Pullup Challenge!

[Fallen_Horse]

Gonna try for a personal best on Wednesday, if I have anything good to show for it I will let you know to add it to the board!

 

 

EDIT: Oh crap, I don't have any way to take a video. Such is life...

[xjohanx]

damn i tried today and failed miserably. i guess my fore arms wasn't pleased with the angle or whatever and the right one cramped up totally after three reps. i spent 60 minutes in the gym doing nothing but sit ups and crunches.

[Richard]

I got 3 today, hopefully I will improve. They are totally harder than chinz

[zinzen]

THis is how I did it.

First you do however many you can, say 3, then you wait 90 seconds and go at it again, and you keep doing this untill you cant even do one more pull up.

Repete everyother day and you will be to 15 in no time

[ralst]

Gonna try for a personal best on Wednesday, if I have anything good to show for it I will let you know to add it to the board!

 

 

EDIT: Oh crap, I don't have any way to take a video. Such is life...

 

No need for a video to get on the table. Having a video is just a fun idea (I thought) that no one is listening to

 

I got 3 today, hopefully I will improve. They are totally harder than chinz

 

Good job. I have an easier time with chinups too, but I feel like pullups are a more effective exercise, at least for me.

[GRardB]

No need for a video to get on the table. Having a video is just a fun idea (I thought) that no one is listening to

 

I want to post a video actually, it's just that I'll feel stupid bringing my camera to the gym and record myself doing a few pullups :-\ If this topic continues into late July, I'll take a video since I'll be on vacation with a homemade chin-up bar

[zinzen]

i feel the stupid feeling comment, but i am going for it, im just goin to have a friend tape it, going to be silly as shit

[makke]

Today, I hit 10 reps for the first time

Considering that I started in january with 1 and maybe a half ... I am really happy with my progress.

 

My problem is though, that the following sets are so much getting harder .. today I did 10 , 8 , 6

 

I wanna do 10 10 10 !! How can I build more general stamina? I did try to do 5x5 to build stamina, but is that the right way to do it?

[ralst]

Today, I hit 10 reps for the first time

Considering that I started in january with 1 and maybe a half ... I am really happy with my progress.

 

My problem is though, that the following sets are so much getting harder .. today I did 10 , 8 , 6

 

I wanna do 10 10 10 !! How can I build more general stamina? I did try to do 5x5 to build stamina, but is that the right way to do it?

 

That's great progress since January, Makke. Thanks for entering the challenge

 

I'm not sure about the best way to train for more pullups, but Dragon Door has a lot of articles about pullups and other bodyweight training. If you want to check it out, here's the link: http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode2/Workouts

 

I haven't read through many of those, but their articles about strength training are generally very good.

[VegannNY]

Okay - thought I'd ring in on the pull-ups. Right now, my maximum is three chins. But aiming for 10 pullups...give me more time on the Gravitron!

[Tarz]

People are rightly commentating on grip type and width, but also important when considering pull-ups is how far people actually chin up.

 

Some people’s hair only reaches the bar, others it would by eye/nose level, but for me a chin up is exactly that – my chin is clear above the bar.

 

Also, do people fully lower themselves? A lot of people only lower themselves part-way – so they are not totally ‘hanging’ – which if so it’s then easier to do another chin-up if you’re not actually fully extended and still have arms partly bent. Same for swinging – you see so many people twisting their legs trying to get momentum.

 

10 strict chin-ups would actually be a better accomplishment than someone doing 15-20 who doesn’t raise and lower themselves from the bar properly with legs kicking all over the place.

 

So a chin-up is not always actually a chin-up and I always think contests like this should be treated with caution as you don’t know people’s form and technique, which for this particular exercise is not always that strict.

[DaN]

I completetly agree with all that you have just said Tarz.

 

I was watching a program on tv other day & there was a pull up challenge.One guy was only lowering himself 4-5 inches & up he went again.The other guy was going all the way down & so he was doing it a much harder way.I thought it was clearly an unfair result when the 4-5 inches guy did more than the guy doing it properly.

 

It can also depend with pullups, & most other exercises how fast or slow you lower yourself or the weight.When doing bench press for example I lower the weight very slowly as this gives much more burn.Letting it go down quickly & using gravity is not as effective.

 

I used to do about 15 with good form years ago when I was lighter, but recently I tried & I did about 9 with bad form.

[Tarz]

Good point about the speed too DaN – much easier to ‘rush’ through a set quickly, rather than going slower and doing them properly.

[Fallen_Horse]

In case ANYONE is confused, (you know who you are you weaklings!) for a pullup to be a REAL pullup it needs to be from a dead hang, until the chin is above the bar, and preferably with your legs crossed and hanging below you...

 

Doing any other way means you aren't a man....

[Tarz]

Dead Hang - that's the words I was looking for.

 

Anyone do gorilla chins? They're more for the abs- basically raise your legs 90 degrees to your waist and chin as normally - they really hit the stomach muscles.

[zinzen]

When you hang fully extended at the bottom of a pullup, or any lift,you take the chance of damaging the tendon, this has a lot to do with the attempt to override your Golgi Tendon Organs, they register strech and when you are to far streched they attempt to shut the muscle down, but you are telling the muscle to power up, but of course we all know that to be a "man" its no pain no gain right? The best way to not rip your lats from the bone is to have a slight flexion, and yeah I said slight, but either way is cool by me, but you wont see me fully extended, I got enough problems as is.

I am going to attempt to get this video on sunday, but it will for sure be before Sept 8th, thats surgery time.

Peace

[ThePractitioner]

Wow, I have not done pull ups in years!! There was a good training program out a few years back, that Major Charles Lewis Armstrong used to prepare himself to attempt to set a world record in number of pull-ups completed in a single exercise session.

 

 

For those who are interested here is his program:

 

Armstrong Pull-up Program

 

1. This program was used by Major Charles Lewis Armstrong, USMC to prepare himself to attempt to set a world record in number of pull-ups completed in a single exercise session. The program provides the necessities for successful physical improvement namely, VARIETY, OVERLOAD, and REGULARITY. Users have achieved remarkable results in only 6 to 8 weeks. This means that most, if not all, have been able to meet the performance level they have set out to achieve, a single set of twenty repetitions.

 

It can not be overemphasized that his program depends upon regularity. Daily performance of the exercises listed in the following paragraphs holds the true key to reaching and to maintaining the twenty repetition level.

 

The Morning Routine

 

Each morning perform three maximum effort sets of normal pushups. The pushup is one of the best, single exercises for strengthening the entire set of muscles that makes up the shoulder girdle. Major Armstrong described his morning routine in the following manner. “After rising, I would drop onto the deck and do my first set of pushups. I would then move into the head (bathroom) and start my morning toilet. I would return after a few minutes and do my second maximum effort set after which, I would go back into the head to shave. After shaving, I would return to the bedroom and complete the third and final set. Having completed all of the pushups, I was awake and ready for a relaxing shower. “

 

This routine should be followed during the entire training period. Since it takes most of us at least four weeks to reach our goals, you will probably find that you have inadvertently established a morning routine that is easy enough to keep as a lifetime habit, if not, you will at least appreciate the morning shower a little more.

 

It has been noted that this pushup routine helps to alleviate any soreness during the first couple of weeks. It is recommended that you use the pushup routine everyday during this period so that you feel more comfortable during your initial adjustment to this regime of exercises.

 

Training Routines

 

The following represents the heart of the training program. I recommend that you do not attempt the pull-ups until 3 or 4 hours after the pushup routine was completed. The program is conveniently divided into five training days. This is easily translated into a Monday through Friday approach to pull-up training. It is important to cease the pull-up routine for two days, Saturday and Sunday. Further, it is necessary to use consecutive days (not to skip days) when on the pull-up routine. Finally, it is more important to do the pull-ups than it is to do the pushups.

 

The training program was developed to improve performance in a specific exercise, the overhand pull-up. The program can be adapted to doing chin-ups and flexed arm hangs. The program depends upon quality exercises, numbers of repetitions are unimportant. When you are doing these routines you should concentrate on perfect execution of each repetition. The only person that you can fool is yourself.

 

Day 1

 

Five maximum effort sets. Rest 90 seconds between each set. Do not concern yourself with numbers. You will find that you will increase the numbers in the last two sets before you see much improvement in the first three. Make sure that each set is a maximum effort set.

 

Day 2

 

Pyramid Day. Start the pyramid with one repetition, the next set has two repetitions, the next has three. Continue in this fashion until you miss a set. (e.g. your last set was five, your next set would be six, but you could only do four. You missed a set) Do one more set at a maximum effort. Rest 10 seconds for each repetition in the previous set.

 

Day 3

 

Do three training sets with a normal overhand grip. Rest 60 seconds between each set. Do three training sets gripping the bar so that your palms are toward your face and your little fingers are touching each other. Rest 60 seconds between each set.

 

Day 4

 

Do the maximum number of training sets that you can accomplish. Rest 60 seconds between each set. You do training sets until you fail to do perfect training set. This day can wind up being the longest training day as you continue with the program because you will find it easy to do lots of training sets.

 

Day 5

 

Repeat the day that you found to be the hardest in the previous four days. This will change from week to week.

 

Training Sets

 

Training Sets are easy to define, but require some experimentation to determine for the individual participating in the program. A training set a specified number of repetitions. That means one individual may have 3 repetitions in his training set, but another individual may have more or less. The key to determine the proper number of repetitions in a training set comes on Day 3. You must perform nine training sets that day. If you only do twelve repetitions in your best single set (a PFT set or a maximum effort set), then your training set would probably have one or at most two repetitions. If you were concerned with gross numbers performed, you might try for the higher numbered training set. This is not advised. It is much more important for you to successfully complete the scheduled workout on Day 3, doing one repetition per training set, than it is for you to complete only 6 or 7 sets, trying two or three repetitions in each training set. Day 3 calls for you to do nine training sets. Adjust your training sets so that you can complete this routine properly.

 

The best gauge for the number of repetitions in the training set comes on Day 4. If you successfully complete Day 3, try to raise the number of repetitions in your training set by one when you do Day 4. If you get a least nine sets done on Day 4, that tells you that your training set ought to be one repetition higher. If you get less than nine sets, you will still have accomplished a good day’s work, and confirmed that your training set was correct for this week.

 

It is important that you do not change the repetitions in a training set in midstream. When you schedule yourself to the day’s routine using three repetitions in your training set, do not change it to two when the exercises get hard.

 

Modifications

 

Ladies will find that this program adapts well to the flexed arm hang. Training sets are simply translated into hang times.

 

Chin-ups may be substituted for those who prefer this technique, however, day 3 must still be completed exactly as described with 6 sets done with the overhand grip.

 

It is highly recommended that you follow this program using overhand grip as most of the obstacles that you will have to get over at OCS require an overhand grip.

 

Maintenance and Final Thoughts

 

Once you have achieved your goal, you will remain at that plateau by doing at least 50 repetitions each day. Though this may sound like a large number of repetitions at this point in time, it is not, as you will happily discover during your time on the program.

 

The program will work for anyone who will make a sincere attempt. You cannot expect any physical training program to work for you if you do not practice it regularly. In the first few weeks you may find that you are able to do fewer repetitions. This is a normal physiological reaction called teardown. As you continue, you will improve.

 

If your performance is at the 12-15 repetition level when you begin this program, then it will take about 4 weeks to complete. If you are lower than that it will take longer. Have heart because if you continue with the program, you will reach the 20 repetition level.

 

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Kevin

[GRardB]

Well I'm glad this post is still active. We just installed the Perfect Pullup (which is very good, BTW) at my family's log cabin in Michigan and I did my back workout. Regular pullups was my first exercise (I did 3 sets). My number was 10, and I made sure to keep very strict form. So that's 1 more than before! YES! I wanted to take a video, but I wasn't sure how many I would do, so I'll make a video next Thursday when I work out my back again.

 

If anyone's interested, this was my away-from-home workout:

 

Pull-ups (3 sets to failure)

Perfect Pull-ups (3 sets to failure)

Chin-ups (3 sets to failure)

Kettlebell Bent-Over Rows (3 sets of 5)

"Australian Pull-ups" (3 sets to failure)

 

Don't ask me why they (the Perfect Pullup people) call them Australian Pull-ups. They're like those easy bodyweight rows (although they're not easy at the end of your workout!)

 

Gerard

[veginator]

Did four today.

[chrisjs]

Well I'm glad this post is still active. We just installed the Perfect Pullup (which is very good, BTW) at my family's log cabin in Michigan and I did my back workout.

 

Good to know. I was surprised by the good quality of the perfect pushup (though I don't own it).

 

How wide is your doorway? I can't imagine squishing myself into a 32-ish inch door frame to do pullups, I think my elbows would hit the sides. Guess I'd have to keep my knees up as well.

[GRardB]

Well I'm glad this post is still active. We just installed the Perfect Pullup (which is very good, BTW) at my family's log cabin in Michigan and I did my back workout.

 

Good to know. I was surprised by the good quality of the perfect pushup (though I don't own it).

 

How wide is your doorway? I can't imagine squishing myself into a 32-ish inch door frame to do pullups, I think my elbows would hit the sides. Guess I'd have to keep my knees up as well.

 

My doorway is in the low 30's I think, but my elbows usually don't touch the sides (except when I [successfully] attempt behind-the-neck pullups). My knees are kept down, but my shins are bent backwards. I don't think this makes them any easier, does it?

[chrisjs]

I don't think this makes them any easier, does it?

Nah if anything I think it would be harder since you have more muscles to keep engaged during the pullup.

[zinzen]

I have one in my doorway too but it makes it so awkward and you cant do wide grip, its pretty cool for when you are bored in your house though

[ralst]

Whew, lots of activity here lately Table updated, good job everybody.

[zinzen]

Ok here is the video, its sideways because I couldnt figure it out, not exactly smart with the computers.

I struggled on the last few, but I still had to take it to failure, it was on a back day so I was kinda tired, and its in my house instead of the gym so I didnt have my real wide grip bar.