If you want to get better at something you have to practise it. The Pull up is a no different and can be broken up into different skills:
- Grip Strength
- Range Of Motion
- Pulling strength
- Core Coordination
1 – Grip Strength
Your hands connect you to the bar, making that as strong enough to hold your bodyweight is a MUST. If you cannot hold your bodyweight you will not be able to pull yourself over the bar.
If hanging from bar is too much do not worry. Improving on movements like Lat Pulldowns, Inverted Rows, Bent Over Rows, Farm Carries and Deadlift will slowly improve that over time because you’ll be using your grip
If you can already hang for 60 seconds you are ready for different challenges from fat grips’, rope climbing and hanging leg raises.
2 – Range Of Motion
Another underlooked section is can you get your hands over your head smoothly. We are looking for the body to work with us and not against us.
So warm up by stretching out the under your armpit, back of your arms and stomach will give you the best chance to keep that range of motion available and smooth. Stretches like Pray stretch, Cat Pose, Seal pose would be a great body check
Then once you have opened up the space getting moving in that range to make it stick. exercises like a Db Pullover, Dislocations, Rear flyes, chest flyes,Y- raises and even Shoulder C.A.R.S will make sure you not only have the range but also are able to use it.
3 – Pulling Strength
You are going to be pulling your whole body after all, So you’ll need the right muscles for the job once you can get you hands over head and hold your bodyweight. Training your back, biceps will be important to getting your chin over this bar.
Bent Over Rows, Lat Pull Downs and Inverted Rows are a great place to build them pulling muscles.
Another tool that will be helpful are Scap Pull Ups and Lat Pulldown Scapular Retractions. These isolate the muscle between your shoulder blades getting you to pull with your back first and not your arm getting you to use your back more effectively to get your chin over the bar.
This could also be done on all rowing motions as well.
Once you are able to control a good hang you will be ready to do add in Scap Pull Ups until then stick to the Lat Pulldown Scapular Retractions to reduce the load.
Another great tool are Negative Pull Ups, with these you start with you chin over the top of the bar and slowly lower yourself into the Dead Hang position, these will get you used to handling your own body weight.
For people who you are doing reps at bodyweight do not shy away from adding weight and treating this like another lift within the gym you want to get stronger at by adding more weight over time
4- Full Body Coordination
This Pull up is more than just an upper body movement, it involves the whole body. The Upper body moves and the lower body is ridge so the upper body and generate force.
Your best starting point for this is a hollow hold as it will teach you to squeeze your trunk and your legs together. Once you have that down you can add it to hanging on a bar.
Another great option is a hanging knee raise, they get you stabilizing your body with your shoulders and lats while pulling your legs to your ribs.
One Last Consideration
There’s no way around this, your strength relative to your bodyweight matters.Lifting 50kg is easier than lifting 100kg on a barbell so it is no different here.
The more you weigh the stronger you are going to need to be. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start practicing, you will just have to scale back on the Pull Ups and if you are serious about getting your first pull up consider reducing your bodyweight
Think of it like trying to climb onto a roof. You can build a stronger ladder, make the climb lighter or ideally, do both.
Bringing This Together
Now you have all the parts to improve your pull ups, it’s time to get to work. Below is an example of how to put it together.
Session Example
A1) Cat Stretch or Pray Stretch 1-2 x 60 seconds
A2) Db Pullover 1-2 x 12-15
A3) Dislocations 1-2 x 12-15
B1) Pull Strength
Pull ups Or Chins up 5 x 3-5
*if you can only do Negative Reps that is great, if not use the lat pull down to build up your strength*
C1) Inverted Row or Bend Over Row 3x 12-15
C2) Scap Pull Ups and Lat Pulldown Scapular Retractions 3x 12-15
D1) Incline Hammer Curls 3×12-15
D2) Incline Tricep Extension 3×12-15
E1) Deadhang or Hanging Knee Raise or Hollow Holds 2 x AMRAP
The Bigger Picture
The Pull up is a challenging feat of strength and a great accomplishment, it just takes practice and patience to get there. And it will carry over to much more than just pulling yourself over a bar due to increased strength and awareness across your back, grip, arms and shoulders.
If you’re unsure where to start or want help working towards your first pull up, speak to one of the coaches next time you’re in the gym. That’s exactly what we’re here for.
