Pullups.... upping the reps!

[99benmoore]

Ok so Ive been after increasing my max reps for pullups to 25 for a while.... i got to 20 a few months back but then illness/exams struck and lazyness soon followed :(

Now im back down to maybe 12 at most... not good at all!

So ive had a dig around on the internet and been looking for different ideas on increasing ones pullup endurance and found the following which sounded a bit different ^_^:

-100 pullup challenge (found on some climbing website):
The goal is to work up to doing 5 pullups every min on the min for 20 mins... a total of 100 pullups. If this is to difficult start off with 10 mins or use a reduced number of pullups per min.

I guess this technique could be easily adjusted for progession....

-Ladders:
You need a friend for this one... you perform a pullup, your friend performs a pullup, you perform two, they perform two, you perform three, they perform three.... etc etc until failure then the last person standing carries on till failure. Progression is fairly obvious...

-Grease the groove:
Perform a submaximal number of pullups on the hour every hour or something similar, performed 2-3 times a week. Ive tried this before and quite frankly had next to no gains with it. Progression could be to increase frequency or increase reps.

So theres some of the techniques ive dug up... can you guys suggest some more? perhaps we could get a little challenge going between us :P

[koltz]

I reccomend Grease the groove ,, but you didin't get the idea right:
basicly you work out 6 days a week about half the reps you can usually do and do it either every hour or even each time you pass by the pullup bar...

I know this method works becuase one time when I knew nothign about working out I done the same and my pullup number increaced dramatically without knowing what I was doing ..
I have a big problem getting more then 20 reps... EAch time I work up to 20 something and do it a while I get sore then lazy then I can't do as much pullups... so I reccomend tryign to stay fresh and testing 2 times a week before the rest day (I think if you already go all the way why not do a really MEAAAN dropset untill you can't even hold your self while chinning, or even do dumbell rows after that point) and then do the off day..

[99benmoore]

I reccomend Grease the groove ,, but you didin't get the idea right:
basicly you work out 6 days a week about half the reps you can usually do and do it either every hour or even each time you pass by the pullup bar...

I know this method works becuase one time when I knew nothign about working out I done the same and my pullup number increaced dramatically without knowing what I was doing ..
I have a big problem getting more then 20 reps... EAch time I work up to 20 something and do it a while I get sore then lazy then I can't do as much pullups... so I reccomend tryign to stay fresh and testing 2 times a week before the rest day (I think if you already go all the way why not do a really MEAAAN dropset untill you can't even hold your self while chinning, or even do dumbell rows after that point) and then do the off day..

6 DAYS! :o

dam Ive always been sceptical of such regular training.... i mean I know the idea of this technique is regular submaximal number or reps over the day hardly the same as just busting out a few sets till failure.... but is there really enough rest in there?

gargh i REALLY want 25 pullups! :(

[koltz]

hmm yes 6 days is the principle of GtG it's not just me being a HFT(High frequency training) junkie

This is on top of your regular workouts too.

now if you think you are not allowing enough rest here are some points for you:

1. you get some rest while you sleep and not work out anyway
2. doing about half or less then what you normally do will not over train the nervous system because you don't reach faliure or any isometric hold
3.It's really hard to over train the muscle itself whatever you do unless you got like 20 year heavy powerlifting expiriance and try to work on an isolating machine overtraining usualyl refers to other systems in the body perticulary the central nervous system.
4. the more your are conditioned the faster you recover , many amzing stronngman and gymnasts claim thier strength is due to the ability to recover from 6 hour 6 day high intensity workouts.
when you rest after every tiime you get a mere pump you don't train yyour recovery but ofcource you can;t just jump in your gym and kill yourself all at once

in other words , Keep the tonnage and motivation high , envision yourself doing the move, and you get better in it! yes strength acording to whoeer made grease the groove is a "skill" in that that it's just a matter of nerve coordination.
if you still get sore don't do too much of it but two or three sets throughout the day could do.
worse thing you can get then soreness is general fetiuge this means other systems gave up... you can still work out in that situation but it isn't that healthy and impars your max performance if you are not motivated and tough minded.

[99benmoore]

I might give GTG another go some time soon :D

I thought I would have a go at seeing how many pullups i could do in 24 hours a little while ago... tried it straight after coming home from work (bad idea i was exhausted hehe). I only managed 6 and a half hours before i was just to sleepy and the bar was beginning to get wet from blisters popping on my hands as i was performing the actual pullups (i havent had blisters on my hands for YEARS!). I think in that time I only did 436 pullups - I was pacing myself to do one on the minete, every minete for 24 hours... ah well :(

[koltz]

436 pullups when you can only max 12? holy cow! I think I might try that one one day..... probably If I'm on vacation

[99benmoore]

436 pullups when you can only max 12? holy cow! I think I might try that one one day..... probably If I'm on vacation

yah I know i could have gone on for much further if I had started when a bit fresher and not straight after work. Make sure you have plenty of sleep beforehand.

[koltz]

yeah that's why I said vacation...

[99benmoore]

yeah that's why I said vacation...

so with you being a high frequency nut and all - what do you think of the Armstrong pullup program?.. its written up several times on the web - can be found easily with a googlesearch.

[koltz]

Hmm , I kinda like it... I have no idea about how well it might work or not but it seems okey , although I'm sure many trainees would prefer to keep working thier entire body instead of pushing and emphesized pulling

[Celcius]

I heard good things about the program below, but never tried it.


http://www.4mcd.usmc.mil/AOP/OSOHyattsville/Armstrong%20Pullup%20Program.htm

Here is a method one Marine in my unit used, he claimed to do over 70 pull ups, no one saw it. The guys back did look extremely developed, so it's possible.

He would do a ladder up to half his reps.
Let's say he cold do 40 to begin with. So he would start with 1, than after few seconds 2, than 3 and up to 20.
He would than rest a few minutes repeat the whole thing starting with 1 rep and going up to 20. He would stop when he could not do 20.

Everyother workout or so, he would hold a dumbell between his ankles.
Some workouts he went slow and some plyometrics.

Every 2-3 weeks he would test himself and decide what the half of his max is.

The fact that it worked for him doesn't mean it will work for everyone.

Take a look at this method and one by Mr. Armstrong and see which fits you more.

[99benmoore]

I heard good things about the program below, but never tried it.


http://www.4mcd.usmc.mil/AOP/OSOHyattsville/Armstrong%20Pullup%20Program.htm

Here is a method one Marine in my unit used, he claimed to do over 70 pull ups, no one saw it. The guys back did look extremely developed, so it's possible.

He would do a ladder up to half his reps.
Let's say he cold do 40 to begin with. So he would start with 1, than after few seconds 2, than 3 and up to 20.
He would than rest a few minutes repeat the whole thing starting with 1 rep and going up to 20. He would stop when he could not do 20.

Everyother workout or so, he would hold a dumbell between his ankles.
Some workouts he went slow and some plyometrics.

Every 2-3 weeks he would test himself and decide what the half of his max is.

The fact that it worked for him doesn't mean it will work for everyone.

Take a look at this method and one by Mr. Armstrong and see which fits you more.

Thanks dude, nice post.

Aye I mentioned the armstrong workout earlier - seemed like fairly heavey over training to me - and the kind of workout that would kind of limit any other sports/activities you do or risk serious overtraining... Maybe Ill save Armstrong as a last resort.

I do like the sound of this other variation of the ladder method - although when performing the ladder its traditionaly done with a partner - you do 1, they do 1, you do 2, they do 2... etc etc.... which makes timing between "sets" easy. How did your friend time between the sets - or was it more or less just a case of using the rest pause technique?

That's true. Armstrong method limits you to the few exercises, so it sort of stops the other activities. Same with grease the grove. I will rather the ladder as well.

[ek2]

Well, I can't even do one pullup. Can anyone give me tips to be able to work up to at least one or more pullups?

[Celcius]

Well, I can't even do one pullup. Can anyone give me tips to be able to work up to at least one or more pullups?

First you must hang well. Once you can hang begin to depress and elevate your scapull while hanging. That means allow your shoulders to go up to your ears and than pull them down.
Than work on horizontal pull ups/rows.
Than use a jump or a chair to go up into flexed arm pull up postion and hold it for as long as possible than slow let yourself into straigh arm hanging position.

You will be able to do pull ups after that.
If you can do one, you will be able to do more with time.

Got questions? Fire away. I'll try to answer them.

[plancheismine]

[quote="Celcius"]I heard good things about the program below, but never tried it.
http://www.4mcd.usmc.mil/AOP/OSOHyattsville/Armstrong%20Pullup%20Program.htm
quote]
seems like overtraining with that many pull ups. I might have given it a try but I so tons of other exercises although I am working towards the school record for me which is 22. I can do about 17.

[koltz]

That's true. Armstrong method limits you to the few exercises, so it sort of stops the other activities. Same with grease the grove. I will rather the ladder as well.
Actually with GTG you are supposed to work out somewhat normal in addition to it , oviously taking into consideration the extra sets

[99benmoore]

That's true. Armstrong method limits you to the few exercises, so it sort of stops the other activities. Same with grease the grove. I will rather the ladder as well.
Actually with GTG you are supposed to work out somewhat normal in addition to it , oviously taking into consideration the extra sets

Ive also been dying to try out this 20 level challenge ^_^

Looking at the exercises it seems that the progression used will build a nice strong foundation - grip endurance, working muscles through various planes of motion, static holds and the such... perhaps perform 20 level three times a week whilst at the same time giving GTG a second try?

Or i suppose even some ladders straight after the workout would help... and also keep me with the pullups while I work through the first few levels which dont incorporate any actual pullups.