Advice for Pull-Up Goal

S

Soosan

Cathlete
Hi Cathe!

I set fitness goals every year and this year's goal is to be able to do one pull-up. At this point I can pull myself up about a centimeter:). I'm a classic ecto/hard gainer.

I have all of your DVD's as well as access to a Gravitron and other fitness equipment at the Y where I work. I prefer to use your strength workouts rather than work out at the Y, but since I started working on this goal, I've been doing chest & back at the Y once a week, but have otherwise been using your workouts. Could you please help me with a rotation and/or give me some guidance that might help me reach my goal? I'm giving myself until December to reach it.

I usually keep my cardio sessions to about 30 min 3 times a week so I can do power yoga on the same day. I do not want to lose weight.
 
Well, I could not do one a year ago and this afternoon I did 10. :D I could have done more but a friend was watching and I didn't want to be show-off-y.
Here's what I did-
I have a lat pull down machine and I would do 3 reps at my true maximum, rest 90 seconds, do 3 more at my true max, rest 90, etc. until I had done 10 sets like this. The next week, I would either increase the set to 4 reps or increase the weight and keep the reps the same. I gradually got closer to my own body weight in a pull-down exercise. If you do this, before you know it, you'll be pulling your body weight up, rather than pulling almost your body weight down. If you are going to a gym, try this for sure. I bet you could start with at least 60 pounds or so, b/c the back is a large area and this hits all those pull up mucles. Also, on Cathe's videos, keep upping your weights for biceps, esp. Chest, back, shoulders, forearms are also involved, so work them as well. A pull up is not an endurance thing if you are just going for ONE as your initial goal, so you will want to do sets that challenge you to raise your maximum over sets that encourage you to develop great endurance. I also did a few weeks of Gym Styles, with an initial goal of completing the sets using Cathe's weight selection. That was a big goal for me! But, I can now match her weight choices and do pull ups as well.
Good luck Soooooooooooooosan!! Rocky is cheering for you and I know you can do it!! :7
 
Thanks so much for the reply, Amy! Your method makes a lot of sense. How often would you suggest I do this? Is it worth it to continue with the Gravitron?

With Cathe's workouts, I up the weights whenever possible without sacrificing form. Upper body is a real challenge for me so I'm not often able to do so. Thank goodness for Platemates! I'm using P90X Shoulders & Arms in my current rotation, staying in the 8-10 rep range.

Congratulations on your 10 pull-ups! Wow! That's amazing to me! (Rocky thinks 10 is still wimpy and has not been very supportive of my goal of one since he can do about 2000.)
 
I would suggest one to two times per week on a pull down. That is one exercise that isn't in any of the videos, so just add that to your home regimen of videos. Most lat bars have wide grip and close grip hand placement options, so you can vary those for building strength as well as vary your hand position (underhand grip or overhand grip.) I personally find that an underhand close grip is the easiest for pull ups. Also, I forgot to mention that you can practice modified pull ups by using a chair or step near the pull up bar and allow your feet to carry some of your weight. As you progress, scoot it further away from you toward the front of your body so that it can bear less weight.
As for the Gravitron, I guess I don't know what that is. Funny, I thought it was a carnival ride where you stick to the wall when the thing starts spinning fast enough. ;) But, hey, whatever works!!!
 
Hi ladies! I was just reading your posts and this advice sounds great (I cannot do a single pull up either)! Question for you--doesn't the open/close and under/over grip work different muscles? If so, would it be best to get a combo workout between all of those while doing the pulldowns?

Funny Gravitron joke, I laughed outloud at that one!!

Thanks!
 
Yes, that is what I was trying to say. I didn't have a set of number of sets using one grip and a set number using the other grip, I just made sure to do some of both as well as some wide and some narrow grip for building overall strength in all those muscles that are recruited in pull ups.
Go Girls!
:7
 
Thanks again for the advice and encouragement, Amy!

A Gravitron is a machine that assists with pull-ups. You select a weight that assists you in pulling up so you are pulling up less than your body weight. I weigh about 130 and use about 50-60 lbs for 3 sets of 8 pull-ups which means I'm actually pulling up 70-80 lbs rather than my total body weight. It's still incredibly difficult for me and I'm guessing (hoping!) I'll need less and less assistance as I continue to work at it. I'm going to try your idea and do 3 sets of 3 reps with these and lat pull-downs.
 
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