How to do chinup/pullups!!!

[gratefuldog]

I am on my second week of sts. I have a pull up bar that is attached to the ceiling of my basement. I can not do a single pullup/chinup!! How do you modify? I have tried putting my foot on a bench and helping myself along, but I feel like I am cheating too much and not getting the benefits I would be if I were doing one of Cathe's alternatives like using the band instead.
Any suggestions? I am determined to be able to do atleast one unassisted!
Thanks!

 

[Stebby]

I'd like to know this too! I just started P90X and all I can do is hang from the bar. I'm using both an elastic assist and one toe on a chair, and I can get up that way, but I think I've modified it down to the point that I'm only lifting 20 lbs or so!

I went through STS using the bands - I don't think it's the same and I would really love some tips on how to learn how to do a proper chin-up.

Stebby

 

[Terina]

I'm rite there with you both and i had the tower to modify :0

cgishops.com

 

[Epcot Chick]

I do the toe on the chair thing as well. I think I'm going to have get the tower and work up to proper chin ups/pull ups from there.

Sent from my iPod touch using CatheForum

 

[steph_arena]

When I strted P90x the first time i used the bands attached to the bar and felt great...Second time around I used the chair...
The chair assisted are way harder...If you want to make it even harder use the assist of your toes on the way up and on the way down go SLOWLY without any assist. work the negative... I went from not doing any to now being able to do 3 unassisted (which was my lifelong dream)
hope this helps..

If you have any access to a gym use the assisted pull-up machine (my fav)

 

[Shantabulous]

These are probably the exercise that I HATE the most. In P90X I did all of mine assisted (used one foot on a chair) and concentrated on the negative like Steph suggested. I contemplated buying one of the assist apparatuses, but haven't gone back to P90X after doing the first round. STS is just way superior in my opinion .

 

[dreamyjeanie]

I have used the chair method with STS and P90X and was able eventually to do 2 unassisted pull-ups. From searching the web, negatives appear to be the most common method of building up the strength. Good luck. One thing I noticed is if you don't keep pull-ups in your routine, you lose the strength to do they very quickly, like in just 2-3 weeks.

Easy Ways To Perform Pull Ups | LIVESTRONG.COM

Quickest Ways To Improve Pull Ups | LIVESTRONG.COM

Easy Way to Do Pull-Ups | eHow.com

 

[dennyr]

Me too...

I too struggle with chinups/pullups and gave up-I have notorious weak upper body strength. I'm thinking about getting the Turbo Tower just so I can get stronger by doing the horizontal pullups and then proceeding to full vertical ones. Looks like the tower is also good for incrementing to full pushups.

Altus Athletic

Does anyone here have experience with doing pullups/pushups on the Turbo Tower?