How to get better at pullups if you can't do one?

[whistleclient]

What kind of exercises can do to get in better shape to do pullups?

 

[spamsk8r]

There are quite a few things you can do. The first thing you can do is jumping pullups. You need a bar that's short enough to hold onto with your feet on the ground. You grab the bar, squat down until your arms are straight, and jump up while pulling your chin over the bar. Another thing you can do are assisted pull-ups, which require assistance bands (basically large rubber bands). If you're working out in a regular gym they usually have a pull-up machine which offers adjustable assistance. Start off using whatever level of assistance you need, then as you get stronger reduce the assistance. I did all of these things to get strong enough to do pull-ups, and now I can do 10-11 in a row without assistance.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

There are quite a few things you can do. The first thing you can do is jumping pullups. You need a bar that's short enough to hold onto with your feet on the ground. You grab the bar, squat down until your arms are straight, and jump up while pulling your chin over the bar. Another thing you can do are assisted pull-ups, which require assistance bands (basically large rubber bands). If you're working out in a regular gym they usually have a pull-up machine which offers adjustable assistance. Start off using whatever level of assistance you need, then as you get stronger reduce the assistance. I did all of these things to get strong enough to do pull-ups, and now I can do 10-11 in a row without assistance.

Don't forget pullup negatives! Do a normal jumping pullup and try to descend slowly (if you can). It takes some strength to do that, so it may be a tool to use in progression toward the full body weight pullup.

 

[kamper]

I did negatives and slightly assisted ones. I have a low bar in my doorway so I would allow myself to put just my big toes on the ground to push. That way, if I supplied too much help with my legs, it hurt my toes (I'm not a ballet dancer) and forced me to work harder with the arms.

I also focus predominantly on chin-ups, which are a little easier, and I'm adding pullups in smaller numbers as I improve.

I started by reading this and this.

 

[spamsk8r]

Don't forget pullup negatives! Do a normal jumping pullup and try to descend slowly (if you can). It takes some strength to do that, so it may be a tool to use in progression toward the full body weight pullup.

Yeah negatives can be good. The only reason I didn't recommend them is that they make you *very* sore and are hard to recover from, plus they pose a risk for rhabdomyolysis if you overdo it. If you choose to do negatives, only do maybe 3 at a time in sets, and stop if your muscles get tight. Better to be cautious than to end up hurting yourself.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Yeah negatives can be good. The only reason I didn't recommend them is that they make you *very* sore and are hard to recover from, plus they pose a risk for rhabdomyolysis if you overdo it. If you choose to do negatives, only do maybe 3 at a time in sets, and stop if your muscles get tight. Better to be cautious than to end up hurting yourself.

Agreed. I wanted to mention them specifically since I've read research showing eccentric movements induce greatest strength gains. More damage = more repair.

 

[Special K]

You didn't mention whether you trained at a gym or not (or have access to one), but many gyms I have been to have a pullup machine that allows you to add "negative resistance" to a platform you kneel down on. You are pulling your own weight up, but the weight on the machine supports the platform you are kneeling on, making the pullup easier. You can set the resistance to whatever you like when you first start out, and gradually reduce it until you don't need it anymore and can do a few pullups without the machine.

It's kind of hard to explain in words, but here is what these machines look like:

http://www.housing.umass.edu/images/wc_jqa04_04.jpg

 

[JSt0rm]

Don't forget pullup negatives! Do a normal jumping pullup and try to descend slowly (if you can). It takes some strength to do that, so it may be a tool to use in progression toward the full body weight pullup.

I've been doing like 2 or 3 of these during my work outs. It seems to really work the abs. Why is this?

 

[Koing]

I've been doing like 2 or 3 of these during my work outs. It seems to really work the abs. Why is this?

Becuase you can't relax your 'trunk' when your hanging on a bar, your legs won't just dangle as your still using your trunk (abs and back) muscles to stabalise your legs from going completely limp.

Hang on a pull up up bar with your chin over it. Your ABS WILL BBBBBBBBBBBBBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN like no other!

Koing

 

[KoolDrew]

Anything that allows you to reduce the amount of resistance being used will be most effective. My favorite way of doing this is with bands but it can also be done on a machine or by having a partner help you. You can also do slow negatives and pull-ups through a partial range of motion. For example, start at the top of the movement and lower yourself as much as you can and still be able to pull yourself back up. Also, how much do you weigh? Losing weight is the simplest way to decrease resistance.

Once you can do a few just continue doing multiple singles. For example, 10 sets of 1 and over time increasing the amount of reps and decreasing the amount of sets.

 

[BlackTigers]

Negatives helped me a lot when I first started.

Used a bench/box/person to get your chin above the bar, and come down slowly. I like to throw these in when I do my regular pull-ups anyway - the negatives feel good as hell.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

All men are inately born with the ability to do atleast one pullup. If you're not able to you need to grow some hair on your chest and eat some nails or something else manly. If you're a woman you're not suposed to be doing pullups. You're just suposed to hang there hoping someone comes along to save you (this is how my highschool tested women).

 

[JSt0rm]

Becuase you can't relax your 'trunk' when your hanging on a bar, your legs won't just dangle as your still using your trunk (abs and back) muscles to stabalise your legs from going completely limp.

Hang on a pull up up bar with your chin over it. Your ABS WILL BBBBBBBBBBBBBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN like no other!

Koing

Is this more effective then sit ups and crunches? It feels like it. I think I'm going to try and add more pull ups into my routine. I can do like 2 pulls ups lol weak I know.

 

[fleshconsumed]

I don't feel like pull ups work my abs at all. I mean, yeah, I have to use them to keep me stable, but the load on my abs is very minimal.

 

[brikis98]

I don't feel like pull ups work my abs at all. I mean, yeah, I have to use them to keep me stable, but the load on my abs is very minimal.

Try L pull-ups.

 

[fleshconsumed]

Well, that's different