3 Exercises Strengthen Your Pull Ups

[Michael]

[pierinifitness]

I’ve found weighted pull-ups helped me. One of my favorite workouts was a singles progression for about 8 singles. Back in the day, I’d start with 25 lbs. added and ramp up to 80 lbs. on a good day, a little heavier for chin-ups. Then, I’d close the workout with a single set of BW max reps. Boy would I fly over the bar once taking the weight off.

Just started doing weighted pull-ups again but since I don’t belong to a gym, I’ll do them with the two KBs I own - 20kg and 24kg. I’m sure I’ll make similar progress.

Currently working on completing 100 reps in 20 minutes.

[MBS]

May 14, 2019 4:24:31 GMT pierinifitness said:

I’ve found weighted pull-ups helped me. One of my favorite workouts was a singles progression for about 8 singles. Back in the day, I’d start with 25 lbs. added and ramp up to 80 lbs. on a good day, a little heavier for chin-ups. Then, I’d close the workout with a single set of BW max reps. Boy would I fly over the bar once taking the weight off.

Just started doing weighted pull-ups again but since I don’t belong to a gym, I’ll do them with the two KBs I own - 20kg and 24kg. I’m sure I’ll make similar progress.

Currently working on completing 100 reps in 15 minutes.

100 reps in 15 minutes for a 64 yrs young middle aged man is impressive. I used to do 100 in 25 minutes when I was 50, but my right shoulder began speaking loudly to me and said no more. 

[pierinifitness]

MBS, that was a typo I just edited, it’s 100 reps in 20 minutes. Also working on 100 bar dips in 15 minutes. Now that I’m lighter, might as well go for it.

Thanks for comment.

[MBS]

Do you do your pull-ups full extension? From a dead hang on each rep?

I started doing them that way, and it cut my numbers in half. 

[pierinifitness]

May 14, 2019 4:51:32 GMT MBS said:

Do you do your pull-ups full extension? From a dead hang on each rep?

I started doing them that way, and it cut my numbers in half. 

Today’s workout of 100 reps alternated between pull-ups and chin-ups and were 3 rep sets. I’d guess 75 percent of the reps had a good dead hang. Once fatigue kicks in, those 3rd reps could have better hang. It’s a work in progress. I generally reduce reps once form doesn’t pass my acceptability test because no need to fool myself. A little trick from today was pause at the top with chin over the bar before descending. Seemed to help on the hang and take off speed on next rep.

[trog]

100 reps in 20 mins is very impressive. It usually takes me about 30 mins for 100. I do all mine from a dead hang.

I find the bar you are using can make it more difficult. At the gym I go to, the pull up machine has quite slippery bars. The bars on the cross over are slightly padded and quite grippy. I like the bar which is part of the squat rack. It's just a painted bit of steel but very easy to grip. Of course, people don't like you tying up the squat rack for 1/2 an hour while I knock out 100. I let the squatters join me, provided they move the barbell out of the way when it's my turn for pullups. One gym I used to use had the pullup bar 4 metres off the ground and there was a little step to get up to it. Real incentive to stay on as the long drop was quite severe!

[pierinifitness]

You notice I said 100 reps in 20 minutes is my goal, it has not yet been achieved. Yesterday’s workout took 27:20 to get my 100 reps so I have a ways to go. I have a history of missing my goals, getting close but not achieving. The good news is I get improvement trying.

Yesterday’s effort of 100 reps was alternating between pull-ups and chin-ups and 3 rep rounds every 0:50. I was able to complete 30 rounds before rep quality went below my standards so I finished off doing doubles. I’ve learned triples result in better form and hang than higher rep rounds.

Speaking of hang, it’s nice but nothing wrong with slight bend at the bottom which is probably better for elbow and shoulder health particularly when doing weighted pull-ups.

I’ll take a video of my pull-ups soon and evaluate. I have at least a half dozen pull-ups videos on YouTube and they all show other than locked elbows dead hang reps.

I knew a trainer at the gym I used to belong comment about my form once when I was banging out reps during a volume workout. I told him to demonstrate what I should be doing different by giving me a demo of 5-10 reps. That ended the discussion.

[keith]

True story.....
Many years ago, and I mean to many to name . I had a mate who owned a barbell and dumbbell set, we would train in his parents house, plus we did a lot and I mean a lot of martial arts practice.
We would alternate training for the upper body and arms, did abs every workout, no pullups what so ever as we didn't have any room for a bar.
So we never trained kegs as back then we thought the stance work and kicking we did would keep our legs muscular but not huge.
Well over time we burned a stupid amount of body fat off our bodies and then I went silly and joined the military, in my basic training we had to do chin ups, dips and incline situps. On the chin ups I did 33 reps of them without dropping off the bar.
So From experience I would say if you strength building exercises and burn a lot of fat your chin up/ pull up numbers could go up, mine did.
Remember though you can't tense fat.

[pierinifitness]

That’s a great yesteryear memory keith, thanks for sharing. Remember my own prior to going in the Army and also training in martial arts at the time, doing mindless pistols for reps effortless.

Oh the good olden days, where hast they gone.

[stormshadow]

This reminds me of the very famous US Olympic Weightlifting Champion Gold and Silver Medalist Norbert Shemansky . Someone asked him how he developed such incredible pressing power. He said simple just press. How does one become truly great at chins. Chin.

[MBS]

May 16, 2019 23:09:07 GMT stormshadow said:

This reminds me of the very famous US Olympic Weightlifting Champion Gold and Silver Medalist Norbert Shemansky . Someone asked him how he developed such incredible pressing power. He said simple just press. How does one become truly great at chins. Chin.

100% agree. People overthink this stuff. 

[pierinifitness]

Norbert Schemansky, the last of the great split snatch Olympic lifters, living proof of how strong one can still be while gracefully aging. Silver medalist in heavyweight division at 1963 World Championships, bronze medalist in 1964 Olympics at age 40, and world record holder of the heavyweight division snatch lift at 362 lbs. done at age 38. He had knees of steel.

He lived a long and humble life and had a weightlifter career of something like 48 years, may he RIP.

[stormshadow]

You know your OLY lifting history very well. He was my favorite. Here is some of his routine

danjohn.net/2009/12/norb-skees-workouts-americas-champ-for-three-decades/

[pierinifitness]

stormshadow, I was a skinny early teenager reading Strength and Health magazines at the tail end of Norbert Schemansky’s great Oly lifting career. The photos of him so deep in the split snatch bottom position are still vivid in my memory.

My favorite lifter during that era was Bob Bednarski, the last American heavyweight to spank the Russians, i did like Phil Grippaldi too. He had the most muscular arms I’ve ever seen on an Oly lifter. Think he’s still in prison.

Good youthful memories.

Back to the topic, sore today from yesterday’s weighted pull-ups and chin-ups workout.