ago I bought a pull-up bar doorway thing

    now i can do 10 chinups, 8+pullups

    I do wide grip, narrow grip, all sorts of stuff.

    even do hanging leg raises and hanging bent knee leg raises along with some core workout

    I love it!
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    I must say, I rocked those when I was 12 years old. I would do more than the boys in the class....and more than I can do now.

    that being said, when I was a college swimmer the max I think I ever got to was like 3... and I was strong and fit.

    they are just plain difficult. but I've always figured that losing weight would help, less weight to "pull up."
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Try adding a flex arm hang, it helps! Basically start in the up position with your chain over the bar and hang like that as long as you can. Don't just drop, lower down as slow as you can until your arms are straight.
  • Punktorian
    Punktorian Posts: 224 Member
    You can try using a resistance band. wrap one end in the middle of the pull up bar and loop the other one under your leg.
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