Pull Ups

S

sonja5150

Cathlete
Cathe, I really liked doing 'assisted pull ups' at the gym. Is there an exercise with free weights that works the same group of muscles in the back as the assisted pull up machine?

I thought maybe the pullovers would do it, but I don't feel it the same. Maybe I need to use a heavier weight?

Sonja
 
Not Cathe (obviously!),but pullovers are pretty close to the same move (especially, it seems to me, if you do them at a decline--head a bit lower than feet, since this puts the pull of gravity a bit more in the same plane as with pull-ups).

Even closer are pull-downs, which you can do using heavy resistance cords (Lifeline makes some heavy duty ones, which you can find in some online) and a door attachment that safely attaches at the top of a door by closing the door on it (this --- http://www.sissel-online.com/models/580_tda-100.php is the best one I've seen---no risk of it slipping out from between the door and the door jamb). You just attach the tube to the top of a door, kneel down a couple of feet in front of the door, and pull down. (You can also angle your body to get the right movement pattern, and put a knot in the tube to make it shorter and therefore harder).

You could also get a door-mounted pull-up bar, and put one or both feet on the back of a sturdy chair (or a kitchen chair with weight plates on the seat to make it more stable) for assistance.

Some people also use heavy duty elastic bands to do assisted pull-ups at home with a door-mounted pull-up bar.

HTH!
 
I'd suggest getting a pullup bar for home. Finding the right variation also depends on which part of the back you're working, which depends on how close or wide your grip is & whether it's overhand or underhand (underhand being much easier). I love the assisted pullup machine at the gym, but I'll be getting a pullup bar for Xmas specially for those weeks I can't get to the club. :)

The nice thing about the pullup bar is you can also use it as a sub at home for pulldowns. I do assisted pullups, wide grip & close grip pulldowns at the gym. But I know if I miss a gym workout I can do close grip, wide grip, underhand & overhand pullups & maybe end up with an even better back workout than the gym routine. Let's face it, there's no better back exercise than the good old pullup!

Oh, & when I do regular pullups I start w/a set of 10, then a set of 8, then 6, etc. Not b/c of a workout strategy, but b/c that's all I can do. ;-)

Sorry Cathe, didn't mean to hijack your forum. :p
 
Actually, pullovers work the chest primarily. The back does play a role, but it's mainly an exercise for the chest.

Why not keep doing pull ups? It's one of the best exercises for the back.
 
I thought pullovers were for the back not the chest. No wonder I wasn't feeling it in my back. I don't use the gym anymore, so I wanted to replace the pull up machine with free weights. Thanks for all the ideas. I will looking into getting either a bar or the tubing.

Sonja.
 
To feel the pullover in the back, you really need to activate the lats - move slowly - and pull a 'heavy bucket out of the water' like Cathe says in S&H. Pull through the elbows and flex into the lats.
 
Some of the gals at videofitness clued me in on the Flowbar (flowbar.net) for doing the new p90x+ that's coming out - actually I've already ordered it...it is nifty, slides over your door and since, most of us will never do a real pullup (and who wants to anyway) - its a great and affordable gadget.
 
>I thought pullovers were for the back not the chest. No
>wonder I wasn't feeling it in my back.

Pullovers work back and/or chest, depending on how you do them. If you pull with your back, and don't bring the weights as far forward, and keep your hips level with the upper body, they hit the back more. If you drop your hips, and pull the weight farther forward, they work the chest more.

A lot of where the move hits depends on putting your mind in the right muscle.

Here's some info on pullovers for the back: http://exercise.about.com/library/blbackexercises2.htm (if you do a search on 'pullovers back,' you will find more info).
 
>Some of the gals at videofitness clued me in on the Flowbar
>(flowbar.net) for doing the new p90x+ that's coming out -
>actually I've already ordered it...it is nifty, slides over
>your door and since, most of us will never do a real pullup
>(and who wants to anyway) - its a great and affordable
>gadget.

Not the same thing, but this reminds me: if you have a stable ballet-barre (like Fluidity---"Flow" bar reminded me of "FLuidity" bar,LOL!) you can use it to do pull-ups from a lying-on the floor position.
 
Hi Sonja! This is a tough one to get the same exact results with. You can try a superset of one arm rows with heavy dumbbell and lat pull downs with the resistance band (use medium to heavy tension on band). Do three sets (ie: one arm row, right arm 15 reps, then left arm 15 reps, then grab band and pull out to sides from an overhead position. Pull down slowly and go up slowly for 10 reps....Ok, all of that equals one superset. Do two more just like that.)

Btw, you are right, pullovers definitely work the back (in addition to the chest) but not in the same way as a pull up:)
 
> will never do a real pullup (and who wants to anyway).

I just had to jump in here.....what do you mean "who wants to anyway"????? Oh my....once you do one, just one, you will be hopelessly hooked, life as you know it will change overnight, you will see pullup bars in your sleep and dream of doing one more, and then...........

wait a minute...Kathryn...did I just see that you have, like over 12,000 posts? holy cow girl! I take a short break from regular posting on the forum and you jumped from like 4000 to 12000. Whew....your amazing!

Back to rnyogamom, come chat on the chinup thread and we'll get ya hooked!!;) ;) ;) ;)

Briee
 
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