Don’t pull the house down!
Pull ups are one way to showcase ultimate strength and conditioning, and they’re no easy feat for the beginner. But both men and women can achieve pull-up status with the right training. Keep in mind that the terms pull ups and chin ups are often used interchangeably. Feel free to work on using an overhand (palms facing away) grip, which relies heavily on back strength, or an underhand grip (palms facing you) grip, which puts intense focus on the biceps.
The following exercise progressions will help strengthen the major muscles involved in pull ups until you’re strong enough to do them on your own.
The approximate time Involved: Two 10-minute sessions a week, for several weeks.
Major muscles Worked: Back and Biceps
If you have access to a gym, using the strength training machines at the gym is probably the best way to train for pull ups.
- Phase 1: Start your training on the seated lat pulldown machine. Start lifting about 25% of your weight until you can perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions in good form. Then move to Phase 2.
- Phase 2: Continue on the lat pull down machine, but perform the exercise while standing up instead of sitting (a cable cross machine will also work in this phase, if you’re familiar with using it). Increase your resistance over time until you can lift 50% of your body weight as resistance for 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions in good form. Then you’re ready for Phase 3.
- Phase 3: Continue performing the standing lat pulldowns (or, if your gym has it, move on to the assisted pull up machine). Increase your resistance over time until you can lift 80% of your body weight as resistance for 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions with good form. Once you can do this, you’re ready for the real thing!
- Phase 4: Pull ups! Once you’ve mastered Phase 3, you should be able to perform about 2-5 pull ups without assistance.
If you do not have access to gym equipment, that is OK. If you have access to a pull up bar (or even some monkey bars at a playground!), then grab a friend for some help. Be sure to use good form (grab the bar at about shoulder-width, crossing your feet and ankles, and bending your knees so that your feet are off the ground, as if kneeling). Your friend can assist you by grabbing your feet and legs to assist you as you lift to the top position. Try to lower yourself back down each time on your own, without assistance. Over time, have your friend give you less and less assistance as you get strong enough to lift more of your weight on your own.
If you are alone, you can still work on strengthening your pull up muscles, even without a spot. To do so, stand on a box, grab the bar, take a little jump to the “up” position. Lower yourself down as slowly as possible. This “returning phase” of the exercise will still strengthen the muscles to help you with pulling up. Try to do 2-3 sets of as many reps as you can, assisted or unassisted, 3-4 times each week and you’ll be doing the real ones on your own in no time!
- Be sure to rest these muscle groups for 1-2 days after each of your training sessions. Resting is just as important as training, because recovery is what will help you repair, rebuild and get stronger.
- Eat right. You can’t make muscles out of just any old food—you need to fuel them properly before and after each workout to ensure you’re getting the most of your workouts.
- Don’t neglect your other muscles. A sound strength training program, which targets each of your major muscle groups, is important for avoiding injury and creating balance.
- Mix it up. It will take several weeks to master pull ups if you’re starting from square one, and you’re sure to reach a few plateaus along the way. If you experience several weeks of stagnant progress, change things up.
- Keep at it. If you don’t continue to practice your pull ups, you’ll lose the strength that took you weeks to build up. Practice your pull ups on a regular basis, aiming for 2 training sessions each week to maintain your newfound strength and skills.
With determination and perseverance, you’ll be doing pull ups in no time!
Yours in sports & fitness,
Albert
berdytan@singnet.com.sg
+65 91110270
