Improving pull up reps
Discussion
Not sure if the title's correctly phrased but basically I've decided to try to do 25 pull ups in a row. How can I train up for it? At the moment I can do 5 sets of 8. I could probably do another set. I can just about do 16 in a row (last time I checked about 2 years ago) and after the 16th, dropped to the floor in a messy heap. 
If you've got the movement right then just keep doing them. Don't forget to rest a day or so in between. Even though youve set yourself an endurance challence maybe try weighted pull ups? Look at press ups too to ensure you keep a balance between pushing and pulling exercises.
Oh, try to keep your back flexible maybe with a foam roller and stretching.
Good luck!
Oh, try to keep your back flexible maybe with a foam roller and stretching.
Good luck!
try weighted belt to bring your reps down to about 4 or 5, finish with as many half reps as poss.
alternate stance of grip narrow > wide & also throw in some narrow handle pull ups (seated row handle hooked over bar)
you can alternate pulling up to the front and to the rear as well, rear delts play a big part in this exercise to so maybe beef them up to.
if this doesn't work try very wide grip lat pull downs that = more than your body weight for 3 weeks then go back to the pull ups.
you should achieve 25 reps pretty easily at 5'7" tbh sorry
since my strength doesn't change much (not wanting it to) I use chins to gauge my weight by how many reps I can do
alternate stance of grip narrow > wide & also throw in some narrow handle pull ups (seated row handle hooked over bar)
you can alternate pulling up to the front and to the rear as well, rear delts play a big part in this exercise to so maybe beef them up to.
if this doesn't work try very wide grip lat pull downs that = more than your body weight for 3 weeks then go back to the pull ups.
you should achieve 25 reps pretty easily at 5'7" tbh sorry
since my strength doesn't change much (not wanting it to) I use chins to gauge my weight by how many reps I can do
I did something similar to this with great success:
http://www.military.com/military-fitness/fitness-t...
Oh, and buy one of these. This week!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerbar-assembly-seconds-...
Then leave it hanging on one of your doors and do a pull up each and every time you go through that door.
http://www.military.com/military-fitness/fitness-t...
Oh, and buy one of these. This week!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerbar-assembly-seconds-...
Then leave it hanging on one of your doors and do a pull up each and every time you go through that door.
Pull ups were my weakest point in 1990, I have long levers so struggled compared to the short lever lads, I needed 16 undergrasp for a particular event I was doing around that time.
What worked for me was pyramid training 10 down to 1, however initially I struggled with 10 so it would be 6 then 5 then 4 until I got to 1. I did this daily (every morning in fact) which is against training methods but it worked for me.
As I got stronger I worked with 10 overgrasp, then 9 undergrasp, then 8 overgrasp, when I got to 1 I would raise up for a count of 5 hold my chest on the bar and lower for a count of 5. Then I would work up 1 to 10.
In 1997 I purchased a chin up bar from Argos to take to Kenya with me, I put it up as UK Will suggested somewhere id walk past and do heaves each time I was under it. I always to this day take it away with me.
Again I still do chin ups daily when at work, I put it on 'what training are you doing' thread but I sometimes just do an hours chin ups of which 256 is my most.
Be strict with yourself try not to flick the hips, fully extend your elbows and get your chest to the bar.
I don't add weight but again everything people have said makes sense.
I cut a clip out of the paper before Xmas of a guy who held on to some plant roots after falling off a cliff, he held on for 90 minutes before being rescued, I've put it on the wall and on a post it above it wrote why you need to do heaves, good motivation.
I've no doubt you stick at whatever method you decide then in 8 weeks you'll be smashing out a strong 20 then the 26 will soon follow.
Good luck.
What worked for me was pyramid training 10 down to 1, however initially I struggled with 10 so it would be 6 then 5 then 4 until I got to 1. I did this daily (every morning in fact) which is against training methods but it worked for me.
As I got stronger I worked with 10 overgrasp, then 9 undergrasp, then 8 overgrasp, when I got to 1 I would raise up for a count of 5 hold my chest on the bar and lower for a count of 5. Then I would work up 1 to 10.
In 1997 I purchased a chin up bar from Argos to take to Kenya with me, I put it up as UK Will suggested somewhere id walk past and do heaves each time I was under it. I always to this day take it away with me.
Again I still do chin ups daily when at work, I put it on 'what training are you doing' thread but I sometimes just do an hours chin ups of which 256 is my most.
Be strict with yourself try not to flick the hips, fully extend your elbows and get your chest to the bar.
I don't add weight but again everything people have said makes sense.
I cut a clip out of the paper before Xmas of a guy who held on to some plant roots after falling off a cliff, he held on for 90 minutes before being rescued, I've put it on the wall and on a post it above it wrote why you need to do heaves, good motivation.
I've no doubt you stick at whatever method you decide then in 8 weeks you'll be smashing out a strong 20 then the 26 will soon follow.
Good luck.
Edited by 996 sps on Sunday 1st January 22:41
Pavel's Ladders.
I used this program for handstand pushups.Lots of different programs out there though.
http://cbass.com/Pavel'sLadders.htm
I used this program for handstand pushups.Lots of different programs out there though.
http://cbass.com/Pavel'sLadders.htm
goldblum said:
Pavel's Ladders.
I used this program for handstand pushups.Lots of different programs out there though.
http://cbass.com/Pavel'sLadders.htm
Pretty much same as pyramid approach.I used this program for handstand pushups.Lots of different programs out there though.
http://cbass.com/Pavel'sLadders.htm
996 sps said:
goldblum said:
Pavel's Ladders.
I used this program for handstand pushups.Lots of different programs out there though.
http://cbass.com/Pavel'sLadders.htm
Pretty much same as pyramid approach.I used this program for handstand pushups.Lots of different programs out there though.
http://cbass.com/Pavel'sLadders.htm
Pyramiding works particularly well for bodyweight medium/high rep exercises which you can do to failure regularly, without exhausting your body.You could/should not
pyramid a heavy weight exercise as often as overtraining will result.The method of initiating a training effect is to overload the muscle in a certain way to trigger
a improvement in strength/growth.This made possible by changing intensities of exercise so the muscle is constantly forced to adapt;you can change reps,add
weight,decrease rest between sets,periodise,change routines (pyramids/reverse pyramids) etc.Whatever you do you will eventually plateau,the trick is to predict when
this is about to happen and change your routine accordingly.
pyramid a heavy weight exercise as often as overtraining will result.The method of initiating a training effect is to overload the muscle in a certain way to trigger
a improvement in strength/growth.This made possible by changing intensities of exercise so the muscle is constantly forced to adapt;you can change reps,add
weight,decrease rest between sets,periodise,change routines (pyramids/reverse pyramids) etc.Whatever you do you will eventually plateau,the trick is to predict when
this is about to happen and change your routine accordingly.
goldblum said:
Pyramiding works particularly well for bodyweight medium/high rep exercises which you can do to failure regularly, without exhausting your body.You could/should not
pyramid a heavy weight exercise as often as overtraining will result.The method of initiating a training effect is to overload the muscle in a certain way to trigger
a improvement in strength/growth.This made possible by changing intensities of exercise so the muscle is constantly forced to adapt;you can change reps,add
weight,decrease rest between sets,periodise,change routines (pyramids/reverse pyramids) etc.Whatever you do you will eventually plateau,the trick is to predict when
this is about to happen and change your routine accordingly.
I've only used pyramid training on body resistance exercises with my clients and it works, 5 days a week, week 1 only 3 times as insertion point of biceps is normally sore, its always the morning session, yes muscle memory will need to be shocked at the 4 to 6 week point but ive found it a great method for guys just starting out on heaves/chin ups.pyramid a heavy weight exercise as often as overtraining will result.The method of initiating a training effect is to overload the muscle in a certain way to trigger
a improvement in strength/growth.This made possible by changing intensities of exercise so the muscle is constantly forced to adapt;you can change reps,add
weight,decrease rest between sets,periodise,change routines (pyramids/reverse pyramids) etc.Whatever you do you will eventually plateau,the trick is to predict when
this is about to happen and change your routine accordingly.
Nothing new with changing the way you conduct your heaves, I.e 5 sets if 10 followed by best effort.
I remember in 1998 when they brought the matrix training in which was basically pyramid training but included half reps as well as full, that was with heavy weights.
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