The Cornerstone of Upper Body Strength: The Pullup

Greetings fellow MFP'ers. It's your "friendly" neighborhood Joe here to speak with you today about the SCALE of upper body strength known as THE PULLUP.

If someone were to come up to me and try to "size me up" asking me if I "worked out" or was "into bodybuilding", and he or she asked me "What do you bench?" I would chuckle a bit and then give them two answers:

First answer: My 1RM is 285. This is partly due to a tender left shoulder rotator cuff.

Second answer: A good measure or scale of upper body strength is NOT the Bench Press, it is the Pullup.

Ask any serious bodybuilder or strength trainer. Unless you are competing in powerlifting or you are in the NFL Combine, strength is measured by how many pullups you can do. This is mostly the reason why boot camp in the military they test you on pullups.

Example: If we are at war or there is a zombie apocalypse, do you think being able to Bench Press 500lbs is going to help you in ANY WAY to survive? No, it's not. But, if you can do pullups and pull your own bodyweight up with EASE, your ability to survive goes up dramatically.

Before I talk about ways to strengthen your pullups, let me first state this and I'll put it in bold so it sinks:

DO NOT use the assisted pullup machine to try to build strength. I will repeat this. DO NOT use the assisted pullup machien to try to build strength.

The pullup assist machine is VERY different from doing REAL pullups or chinups. The form is different. The position and ease for your legs is different. It is not the same in any way, shape or form. I will give you some tips below on how to strengthen your pullups/chinups. It may be hard at first, but it will get easier.

1. Start with multiple sets of low reps.

Do 10 sets of 1 pullup with 30 seconds rest in between sets. Time yourself. Only take 30 seconds max. When you can do 1 pullup with ease, then move onto to 10 sets of 2 pullups. Go until you can perform 10 sets of 5 pullups with 30 seconds rest. Once you achieve this, then you'll be able to do 10 pullups pretty easily for your first set. Trust me this works.

2. Use resistance bands.

Loop a resistance band around the pullup bar, and then around your knee for assistance. This is NOT the same as using the "pullup assist machine".

3. Strengthen your grip.

Either use grip strengtheners, do Deadlifts, Plate pinches, or do Heavy Bar Pulls and hold for 10-20 seconds. You'd be surprised at how this will help your pullups.

4. Do chinups.

Chinups are a lot easier to do over Pullups as they use the biceps. Pullups have a lot more back involvement though.

5. Use hip drive.

I don't care what anyone says. There is absolutely nothing wrong with using momentum when starting out to build pullup strength. Granted you need to eventually do pullups without hip drive, but it will help with strength.

6. Perform negative movements.

Start in the up position, and go down slow. This will help not only form, but strength as well.

7. Do weighted 10-2's.

Grab a weighted vest or a chained weight-belt and add plates to it. Do 10 sets of 2 reps with 30 seconds rest.

8. Don't go to failure.

One of the biggest mistakes people do with pullups and/or chinups is they go to failure. This does not help you. Your form suffers, you can risk shoulder injuries. It's just not a good idea. Do as many pullups as you can with GOOD form.

9. Make sure you start in proper position.

You need to start with your arms straight, pull your shoulder blades down and lock your shoulders into their sockets. Do NOT start with your shoulders up near your ears like you're doing a shoulder shrug. This is NOT proper form at all.

10. Initiate with your lats.

When you start to pull, keep shoulders back, head up and fire your lats FIRST, not your biceps/arms. If you are doing this correctly, you'll know it.

11. Drive your elbows down.

Make sure you drive your elbows down and back. Don't pull with your biceps.

12. Pull your chin over the bar.

Sure when you're starting to build strength, you may not be able to which is fine, but eventually you need to. Nothing else needs to be said.

13. Use different grips.

Palms facing away, Palms facing you, Palms facing each other. Also use different widths of your grip.

14. Keep elbows slightly bent throughout your set.

Don't lock your elbows in the middle of a set. Keep them bent at all times.


That's it. Building pullup strength takes time just like anything else. You'll get it with patience and practice.

Until the next time my friends.

This is your "friendly" neighborhood Joe....signing off.