Pull-Ups with Band Assist

[Gobias]

Hi All,

I just received the Rubberbanditz loop to help me with traditional pull-ups and have a question on proper form. I previously always used the pull up tower with legs out on the floor (like Brenda and Denise do on STS) (not hanging like Cathe).

It is a long band where I put my feet in the loop (not the short band I put my knees in the loop). Do I extend all the way down so my arms are about straight (not locked) and my feet almost touch the ground and hang like a monkey and then pull up? Or do I only extend partially down, keeping my arms bent at all times and feet well above the floor? I notice a lot of people keep their arms fairly bent rather than full downward extension.

Second question is when I use the loop, I am swinging all over the place! I don't just go up and down. My feet kind of swing forward as I pull up. I know it feels like I swing forward more than I really am because there is a mirror right next to me, but I am still swinging forward and then backwards. I watched the guys on STS and they don't swing. I noticed when I was swinging the most was when just my feet were in the band - I then put my feet in the band and pulled the band back to touch the sides of my hips so I was more squared up in the loop (did that make sense - it is as if I was wearing the loop like stirrup pants). I still swing, just less.

Perhaps the swinging will go away as I get stronger?

Thanks.

 

[desertambrosia]

Hi All,

I just received the Rubberbanditz loop to help me with traditional pull-ups and have a question on proper form. I previously always used the pull up tower with legs out on the floor (like Brenda and Denise do on STS) (not hanging like Cathe).

It is a long band where I put my feet in the loop (not the short band I put my knees in the loop). Do I extend all the way down so my arms are about straight (not locked) and my feet almost touch the ground and hang like a monkey and then pull up? Or do I only extend partially down, keeping my arms bent at all times and feet well above the floor? I notice a lot of people keep their arms fairly bent rather than full downward extension.

Second question is when I use the loop, I am swinging all over the place! I don't just go up and down. My feet kind of swing forward as I pull up. I know it feels like I swing forward more than I really am because there is a mirror right next to me, but I am still swinging forward and then backwards. I watched the guys on STS and they don't swing. I noticed when I was swinging the most was when just my feet were in the band - I then put my feet in the band and pulled the band back to touch the sides of my hips so I was more squared up in the loop (did that make sense - it is as if I was wearing the loop like stirrup pants). I still swing, just less.

Perhaps the swinging will go away as I get stronger?

Thanks.

Extend your arms, so they are straight. In fact, just hang there, with straight arms for a couple of seconds. Then pull your elbows down and back, using your lats. When your chin is above the bar, lower yourself very slowly, and just hang there again. The more you do pull-ups, the less you will swing.

 

[Gobias]

I tried pull-ups this morning and last night using your instructions and feel it much more in my back! I also swung less going slower. Thank you - I just noticed a lot of people kept their arms bent so I was thinking that kept the muscle under tension. I feel it much more going all the way to the bottom.

 

[jackie7]

I looked at the bands. How do you know which band to buy? what did you start with?

 

[Gobias]

Hi Jackie,

This is the band set I bought: http://rubberbanditz.com/home-page-featured-products/medium-heavy-resistance-band-combo/

In the write-up it states how many lbs of resistance each band is equivalent to. There were other sites I saw that said if you weigh X, get band Y. Or if you weigh A, get band B. However, I liked that the above link told me the approximate lb resistance provided. If you have ever done an assisted pull up on an assistance machine (usually at the gym), you will know how much lb resistance you need. {The higher the resistance provided, the easier it will be for you to do a pull-up. Heavy band makes it easier for you than a medium band}

The above set I bought - you can use the single heavy band, the single medium band, or use both for even more help (it is in the write-up).

For reference, I can't do a hanging unassisted pull-up on my own. I can do pull-ups like those done in STS by Denise and Brenda using the STS Tower (legs out in front of you on the floor). When I first got the bands, I was coming off several months of zero exercise due to an injury, so I used both bands and could "easily" do pull-ups. I have since been able to use just the single heavy band. I feel in a few weeks/months (?) I will be able to move to just the single medium band. (I do 30 seconds like in STS). I do NOT have a lot of upper body muscle (due to injury and just being me) - if you have more muscle, you could start with an easier band.

I saw some bands where you put your knees in (they are shorter bands), but I got the bands you put your feet in (they are longer bands).

These bands smell like vanilla! Not like stinky latex.

 

[jackie7]

Thanks for the info. I had no idea where to start!