Pull-up help

[yorkieads]

Hi, my name is Adam.
I am 15 and I am set on joining the Marines, I know it requires hard work and regular training. The only problem I have is pull-ups, I just cant do them. Are there any methods of training and developing the muscles used whilst doing them? If so please can you post them.
Thank you

[gleneagles]

OK Adam. These had me for a while as well until I tried these techniques.

First, if you use a chair and get in a position were you already have your chin over the bar you should be able to hold your weight (overhand grip don't forget! Thumbs over and not around the bar!). Now, lower yourself very slowly (I'm talking around 6 seconds) until you have fully outstretched your arms and repeat until you can do no more. Find out how many you can do and then after a rest day (you will need them to start with, it aches) do it again but stop one short of the maximum and perform one pull up. The next time stop 2 short and try and do 2, then 3 etc. This worked for me. If you begin to plateau then try and spice up your training. I wouldn't recommend lifting too many weights at your age, just use your body weight.

Second method is just use a chair to take some of your weight, i.e stand on it with a small amount of pressure so as you are not lifting your full body weight when you perform a pull up.

Also, use the search tool and look around the forum, this question has been asked a million times.

This is all you can do really, just keep at it. Good luck.

P.S, the best pull up bar you can get is the powerbar pull up bar. Its 30 quid though.

[Stokey_14]

Welcome to the site mate.

Use the sites Search function, there’s tons of stuff regarding running, press ups, sit ups and pull ups etc.

Basic rule to getting better at things like this is doing them... I know it sounds basic but its a tried and tested method that works.

Tis good to see you starting training at this age, I’m also fifteen and have been training since I was 13, you can never start a do to early in my opinion.

All the best

Stokey

[degrees of passion]

I used to have problems with pull ups and i've found that the main thing to remember is consistency.Its no good doing them on and off cos your just not gonna gain the ability to do more,it requires a regular progression.

If you can't do one then you can:
*Use the method where you put a broom handle or something across two chairs and pull up from there with your feet on the floor.
*Use the lat pull down in the gym:vary from pulling the bar to behind and infront of your head.
*Do negative reps:Start at the top of the bar and slowly lower yourself down.
*Do assisted reps with you feet on something:Use your legs to help you up,but only the minimum amount of effort from your legs so that your upper body is working as hard as it can.
*Independently work the muscles used in a gym,lots of lat work and bicep exercises.
*Lose weight:your power-weight ratio might be a little off and losing weight would make it easier to heave yourself up(obviously).

After you can do a few then its just a case of doing them more often and with a higher intensity.You can also vary the width of your grip,vary the thickness of the bar which will increase your grip strength(wrap a towel round it),and also try pulling up with the bar behind your head(alot harder).If you can do plenty then attach some weights to yourself and do them.

With pull ups many people use different training methods and you have to work out what is best for you.Some put a bar up in a doorway and do a set amount whenever they pass through the door,others do a measured number of reps and sets X number of days a week,and then there's a thing called 'grease the groove',whereby you stop short of your maximum reps in a set in order to enable your muscles to do more sets and thereby more reps in total,doing a huge amount of reps but without exhausting the muscle.Its your choice but like I said before,its the consistency thats important cos if you go for long periods without doing them you'll suddenly find your back to square one.

[benny687]

I was having problems with these as well. I've always disliked pullups, mainly because I've always been crap at them. When I started training properly I could do 1 rep, and I looked like a bloody monkey swinging from the bar with my legs flapping everywhere.

Anyway, after several months of doing pressups situps and curls everyday, I bit the bullet and tried them again yesterday, managed 5 good reps, holding for 2 seconds at the top.

Now I'm kicking myself, if I had attacked them like I have the rest of training, I'd probably be banging out the reps like a madman by now.

Like these guys have said, regular upper body excercises combined with actually doing the sodding pullups is the only way to go.

Best of luck!

[mm1306]

The only way is to do lots of them to the extent that you see stars(just make sure to fall correctly!!) afterwards, if you can't do any (some people can't) then just hang on the bar for as long as you can always trying to eventually pull yourself up.

[misterpurple]

There's no easy way mate. Don't 'train around' the pull-up, do the pull-up. Whilst they do work for a few people, the danger with exercises like the lat pull down is that they can lead you into a false sense of security, creating a comfort zone that's difficult to get out of. The only piece of equipment you need is a pull up bar. What worked for me was doing 5 sets of maximum effort pull ups every week night (rest at weekends), but switch to negative pull-ups - the ones where you jump up and lower yourself down slowly - when you physically can't do any more.

[lewis]

A final tip is that (if you are really weak) then you could try an 'assisted pullup machine' at a gym. I think the one at the place I go to is called an easy power machine. It basically lets you take weight away from your body to make it easier - I can bang out loads minus 20 kg! I'd start with quite a lot taken away, then as the weeks go by drop the (reduced) weight slowly.

[Dangermouse]

Some good advice there, especially working the lats in the gym. However, I find that even with using the lat pull down machine, you may get stronger lats but that doesn't necessarily mean that you will grow efficient at pull ups. So do lots and lots of pull ups too. Strengthen your lower back and ab muscles too, it helps with form.

[davidemmerson]

Have a look at these as well:

http://www.stewsmith.com/linkpages/pullups.htm

Basic PRMC training programme

There's also another link on the thred above that might help, all the best!

David

[Cool Hand Luke]

Maybe even attach a little bit of weight to a belt around you. For instance if you can do 8 bodyweight pull-ups, why not squeeze out 4 good pull-ups with a 2.5/5kg plate attached to you.

Has worked for me anyway.