Pull-Up Form

[MyThirdEye]

Am I using the correct muscles in my back? I didn't know how else to show it but do the exercise shirtless.

Should the angle be more obtuse in my elbow?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__fUdlB2f8k

My apologies for the mediocre set, it was ungodly hot in there.

Positive and negative criticism please.

 

[brikis98]

The pull-up is a simple exercise: start in a dead hang (arms straight), end with the chin above the bar. If you are doing strict pull-ups (ie, not using your hips to kip), your body will figure out the best way to get there. Looking at your video, your very first rep is fine, while all the others you aren't going high enough at the top or low enough at the bottom.

 

[clemsyn]

IMO, I think you need to go down a bit lower and up higher. I suggest no kips for better build up of back muscles.

 

[MyThirdEye]

The pull-up is a simple exercise: start in a dead hang (arms straight), end with the chin above the bar. If you are doing strict pull-ups (ie, not using your hips to kip), your body will figure out the best way to get there. Looking at your video, your very first rep is fine, while all the others you aren't going high enough at the top or low enough at the bottom.

I was going on the incline part of the bar, and it seems very uncomfortable to get too low/high.

I can do straight bar pull-ups where the hands are closer together much better. Trying to widen the back.

 

[MJinZ]

Pullups are good for 1 weight - your body weight.

Go with a lat pulldown and row to get your back in shape.

 

[brikis98]

Pullups are good for 1 weight - your body weight.

Go with a lat pulldown and row to get your back in shape.

Or, you know, do weighted pull-ups. Or chest to bar pull-ups. Or clapping pull-ups. Or muscle-ups.

 

[brikis98]

I was going on the incline part of the bar, and it seems very uncomfortable to get too low/high.

I can do straight bar pull-ups where the hands are closer together much better. Trying to widen the back.

Regular pull-ups with a proper ROM are far better than wide grip pull-ups with a short ROM. Do the full kind and when you can bang out 10 with good form, add weight. Your back will widen up just fine.

 

[MyThirdEye]

Regular pull-ups with a proper ROM are far better than wide grip pull-ups with a short ROM. Do the full kind and when you can bang out 10 with good form, add weight. Your back will widen up just fine.

I do weighted dips, and I started with a 25lb plate. Should I increase/decrease this amount for pullups?

 

[Kipper]

I do weighted dips, and I started with a 25lb plate. Should I increase/decrease this amount for pullups?

A weighted dip and a weighted pull-up are two entirely different beasts. Start light.

 

[brikis98]

I do weighted dips, and I started with a 25lb plate. Should I increase/decrease this amount for pullups?

It's a different exercise, so what you do on dips is fairly irrelevant. Instead, you should be going for a specific number of sets/reps (depending on your goals) and when you can finish that in a workout, increase the weight slightly for the next workout. So if you do 3 sets of 8 pull-ups with just your bodyweight one workout, try for BW + 5 the next workout, BW+10 the one after that, and so on.

BTW, what, exactly, is your routine? What are your goals?

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Pullups are good for 1 weight - your body weight.

Go with a lat pulldown and row to get your back in shape.

Pull ups and chin ups involve many more muscles than lat pull downs. You can also add weight to them, or just weigh a lot yourself.

There aren't too many 230lber's saying they need to add weight to their pull ups.

 

[f4phantom2500]

looks pretty good, but focus to keep your legs from swinging at all; when you pull up your whole body should contract around the abdomen a little. be sure you're controlling your breathing as well. exhale as you pull up, inhale as you lower down. but mainly keep it steady and controlled (breathing helps this a lot). think of one repetition of a pull up (up/down) as one fluid movement that flows seamlessly throughout your entire body; an extension of your breathing, basically. lower yourself slowly as you take a slower, deep breath, pull yourself up quickly as you use the force of your entire body and exhale. since a deeper breath expands your chest, it should actually make the pulling up part a bit easier than if you're just panting randomly. shoulders back, think of like trying to touch your elbows together. also consider mixing your grip up; it will stimulate the muscles differently.

 

[MJinZ]

Pull ups and chin ups involve many more muscles than lat pull downs. You can also add weight to them, or just weigh a lot yourself.

There aren't too many 230lber's saying they need to add weight to their pull ups.

Yes, but not muscles you actually care (can you say core and biceps?) about, for lat building.

I don't find Pullups to be a good compound at all for actually getting bigger. For measure of overall strength, yes.

I am a 205lber that can do about 8 pullups with proper form (a few more with close grip), yet I can't do even close to 205lbs in proper form on a lat pulldown. More muscles help with pullups than what you are trying to work on sometimes.

 

[KoolDrew]

Yes, but not muscles you actually care (can you say core and biceps?) about, for lat building.

I don't find Pullups to be a good compound at all for actually getting bigger. For measure of overall strength, yes.

I am a 205lber that can do about 8 pullups with proper form (a few more with close grip), yet I can't do even close to 205lbs in proper form on a lat pulldown. More muscles help with pullups than what you are trying to work on sometimes.

Weighted chins was the best thing I've ever done for my lats. Build up to 1.5x your BW (including BW) for a set of 5 and I can assure you your back will have grown.

 

[MJinZ]

Weighted chins was the best thing I've ever done for my lats. Build up to 1.5x your BW (including BW) for a set of 5 and I can assure you your back will have grown.

That may be true, but your arms and abs probably grew a lot more (or you just had strong arms).

Also, it depends on how you much you weigh.

 

[kamper]

That may be true, but your arms and abs probably grew a lot more (or you just had strong arms).

You say that like it's a bad thing.

 

[MJinZ]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Usually no, but some people don't care for some large body parts.

For me- I hate large traps, unless you are genetically huge shouldered, and unless you have huge forearms, big biceps and triceps look ridiculous/flat out horrible.

 

[kamper]

Usually no, but some people don't care for some large body parts.

Then do them palms-out, as the op was actually doing. That'll put more of the focus on the lats. And, with no offense meant, I don't think the op would be suffering too much with larger arms or abs

 

[MJinZ]

Then do them palms-out, as the op was actually doing. That'll put more of the focus on the lats. And, with no offense meant, I don't think the op would be suffering too much with larger arms or abs

True lol, just watched the vid..

 

[MyThirdEye]

True lol, just watched the vid..

Hey, take it easy on me! a year and a half ago i was 260lbs, and i'm down to 175 with much more muscle than I have ever had.

 

[MyThirdEye]

It's a different exercise, so what you do on dips is fairly irrelevant. Instead, you should be going for a specific number of sets/reps (depending on your goals) and when you can finish that in a workout, increase the weight slightly for the next workout. So if you do 3 sets of 8 pull-ups with just your bodyweight one workout, try for BW + 5 the next workout, BW+10 the one after that, and so on.

BTW, what, exactly, is your routine? What are your goals?

I workout 4-6 times a week. Just goes in a continuous cycle of lifting different body parts with running/biking/swimming. I switch between endurance and HIIT in cardio activity depending on what I feel like doing.

I would like to get rid of loose skin and just keep toning down. When I started my weightloss journey, I lost the initial 60lbs very quickly so I still have lots of stretch marks and loose skin everywhere.

 

[kamper]

Hey, take it easy on me! a year and a half ago i was 260lbs, and i'm down to 175 with much more muscle than I have ever had.

No offense meant I have no more muscle than you, I'm just saying you probably aren't worried about your arms being too big. But congrats on the weightloss! Keep it up.

Also, brikis will be back shortly to tell you to read Starting Strength.

 

[MyThirdEye]

No offense meant I have no more muscle than you, I'm just saying you probably aren't worried about your arms being too big. But congrats on the weightloss! Keep it up.

Also, brikis will be back shortly to tell you to read Starting Strength.

That's the exact thing I read when I started weight lifting! The 5x5 was a fantastic strength and muscle building routine. I had fantastic results.

At this point in my journey, I'm trying to decide whether I want to do the P90X Insanity or just keep lifting high rep/low rep routines. I switch about every month or two months.

 

[gzervali2006]

go down lower when your doing pullups

 

[brikis98]

I workout 4-6 times a week. Just goes in a continuous cycle of lifting different body parts with running/biking/swimming. I switch between endurance and HIIT in cardio activity depending on what I feel like doing.

Not sure I'm following. Are you doing a circuit of different exercises with cardio mixed in? Or do you do one body part one day, some cardio the next, another body part the next, and so on?

I would like to get rid of loose skin and just keep toning down.

"Toning down" isn't terribly well defined. Are you trying to lose more fat or are you trying to gain muscle now? If loose skin is a problem, I would guess you are trying to add muscle...