I am aiming for 2 sets of 5 chin ups right now. When I started out I couldn't even do 1! A really useful way to get started is to just do the lowering down part, so stand on a stool, grab the bar, release your feet and lower down super slowly. Also doing push ups with your feet raised (on a stool for example) is good practice. Push ups use some similar muscle groups but with less body weight, so raising your feet is a great transition move to chin ups because it increases the amount of resistance on those muscles.

Excellent advice!

I'm up to 4 right now...I'll join you in reaching 2 sets of 5!!!

That is a great idea. I was up to 6 pull ups about 5 weeks ago, but I messed up my neck and my upper back and had to stop for 2 weeks. I tried again after two weeks, feeling good up until the 5th one, and I pulled something in my neck again, but this time not as badly. Now I'm nervous to push as hard as I need to push to continue to build the muscles. My goal for the end of the year is to do 10.

For those of you just starting it took my a long time to be able to do the first one, but it was so worth the effort. Keep it up!

About a month ago, when I was going for 4 in a row, also pulled/strained my neck and back. It was awful! I am listening to my body more and when it says "NO" I'm listening from now on. I just wanted #4 so badly! I can do it now, slow and steady wins the race : )

Bump to come back to the links posted. This was a goal for me too, and I'm not quite there....

I'm working on these as well (pull-up and chin-up). Here's a great page from the StrongLifts program on form and tips. If you can't do pull-ups yet, maybe try chin-ups as the article recommends. I'm finding quicker strength gains with chin-ups. I'm working on improving my upper body strength. Here's the article:

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-do-pull-ups-and-chin-ups-with-proper-technique/

i read that it's best to not do the pullups with your arms fully extended because it puts too much pressure on your elbow joint so you should alway try to keep a slight bend in your arm.

apparently there are people who have torn their biceps from doing pullups with locked arms

According to Mark Rippetoe in Starting Strength, "A correct chin up or pull up starts with straight elbows and ends with the chin well over the bar, as high as possible. An incorrect chin up displays an incomplete range of motion, starting with bent arms or ending under the bar."

I can't think of anyone whose word I would take over Rippetoe when it comes to pure srength movements, so I do feel like I'm cheating if I keep my elbows bent. But I can't say I've heard from any fitness professional recommend to keep elbows bent. It sounds more like a bodybuilder thing to focus on biceps development.

I flippin' love this challenge! I am so in! Ever since grade school and that stupid fitness test I've always wanted to be able to do one. Life long goal achievement underway!

I can now do 3 consecutive negative chin-ups for 20 seconds with no difficulty at all. I've been doing assisted pull-ups with my feet on a bench in front of me, and they are easy too. But I tried a 'real' pull-up a few days ago and it seems like I am still a million miles away. :frown:

Don't know how to bridge that gap.

I just looked everywhere for this great youtube video, but can't find it....I should really favorite those things!

Anyway, this girl kept her pull up bar up on her door way all the time, attempted them every time she went by...even if it meant jumping up a bit. If it's too easy with the chair, try assisting yourself with a jump; push your self up with your feet and pull yourself the rest of the way.

When I started I could only do one and only if I pushed off with my feet. I stuck with them and did them in ladders ( 1 rest 1 rest 1 rest 1 rest 1. When I could finally do that "one" unassisted then I increased the ladder to 1 rest 1 rest 2 rest 1 rest 1)

The progress is slow, keep plugging away. Pull down lats and rows with help too!

Hey ladies! I am up to TWO consecutive pull-ups and THREE consecutive chin-ups!!!

Hey ladies! I am up to TWO consecutive pull-ups and THREE consecutive chin-ups!!!

Awesome!!!

Hey ladies! I am up to TWO consecutive pull-ups and THREE consecutive chin-ups!!!

Nice work! Way to go!

I'm afraid I'm much FARTHER from my chin-up/pull-up goal than I had thought.

:sad:

Nope. I *still* haven't tried one. But, CHIN-UPS have reared their head in my "B" work-out of Phase 2, NROL4Abs....and, I had to do them, yesterday, ASSISTED. WITH 75 LBS., ASSISTED!!!!!!!

Ugh. I felt like SUCH a failure! Because, unassisted pull-ups/chin-ups have been a 2012 goal of mine. Now, 2012 isn't over, but I really didn't know, until yesterday, how *far* away I was from my goal - and now I REALLY DO.

So, I've got to "suck it up, princess" and get to work - there's work to be done!