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    The Cornerstone of Upper Body Strength: The Pullup

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    • Posts: 1,490 Member
      Working my way up to 10 sets of 1 pull up. Great thread.
    • Posts: 4,500 Member

      Vanilla and Chocolate. Mix it up and you will be alright.

      It is a great post

      Is the right answer.

      Pull ups have a significantly higher degree of lower trap activation than chin ups. Chin ups have a higher degree of bicep and pec activity. Both have a significant involvement of the latissimus dorsi.

      http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21068680

      I think the reason most people (well guys really) find pull ups harder than chin ups is for a very simple reason that you don't need studies to verify: guys are much more likely to train the pecs and biceps than the back, particularly the lower back. Why? Because the average trainee is more concerned with being pretty than athletic. In addition, many times guys pick up shoulder injuries whilst training and so while unconsciously avoid exercises involving the lower back.

      Neither is "better" or "easier" than each other. They have specific applications for specific goals. I would say that a chin up is better suited for body building goals whilst a pull up is more suited to an athletic / rehab goal but that is only very generally.

      Both are awesome.
    • Posts: 764
      ... Care to explain? I thought the lockouts made it harder. I can do a lot more if I don't lockout.

      If you lockout, you're hyper extending, which is why they're harder. Increased risk of injury any time you hyper extend a joint.
    • Posts: 504 Member
      What is the best way to build upper body strength so that you can do a pull up in the first place? I can't lift my body, it's still to heavy.
    • Posts: 1,133 Member
      I really want to work on pullups, but do not currently have access to a gym. Are there any reasonably priced at-home bars that someone could recommend? Those door-frame ones kind of worry me, but I'd get one if someone (or several someones) highly recommends a specific one.

      $20 in any sporting goods store. Goes on a door frame with no screws. There's a slight rubbing of the paint, but no damage.
    • Posts: 1,490 Member
      show previous quotes
      Because it takes tension off the muscle being worked. "Locking" out shifts the resistance of any exercise to joints.

      A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
      IDEA Fitness member
      Kickboxing Certified Instructor
      Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

      I was wondering if I was supposed to keep my elbows bent. Thanks. I had been trying to get them to almost a hanging position. I will have to try and see if I can do more than 2 in a row with my elbows bent.
    • Posts: 171 Member
      Bump!

      I just bought a pull-up bar and for the LIFE of me I can't get off the ground. Very happy to see this article. Thanks!
    • Posts: 1,133 Member
      Because it takes tension off the muscle being worked. "Locking" out shifts the resistance of any exercise to joints.

      Thanks. I was doing lockouts, but not relaxing... keeping muscle tension steady to protect the shoulder/elbow joints. Is that better?
    • Posts: 4,941 Member
      How do you get started if you can't even do 1/2 of a chin/pull up?
    • Posts: 1,490 Member
      What is the best way to build upper body strength so that you can do a pull up in the first place? I can't lift my body, it's still to heavy.

      The post suggested negative pull ups and resistance band assisted pull ups. I did the negative pull ups. After doing those for a month, I was able to do my first pull ups.
    • Posts: 8,810 Member
      show previous quotes

      $20 in any sporting goods store. Goes on a door frame with no screws. There's a slight rubbing of the paint, but no damage.

      wall mart has the "perfect multi gym" bar ...it goes wider than the door frame and has multiple grips for a variety and the best thing is it "hangs" in the door frame and can be taken off in put back up in 2 seconds literally...a great bar
    • Posts: 512 Member
      Bump for later!
    • Posts: 23 Member
      bump...
    • Posts: 1,051 Member
      I agree and good topic. When I was a wrestler I could do these pretty well. Unfortunately even after a year of running and hitting the gym I still cannot do one of these. One day. I'm working on it. The less I weigh, the easier a pull up will be.
    • Posts: 682 Member
      great post!

      and a special shout out to negatives. they work very well.
      i think the pullup machine can be used effectively by a beginner if they're doing negatives. make sure the weight you use is very light and use the pad only to help you balance yourself. it can make it easier to get into the finished position than using a chair or having a partner try and push you up by your ankles.
    • Posts: 778 Member
      Thanks for the info...very interesting. I have a set of gym rings & a climbing rope at home. I love it!
    • Posts: 4,941 Member
      show previous quotes

      The post suggested negative pull ups and resistance band assisted pull ups. I did the negative pull ups. After doing those for a month, I was able to do my first pull ups.

      Thanks... I didn't see that part.
    • Posts: 69 Member
      awesome info. I'm gonna start working on these as soon as I get a pull-up bar.
    • Posts: 504 Member
      show previous quotes

      Thanks... I didn't see that part.

      What's a negative pull up?
    • Posts: 1,133 Member
      What's a negative pull up?

      Start at the top with your chin over the bar, jumping on if you have to. Go down in as much of controlled manner as possible, and then go back up as far as you can.

      It puts the more difficult motion in the middle of the movement, instead of the very beginning. You might not be able to go up, so it's a 1/2 negative. If you can go up partially, it's a 3/4 negative. Once you can go down, then all the way up, you certainly can go up, then down!
    • Posts: 2,985 Member
      For those of you that are having trouble getting 1 pullup OR 1 chinup, and cannot buy resistance bands from a Sporting goods store. If you have a significant other help you, have them slightly assist you on the way up. Do 10 sets of 1 pullup this way until you build the strength up to do 1 by yourself. If you don't have a significant other, and ALL other methods are not going to work, THEN you can use the assisted pullup machine. I don't recommend using this though.
    • Posts: 1,490 Member
      Negative pull up is when you start in a pull up position and slowly lower yourself, so you are doing the opposite of a pull up.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opr72q6NKTc
    • Posts: 898 Member
      Never mind... found my answer.
    • Posts: 56 Member
      Thank you for this great info!
    • Posts: 379 Member
      Thank you for the info. I WILL conquer pull ups!!!
    • Posts: 7,334 Member
      lol, I can do 1 and a half... I will get to 10 in a row! THAT will be my BHAG accomplished!
    • Posts: 4,941 Member
      For those of you that are having trouble getting 1 pullup OR 1 chinup, and cannot buy resistance bands from a Sporting goods store. If you have a significant other help you, have them slightly assist you on the way up. Do 10 sets of 1 pullup this way until you build the strength up to do 1 by yourself. If you don't have a significant other, and ALL other methods are not going to work, THEN you can use the assisted pullup machine. I don't recommend using this though.

      Does the strength or type of resistance band matter? I have some light weight ones... and a set that came with Billy Banks boot camp series...
    • Posts: 2,985 Member
      I'm loving the positive energy in this thread. Ahh-mazing. =)
    • Posts: 75 Member
      Great info! Love the zombie analogy!
    • Posts: 9,642 Member
      bump
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