Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

I want to be able to do them! 150lb female, 5"9.

Is it better to do assisted ones at the gym with 30lb assistance (5 sets x 6 elbows to 120degrees) OR do them at home... I got a door-way bar but can do 3 (only with my elbows to 90degrees)?

So is it better to do a few half ones or sets of proper ones with assistance to get stronger at them?

Cheers

You can always do them at home and do as many as possible to failure, then use a bit of assitance pushing off at the start to complete extra reps as needed. That's how I developed the strength with chins/pull-ups at the start - once I couldn't do them strict, I'd cheat out more reps until things clicked and I could manage more strict ones over time.

Both strict and cheat reps will help make you stronger, but of course, the goal is to eventually not have to cheat on them at all

And hence be able to do them at the gym (properly) without embarassment

Don't ever be embarassed about working out. You're doing the right thing.

Pavel Tastouline, kettlebell master, guru, whatever, in one of his books talked exactly about this. Pullups that is. He said if you want to do more pullups the thing to do is to do pullups. So first you may start doing assisted ones and gradually lighten the load until you can do them on your own.

Speaking of Pavel and pullups, I think in his book, The Naked Warrior, he mentions that his father-in-law put a chinup bar in his basement with the rule that anytime he goes down there, he must do 10 chinups. As a handyman, he went down there a lot. Eventually he went from doing a few to doing a lot.

The home doorway bar is great. They cost $20 - $30 depending on where you buy it. It's relaxing sometimes to just hang and stretch your back with it. Definitely worth the money.

Great Vid! I'll let you know when I can do 8 pull-ups!