Learning to do a pull up (baby steps)

[dharmadave]

I can't do a pullup. Nope. Not one single, solitary one.

But, I would like to develop this ability. It seems like starting from a dead hang and trying (unsuccessfully) as hard as I can day after day after day will ultimately create the ability to do pullups.
However, I suspect taht there are more intelligent steps that I could take to systematically develop this capability.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[mo64]

Try negatives...

Get yourself to the top of the bar anyway you can then slowly lower yourself to a dead hang. You could also hold for a couple a seconds 1/2 way down.

Another way is to loop a stretch band over the bar, stretch it down and put 1 knee in the loop. When you can do 10 of them, use a smaller stretch band, continue this theme until you can do say 2 unassisted pullups. When you can do that, start to grease the groove with your unassisted 2 pullups. You will soon be able to do 4 pullups etc etc

Cheers
--Maurice--

[flacustom]

A few months ago I couldn't do a single pull-up either and yes, negatives were a huge help. Also, I put a bar across a couple of saw horses and did horizontal rows that seemed to help. I like to do the Commando pull-ups too with one hand overhand grip and one underhand grip and switching half way through. I think those and the overall strength I have gained from Flow-fit has helped and now I can do eight.

[Strus]

Exercise without momentum. Keep shoulders tight. No kipping
Start with "pullups" from doorframe. I you can do ~100 without much rest between sets, start doing pullps hanging eg. from yor desk. Then start more challenging exercises: jacknife,half and finally full pushups.

I can do only 3-4 quality pushups at this time. It can be only better:)

[Scott Sonnon]

Exercise without momentum. Keep shoulders tight. No kipping
Start with "pullups" from doorframe. I you can do ~100 without much rest between sets, start doing pullps hanging eg. from yor desk. Then start more challenging exercises: jacknife,half and finally full pushups.

I can do only 3-4 quality pushups at this time. It can be only better:)

Your suggestion is only one possibility and not necessarily the preferred progression from a neuro-muscular perspective, and certainly not from a tactical progression.

The goal of kipping pullup in TACFIT is for the transference into tactical performance: popping a fence, scaling a wall, entering a window, navigating over cover. Strict pullups are a useful "assistance" exercise, but not a requirement.

Judging from your other post, you're a fan of "convict conditioning." As I replied in my other post, as a trainer for federal law enforcement, I am not a fan, and disagree with its conclusions and methods.

Neurological development precedes physiological. The goal is not size before skill, but the reverse. And in this case, it's mandatory considering our objective is the transferability of the skill family to tactical operations.

[Strus]

I can only regret this book has such a title. It does not applaud crime. It is purely about bodyweight exercises.

[Scott Sonnon]

It is not "just a title." Protocols do not happen in a vacuum. This is not a comment on the morality of the book but rather the specific institutional contexts of its creation.

[Joseph David]

Dave,
When you come down to Wimberley I'll help you with a progression using assisted training on the FlowDome. :)

[HereBeADragon]

ya how is the flowDome? I recall something about videos coming soon?

[hammer_2020]

Negatives are definitely one way to go. That's how I went from zero to hero when I was a teenager - hopped up on a stool and slowly lowered myself from chin up to dead hang from a bar, over and over again until I finally managed to do one full chinup in good form. Once you can do that one chinup, Grease The Groove. Do high daily volume with low density - nowhere near enough at any one time to cause fatigue, but rack up as many as you can in perfect form throughout the course of the day.

[Joseph David]

Negatives are definitely one way to go.

I agree James.The physiological reason why this is true, is in understanding eccentric contraction. Eccentric contraction is when the connective tissue is lengthening, the structure must stabilize to accommodate this movement. This has greater neurological information relayed to the motor control center in the cortex. Once the coordination is integrated to stabilize the structure, then concentric power can be realized and developed.
How this works in the case of the pull-up, first get to the top of the bar with assistance. Then slowly lower off while incrementally of loading legs assistance. TacFit people have seen this with using a jump box as a prop. i do a different modification of this principle, I call it Froggies. Froggies are analogous to the quad squat with top plane orientation. Froggies are an excellent GPP movement for climbing, and grappling.

[Joseph David]

ya how is the flowDome? I recall something about videos coming soon?
I was just thinking about that earlier this morning. I'm getting some new turf installed under the dome, when that's completed I'll film some of my new tabata circuits.

[Jarlo Ilano]

Coach Hurst is in Norway right now teaching, but he has a free program to address just these concerns.

He noticed that quite a few people have these issues with starting pullups, so he developed some ideas and progressions to help people out. I've seen the material and its great.

Look for that in the next couple of weeks!

[dharmadave]

Jarlo,

Where can I find that info? Will he be posting it here?

[s a fossett]

Jarlo,

Where can I find that info? Will he be posting it here?

Hey Dave. We're working on it, but it's going to be a couple of weeks until it's ready probably.

We're actually making a free program that takes people like you and me from zero to doing at least a few pull-ups in one or two weeks (that's right, I can barely do them either - just one or two really). It will use some techniques you may have seen before, but it isn't just going to be doing a lot of negatives or trying to grease the groove (hard to grease a groove that doesn't exist yet...).

Since Coach Hurst is busy shooting video for our next product release (be on the lookout come July), this free pull-up program is going to have to wait just a tad longer.

[exp626]

Is the program going to cover lat activation? There was a recent article over on T-nation (http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article_issue/issue_626#pull-up-strength) regarding pull-up strength and how if you couldn't do any doing at all then doing negatives was probably not going to help. Very interesting read ... looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with and maybe test it out on my wife. :)

[dharmadave]

Thanks Andy,

But I am still not clear what I am looking for. You said to "be on the look out." Are we talking parachuting DVD's launched from a single prop plane? One of those T-Shirt cannons blasting out pdf's? Am I going to get an email? Should I just google Coach Hurst + Pullup starting in July??

What is going to happen?!?!

[s a fossett]

Thanks Andy,

But I am still not clear what I am looking for. You said to "be on the look out." Are we talking parachuting DVD's launched from a single prop plane? One of those T-Shirt cannons blasting out pdf's? Am I going to get an email? Should I just google Coach Hurst + Pullup starting in July??

What is going to happen?!?!

I'm pretty sure you know who Coach Hurst is, and I know you're on our email list. I'd say you're covered. We'll release the details when we're ready to back them up with action.

[s a fossett]

The pull-up program will be out within days. You can get started with a few tips now by signing up at http://rings1.goldmedalbodies.com

[HereBeADragon]

I just got to take a look at this intro and its a simple, to the point type of plan. I plan to add it into my new cycle and see how it goes.

[s a fossett]

Glad you like the initial tips, Brian. Just to clarify, we are putting the finishing touches on a full pull-up program video and ebook that we'll be posting in a day or two (still free, but still awesome).

[HereBeADragon]

I know today was day 1 (no intensity) of my latest cycle so you've still got time to get me the program ;)

[Jarlo Ilano]

Here you go.

http://rings1.goldmedalbodies.com/free-pull-up-program/

[flacustom]

Downloaded it this morning from the e-mail link. Looks great! Simple, to the point and with your track record and the obvious CST base, how can it not work?

Thanks Jarlo, Ryan and that other guy...uhhh... oh yeah... Andy.

[Jarlo Ilano]

Downloaded it this morning from the e-mail link. Looks great! Simple, to the point and with your track record and the obvious CST base, how can it not work?

Thanks Jarlo, Ryan and that other guy...uhhh... oh yeah... Andy.

Thanks! And feel free to share the link with as many people as you can!

[s a fossett]

Thanks Jarlo, Ryan and that other guy...uhhh... oh yeah... Andy.

Thanks right back.

~That Other Guy

[poparuss]

A while back I purchased this aid to help with Pull Ups (which I couldn't do at the time):

Pull Up Assistant (http://www.unbeatablesale.com/sprtm460.html)

Although this is marketed to schools, it is great for adults looking for a practical training aid. You will need separate access to some sort of pull up station to mount it.

The best part of this unit it that it allows you to perform pull ups (chin ups, muscle ups) with perfect technique while using only the amount of body weight you can physically handle. You can incrementally progress simply by reducing the number of straps mounted. You can also easily incorporate this into Tacfit training.

[priyam]

Looks effective, Russ. I know there are also heavy duty rubber bands available for less $ that will do the same thing.




A while back I purchased this aid to help with Pull Ups (which I couldn't do at the time):

Pull Up Assistant (http://www.unbeatablesale.com/sprtm460.html)

Although this is marketed to schools, it is great for adults looking for a practical training aid. You will need separate access to some sort of pull up station to mount it.

The best part of this unit it that it allows you to perform pull ups (chin ups, muscle ups) with perfect technique while using only the amount of body weight you can physically handle. You can incrementally progress simply by reducing the number of straps mounted. You can also easily incorporate this into Tacfit training.

[poparuss]

Looks effective, Russ. I know there are also heavy duty rubber bands available for less $ that will do the same thing.

The Pull Up Assistant is on the high side of pricing (with a focus on safety). There are certainly less costly alternatives out there.

For a program like Tacfit R.O.P.E., the use of Heavy Duty Resistance Bands can really help with incremental progression while focusing on technique. The resistance levels offered by the bands themselves can be varied, with the ultimate goal obviously being no need for the bands at all.

Assisted Pull-ups w/ Heavy Duty Resistance Bands (http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-do-assisted-pull-ups-with-resistance-bands-207653/view/)