Pro tips: how to learn to pull up a lot on the horizontal bar?

Greetings, dear readers. Just imagine, the Guinness record for pull-ups in one set is 232 repetitions! Incredible numbers, right? Especially for people who can't pull up at all. You are unlikely to achieve such numbers, although who knows. But I will definitely tell you how to learn how to pull up a lot!

To dispel all your doubts about whether to start pulling up or not, I will tell you about the benefits of this exercise.

Strength

Pull-ups involve almost every muscle in the upper body. It works the forearms, which close your iron grip on the bar, and the core muscles, which stabilize the lower back. All these muscles should not just work, but be strong and resilient!

Strong back

The back muscles take on the main work when doing pull-ups. This primarily includes the trapezius, the latissimus dorsi, and a bunch of deeper muscles located along the spine. The health of the spine depends on their fitness.

Proportions

Agree that the V-shaped back looks spectacular. To create such a shape, you need to pull yourself up, even with additional weights.

Drying the body

By incorporating pull-ups into your program, you can significantly increase your workout intensity and calorie expenditure. A wide variety of types of exercise will allow those who cannot perform a single standard pull-up to lose weight.

Varieties of pull-ups

Not all types of exercises are suitable for a beginner. For example, pull-ups on one arm are subject only to very experienced athletes.

In general, the exercise can be divided into two parameters - the width and direction of the grip.

1. A wide grip emphasizes the load on the lats. But be careful, this kind of movement is not safe for the shoulder joints.
2. Medium grip (width or slightly wider than shoulders) - evenly distributes the load between the muscles of the back, chest and arms
3. Narrow grip - Shifts the focus to the muscles of the hands

You can change not only the width, but also the direction of the grip: forward, reverse, neutral and mixed grip.

If you want to pump your biceps, use a reverse grip. With a straight grip, you can pull yourself up not only to your chest, but also behind your head, which will increase the load on your back muscles.

How to pull up correctly

Before we talk about correct technique, let me remind you that our goal is to learn how to pull up on the horizontal bar many times. Therefore, we will focus on pull-ups with an average grip.

So let's go:

1. Choose a crossbar of such a height that you do not have to jump high to reach it.
2. And make sure that the crossbar is flat, that is, parallel to the horizon. Otherwise, you are provided with an asymmetric load, and it’s not far from injury
3. Position yourself under the crossbar. If you can then jump up and wrap your arms around it, if jumping is not your strong point, then use a stand
4. The grip should be closed - the thumb covers the horizontal bar in front
5. Wait until the body stops swinging on the horizontal bar. At the same time, keep the muscles of the shoulder girdle in tension.
6. At the beginning of the movement, bring the shoulder blades together, as if you want to squeeze a pencil between them.
7. Gently pull yourself up to the bar, arching your back slightly and pushing your chest forward. Rise up until the bar is a couple of centimeters from the top of the chest
8. When moving up, do not jerk your legs to give yourself extra momentum.
9. Lower yourself back to the starting position slowly and under control. At the bottom of the trajectory, leave your arms slightly bent and tense. Do not relax the latissimus dorsi muscles either.
10. Perform the exercise until the technique breaks.
11. Briefly about breathing. We go up - exhale, go down - inhale
12. Try not to jump off the bar, but lower yourself using the stand

And now about everything that has been said, only visually:

Best Methods for Increasing Pullups

Before embarking on a particular method, conduct an initial test that will determine your starting point.

Warm up well beforehand. Perform tilts of the head and torso, rotations of the arms and legs. Do some light stretching.

Now you just need to go to the crossbar and with the right technique pull yourself up for the maximum number of times before breaking the technique. If you didn’t manage to pull yourself up at all, it doesn’t matter! We have a solution for such cases!

Inverse and direct progression method

If in your school years you were fond of horizontal bars, then you probably know the game "ladder". For those who are not in the subject, I will explain. Two opponents take turns performing pull-ups, starting with one repetition and each time increasing their number by 1 repetition. The winner is the one who last completes the required number of pull-ups. So this is an exact copy of the direct progression method.

The reverse progression, on the contrary, begins with a large number of pull-ups. Then, in each subsequent approach, the number of pull-ups decreases.

The method of reverse and direct progression can be used not only within one training session, but throughout the entire training cycle.

You need to train according to this scheme 3 times a week, every other day. Do 5 sets using the reverse progression method. But from week to week, increase the number of repetitions in each approach. As you can see, the program implies that you already know how to pull yourself up. If not, then you will have to devote several weeks to the preparatory exercises, which I will discuss in the following chapters.

Advantages of the method:

• Simplicity
• The direct progression method follows the main principle of increasing muscle mass - the load must increase

• Not suitable for beginners

The negative pull-up method

Use it if you want to learn how to pull up from scratch.

The essence of the method is to exclude the entire phase of the rise up. You only put in effort when you go down. If you already know how to pull up, then use an additional weight with which you will not be able to pull up, but you will be able to lower under control. It is easier for beginners, they do not need weights.

How to take a starting position?

1. You can use a high stand that will allow you to sit in the starting position (chin above the bar)
2. Ask a partner to help you climb up
3. Use a low bar that will be slightly higher than your head. In this case, jumping slightly, take your starting position. At the same time, your legs will have to be bent so that they do not touch the floor when you lower

This technique can be used in preparation for the 30 Week Pull Up program. You have to train 3 times a week, adhering to the same number of repetitions and approaches as in the mentioned program.

• Suitable for beginners
• They put more stress on the muscles, which stimulates their more active growth.
• Complement your standard workout

• Should not be used frequently. Due to the increased load on the muscles
• Requires additional equipment or partner assistance

Lewis Armstrong pull-up program

The training scheme was designed by Marine Corps officer Charles Lewis Armstrong. His goal was to increase the number of pull-ups in one set to the maximum possible number. Just what we need!

What did the American officer's training program consist of? It included 5 classes per week, and after 2 days of rest.

Monday is a tough day. You need to master 5 approaches, performing each to failure. But you can not violate the correct technique!

Tuesday is pyramid day. Consider the direct progression method. Start with one repetition and continue to the maximum number of repetitions. And after pulling up for the maximum number of times, do one more approach to failure.

Wednesday. Your task is to do 9 trips with a fixed number of repetitions. And every three approaches, you need to change the grip. Stretch first with a wide grip, then with a medium grip, and finally with a reverse narrow grip.

Thursday. It will remind you of the environment, but there will be not 9 approaches, but a maximum. If you manage more than 9 sets, then next week add 1 rep to each set of each day.

Friday is a day of remembrance. Remember which of the previous days was the most difficult, and repeat it.

Watch the video as a visual aid:

• A variety of loads allows you to comprehensively work out the muscles of the arms, deltas, chest and back
• Will help to quickly improve results in pull-ups for genetically gifted athletes

• Not suitable for beginners
• High chance of overtraining

Auxiliary exercises for beginners

If you want to pull yourself up, but you can’t do it, then you can listen to the advice of experienced fitness trainers. Do not immediately run to the crossbar, start with general strengthening exercises!

If earlier you saw sports only in pictures or you are a fragile girl, then at the initial stage you can train according to the system of physical development of Evgeny Sandov.

Exercises:

• Dumbbell Bent Over - 10 reps

• Push-ups - complete to failure
• Standing Dumbbell Alternate Curl – 25 reps per arm
• Raise your arms with dumbbells to the sides, palms facing up. Flex and extend both arms - do 25 reps

• Side Dumbbell Raises – do 15 reps

• Dumbbell front raises - do 15 reps
• Raise your arms with dumbbells to the sides, palms facing down. Move your hands up and down and back and forth. Run to failure
• Take a dumbbell by one end and spread your arms out to the sides. Rotate the brushes forward, then back. Run to failure
• Lying Leg Raises - Complete to Failure

As an exercise of imitating pull-ups, a vertical block pull to the chest or a dumbbell pull to the belt in an inclination is suitable.

At the second stage, include Australian pull-ups in the complex. You can perform the exercise according to the program "Pull-ups in 30 weeks."

We will listen to the advice of professionals who have gone from zero pull-ups to setting records and answer frequently asked questions.

What to do if you never manage to pull yourself up on the crossbar?

Use regular dumbbell and machine exercises to build muscle. But do not forget that the key to muscle growth is proper nutrition.

If you are overweight, then first you have to lose weight. By creating a calorie deficit in the diet.

Use pull-ups in half amplitude.

Pull-up secrets or how to pull up more

The duration of classes should be no more than 40 minutes a day.

Reduce the load on training if you feel that you do not have time to recover.

What exercises can be done on the bar?

• To facilitate pull-ups, use an expander
• Great exercise - pull-ups on the low bar

A few last words

The summary is this: anyone can learn to pull up. Moreover, you are able to bring your results to fantastic values. The main thing is to believe in yourself!

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