Pull ups!

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boopboopadoop
boopboopadoop Posts: 63
in Fitness and Exercise
So who can do a pull up? Or several? How long did it take you to be able to do one? Or could you always do one? I can't even do one! :( My housemates have a pull up bar so I've been trying every day... I'm buying 3kg dumbells tomorrow in the hopes it will make my arms stronger (providing I actually use them!) Do you think it will work? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can master the pull up bar? :)
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  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
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    I suck at pull ups.........................
  • boopboopadoop
    boopboopadoop Posts: 63
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    At least I'm not the only one :)
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    The dumbbells won't help. If it's safe to do so, cheat by jumping up and practise lowering yourself as slowly as possible. There will also be example videos on YouTube of how to use your foot/feet on a chair to make pull ups easier.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    So who can do a pull up? Or several? How long did it take you to be able to do one? Or could you always do one? I can't even do one! :( My housemates have a pull up bar so I've been trying every day... I'm buying 3kg dumbells tomorrow in the hopes it will make my arms stronger (providing I actually use them!) Do you think it will work? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can master the pull up bar? :)

    The main muscle used in the pull-up are the Lats, along with rear Deltoids, a little bit of Rhomboid action, and the Biceps. Six pound dumbbell curls will do nothing for you.

    Do a search on this site for pull-ups, there was a pretty decent thread about improving your pull-ups. To improve at pull-ups you really just need to do pull-ups. One can argue that heavy rowing like (sets of 5 to 6 reps) will also help you build Lat strength to help with pull-ups.
  • SpringFever19
    SpringFever19 Posts: 180 Member
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    I go through phases where I think pull ups and push ups are THE thing I need to do- I'm in a pull up phase now. I previous was able to do 5 solid ones after about a month of practice. Now I'm back to 1 sorta pull up.
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    Lat pulldowns are essentially the same excercise if you can't do a pullup btw. Also, lying pullovers are a great way to add strength to your lats to build up the strength to do a pullover if you're looking for an excercise to help you out.

    I can do 7 in one set fwiw. I can do 8 when done as chin ups (palms facing face and closer together).
  • beandawgy
    beandawgy Posts: 92
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    I was about to say...we need to make the distinction between a pull-up and a chin-up!!! :)
  • boopboopadoop
    boopboopadoop Posts: 63
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    The dumbbells won't help. If it's safe to do so, cheat by jumping up and practise lowering yourself as slowly as possible. There will also be example videos on YouTube of how to use your foot/feet on a chair to make pull ups easier.

    I've been trying that! Suppose I'll have to keep trying! :)
  • boopboopadoop
    boopboopadoop Posts: 63
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    Lat pulldowns are essentially the same excercise if you can't do a pullup btw. Also, lying pullovers are a great way to add strength to your lats to build up the strength to do a pullover if you're looking for an excercise to help you out.

    I can do 7 in one set fwiw. I can do 8 when done as chin ups (palms facing face and closer together).

    What's a pullover?
  • iSpuggz
    iSpuggz Posts: 39
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    I leave my bar hanging up on the door all day so when I go past with nothing in my hands, I attempt a pull up. After time I assume I just gained strength and managed one! So I'll continue to do that and see if it helps along with my actual lifting schedule.

    I started by doing the jumping to get me up in the first place, as long as it isn't an erratic movement it'll do no harm unless you have previous back/shoulder problems.
  • m60kaf
    m60kaf Posts: 421 Member
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    Chins are easier try them first

    Most people cant even do one

    Try it as if you are pulling a stuck shutter down hard on a door not just bending your arms in some random hope of success.

    Assisted are supposed to help (resting a foot on a chair) but I think it's hard to limit assistance.

    Pulling up half way, 1/3 way or however much is supposed to build you up on the way to being able to do one

    When I couldn't do one (I can now do around 10) I used to grip the bar with one hand to the left and one to the right, hands right next to each other and pull and this got me on my way
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    What's a pullover?

    http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/LatissimusDorsi/BBPullover.html
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    If you don't have access to an assisted pull up/chin up machine, you can get a set of these assistance bands- they look like large rubber bands- that can help you build your way to being able to do a pull up. I can't do one yet, but I'm shooting for an unassisted chin up by the end of the summer.

    Example of the resistance bands:
    trapeze_AssistedPullUpsWithBands.jpg
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
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    Pull ups are awesome! For myself, I prefer chin ups...not because they are easier, but I don't 'curl'...and so prefer the extra biceps work.

    Negatives work...though I've always been able to do at least one or so. When I was improving, I'd do 1-2, then do negatives till I couldn't anymore.

    Now, I'm doing 5x bodyweight, 5x10lbs (added weight), 5x15lbs, 5x 20lbs, 5x10lbs, 6x5lbs...5 sets total. I could probably do 10 or so in a row, though I've never tried.

    Just KEEP AT IT! You'll get them :).
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
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    I think I could just always do them. Try building up strength with the Lat Pulldown machines and various Row exercises. Or an assisted pull up machine. I'm not sure how many I can do now, maybe 25-30


    I prefer lat pulldown machines anyways, easier to isolate the back and not swing (most people CHEAT on their pullups).
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    So who can do a pull up? Or several? How long did it take you to be able to do one? Or could you always do one? I can't even do one! :( My housemates have a pull up bar so I've been trying every day... I'm buying 3kg dumbells tomorrow in the hopes it will make my arms stronger (providing I actually use them!) Do you think it will work? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can master the pull up bar? :)

    The main muscle used in the pull-up are the Lats, along with rear Deltoids, a little bit of Rhomboid action, and the Biceps. Six pound dumbbell curls will do nothing for you.

    Do a search on this site for pull-ups, there was a pretty decent thread about improving your pull-ups. To improve at pull-ups you really just need to do pull-ups. One can argue that heavy rowing like (sets of 5 to 6 reps) will also help you build Lat strength to help with pull-ups.

    I think this is the one you are referring to:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/646798-the-cornerstone-of-upper-body-strength-the-pullup

    In summary, the best way to build up to them is by doing negatives.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Pull ups are awesome! For myself, I prefer chin ups...not because they are easier, but I don't 'curl'...and so prefer the extra biceps work.

    Negatives work...though I've always been able to do at least one or so. When I was improving, I'd do 1-2, then do negatives till I couldn't anymore.

    Now, I'm doing 5x bodyweight, 5x10lbs (added weight), 5x15lbs, 5x 20lbs, 5x10lbs, 6x5lbs...5 sets total. I could probably do 10 or so in a row, though I've never tried.

    Just KEEP AT IT! You'll get them :).

    This was going to be my advice but Chris is already on it, as always. Negatives. Raise your self up with by standing or having a housemate help you with a push on your low back, then lower yourself slowly. Like a 4-5 count on the lowering.

    Negatives actually build strength faster than the actual lifting or pulling portion of an exercise. They bring the soreness too, so be prepared.

    And stick with the pullups or chinups. Pull downs aren't the same exercise much like "girl" pushups aren't pushups. Pullups will engage your much more of your body and you'll get better at them quickly if you stick to it. Go the pull down route and it'll take forever.

    Lastly, pullups are going to help your arms much more than dumbbells are going to help your pullups.
  • shortstuff31117
    shortstuff31117 Posts: 81 Member
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    I was also going to suggest the thread mentioned a couple posts ago :-)
  • nnylee
    nnylee Posts: 814 Member
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    I can do 3 and it surprisingly didn't take me a long time at all. Maybe less than a month?

    I put the pull up bar in the living room doorway. So everytime I had to go to the bathrooom or kitchen or go back to my bedroom, I would do a pull up. I started out just trying to pull myself up. Then gradually, I was able to pull myself higher and higher. Until I could do a full pull up. So now I can do 3.
  • Bradleyjah
    Bradleyjah Posts: 48 Member
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    I can do 3 and it surprisingly didn't take me a long time at all. Maybe less than a month?

    I put the pull up bar in the living room doorway. So everytime I had to go to the bathrooom or kitchen or go back to my bedroom, I would do a pull up. I started out just trying to pull myself up. Then gradually, I was able to pull myself higher and higher. Until I could do a full pull up. So now I can do 3.

    This is what I did, too (on nnylee's suggestion)...except my bar is in my bathroom. It took me about two months to finally do a real overhand pull-up, but I finally got there. Also, my bar has another set of handles that are perpendicular to the bar, and these make pull-ups much easier...so, I did my first pull-up on those bars and that gave the motivation to keep trying for overhand pull-ups. Aside from all that, when I do assisted pull-ups w/ a chair for P90X, I try to be really conscious not to put too much weight on the chair and really try to make myself struggle with each assisted pull-up (and not rely on my legs).

    Lastly, I remember reading on one of these boards someone saying your first pull-up "just happens" (rather than you slowly inch closer and closer or see more progressive results), and that's so true. I remember thinking it'd be several months before I could do a pull-up, and I wasn't seeing much difference in my assisted pull-ups two months in...and the all of sudden, one night I'm getting ready for bed and walk up to bar...and bam! I did a pull-up! So, stick with it!

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