How To Increase # of pull-ups

[HelpMeLift]

Hey guys i'm just curious what exercises would help increase my # of repititions for bw pull-ups?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Canadian Crippler]

Weighted pullups. Non weighted pullups.

[Built]

Well, the short answer would be "do more pullups"

Other possibilities include dropping weight, but at 139, um, no.

Here's what I do for these:

Go to the Smith machine, and set the bar at just above eye level.

Do negative chins, getting to the UP position any way you can. I start out doing unassisted chins to get to "up", go "down" to a count of 3-5 seconds, then get back to "up", assisting with the backs of my toes.

Hold in the "up" position for a few seconds before slowly dropping.

You could try that.

[HelpMeLift]

Weighted pullups. Non weighted pullups.

non-weighted b/c those are hard for me as of now.

Well, the short answer would be "do more pullups"

Other possibilities include dropping weight, but at 139, um, no.

Here's what I do for these:

Go to the Smith machine, and set the bar at just above eye level.

Do negative chins, getting to the UP position any way you can. I start out doing unassisted chins to get to "up", go "down" to a count of 3-5 seconds, then get back to "up", assisting with the backs of my toes.

Hold in the "up" position for a few seconds before slowly dropping.

You could try that.

thanks a lot! I'll definitely try that.

[Minotaur]

Hey guys i'm just curious what exercises would help increase my # of repititions for bw pull-ups?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

One more each time.

[Built]

thanks a lot! I'll definitely try that.

They're brutal, and they look like NOTHING. Prepare to have your ego assaulted. You might choose to strap yourself in for them - I don't want to be thinking about my grip weakness ( I have no grip strength. LOL!) while I'm doing them. I just want to be thinking of my lats.

[HelpMeLift]

I'll make sure that I do these then.
and speaking of lats, am I doing something wrong because I never feel any soreness in my lats after pullups. I just feel like I had the wind knocked out of me.

[Built]

Okay, I've had this one too.

I have had the worst time waking up my lats.

Try this: when you're doing your little fakie chins off the smith, really arch your back, your feet will be touching the floor several feet behind your body, the tops of your feet will be facing the floor. Try to concentrate on keeping that arch in your back when you do these.

Between sets of these (5 sets of 5 is a good starting point), do lat stretches, but here's the trick to those: hold a vertical post with an OVERHAND grip. So, for instance, to stretch out your right lat, use your right hand, face the thumb DOWN and the palm to your RIGHT. Pull and lean toward the right.

If you do this right, it'll hurt like hell and you'll think you're ripping the muscle off the bone. Be careful, but it IS supposed to hurt.

Tuck in 4 of these stretches per side.

So, do a set of 5 slow negs, then a stretch on each side. Rest. Repeat. Finish with your last set of 5.

Make sense?

[MixmasterNash]

Can you do any pullups?

If yes:
You need to train around your current strength levels, both below (with an easier method like Built suggests for higher reps) and above (with small additional weights).

If no:
Try doing negatives, and start with chinups because they're a little easier.

[Sensei]

How many can you do now?

I've done a lot of different pull-up routines to get increase my pull-ups, but the things that seemed to work were more or less simply a matter of increasing my volume.
You'll probably want to vary your grip (width and pronate/supinate/parallel).

Some things you could try:
*Try to increase the number of total pullups you do every workout, or every week (without worrying about # of sets)
*Do a predetermined number of sets and try to increase the total number of pullups
*Do a predetermined number of pullups and try to decrease the number of sets it takes to get there
*Do pull-ups more frequently (more total sets throughout the week)
*Do ladders and go as high as you can (set 1 = 1, set 2 = 2, set 3 = 3, etc.), or do reverse ladders (set 1 = 10, set 2 = 9, set 3 = 8, etc.)

[HelpMeLift]

Okay, I've had this one too.

I have had the worst time waking up my lats.

Try this: when you're doing your little fakie chins off the smith, really arch your back, your feet will be touching the floor several feet behind your body, the tops of your feet will be facing the floor. Try to concentrate on keeping that arch in your back when you do these.

Between sets of these (5 sets of 5 is a good starting point), do lat stretches, but here's the trick to those: hold a vertical post with an OVERHAND grip. So, for instance, to stretch out your right lat, use your right hand, face the thumb DOWN and the palm to your RIGHT. Pull and lean toward the right.

If you do this right, it'll hurt like hell and you'll think you're ripping the muscle off the bone. Be careful, but it IS supposed to hurt.

Tuck in 4 of these stretches per side.

So, do a set of 5 slow negs, then a stretch on each side. Rest. Repeat. Finish with your last set of 5.

Make sense?

very comprehensive... thanks you very much! now i finally know how to stretch my friggen lats.

Can you do any pullups?

yes I can but only a few. I've tried training with additional weights but I have a very hard time holding the db between my legs.

How many can you do now?

I've done a lot of different pull-up routines to get increase my pull-ups, but the things that seemed to work were more or less simply a matter of increasing my volume.
You'll probably want to vary your grip (width and pronate/supinate/parallel).

Some things you could try:
*Try to increase the number of total pullups you do every workout, or every week (without worrying about # of sets)
*Do a predetermined number of sets and try to increase the total number of pullups
*Do a predetermined number of pullups and try to decrease the number of sets it takes to get there
*Do pull-ups more frequently (more total sets throughout the week)
*Do ladders and go as high as you can (set 1 = 1, set 2 = 2, set 3 = 3, etc.), or do reverse ladders (set 1 = 10, set 2 = 9, set 3 = 8, etc.)

the most I have ever done were 11 pullups. right now I think I can get in around 8. I use a slightly wider than shoulder width grip. could you explain the difference between those types of grips? thank you very much and I'll try doing the predetermined # of pullups for each workout.

[Sensei]

the most I have ever done were 11 pullups. right now I think I can get in around 8. I use a slightly wider than shoulder width grip. could you explain the difference between those types of grips? thank you very much and I'll try doing the predetermined # of pullups for each workout.

*pronated grip = overhand grip
*supinated grip = underhand grip
*parallel grip = w. v-bar attachment draped over the pullup bar or if your gym already has a pull-up station w. parallel grips (hands facing each other)
*wide, shoulder, close grips

[d'Anconia]

Yeah if I were you I'd do both weighted and non-weighted to get your reps up. BTW why do you find it so important to be able to do a bunch of reps? I assume that bragging rights is part of it but wouldn't you rather just have big and buff lats? After all you are only 139 lbs...

[ShockBoxer]

The military demands a certain amount. When I weighed 145 I could do that amount. If I were still an active reservist I'd either have 1) A sarge screaming at me through an hour of pull ups or 2) A nice pile of discharge papers.

Certain sports coaches demand a certain amount as well. Volume on pull ups is a good thing to have.

[Progress]

+1 to Built's suggestion on doing negatives. I do weighted pull-ups where I focus on the negatives and have really liked them.

[d'Anconia]

How many do you guys have to do? God it must really suck for the tall people and people with big legs (um like me...). LOL where does our military come up with some of these ideas? I understand being able to climb up a rope but use that as a test, not pull-ups.

[HelpMeLift]

Yeah if I were you I'd do both weighted and non-weighted to get your reps up. BTW why do you find it so important to be able to do a bunch of reps? I assume that bragging rights is part of it but wouldn't you rather just have big and buff lats? After all you are only 139 lbs...

nope not for bragging rights... I wanna go to a service academy and as ShockBoxer said, you need a decent amount in order to pass the test.

ShockBoxer I'm just curious, how was your experience in service?

and Progress, how do you keep the db wrapped in between your legs? It always falls out or tilts to one side for me.

[HelpMeLift]

How many do you guys have to do? God it must really suck for the tall people and people with big legs (um like me...). LOL where does our military come up with some of these ideas? I understand being able to climb up a rope but use that as a test, not pull-ups.

for pull-ups, 18 for men within 2 minutes is 100%.

[MixmasterNash]

Pullups are essentially the same motion as rope climbing, and one of the most functional movements around. Rope climbs require a long rope, so they're not as common.

[Progress]

How many do you guys have to do? God it must really suck for the tall people and people with big legs (um like me...). LOL where does our military come up with some of these ideas? I understand being able to climb up a rope but use that as a test, not pull-ups.

Your back is as important as your chest and pull-ups are a great gauge of overall strength.

[BG5150]

Here's something that a buddy of mine tried and it worked for him. It came from Men's Health of all places, but, once again, it worked for him:

Do 1 pull up
Rest a min
Do 2 pull ups
Rest a min
Do three pull ups
Rest a min
(see where we're going with this?)
keep doing this 'til you hit your max.
Say it's five.
Rest a min
Then do four
Rest a min
Do three
Rest a min
Do two, etc.

Maybe when you start you do 1, 2, 3, 2, 1. Heck, that's 10 right there.

According to the plan, you do it two (maybe three) times a week and try to do at least one more each week.

[HelpMeLift]

BG i saw that in an older version of Men's health too. yeah i gotta try that. thanks man and do you know how effectively it worked for your friend?

[MixmasterNash]

I'm not particularly excited about these pyramid schemes (ha!) or other special methods of increasing your pullup numbers. They are basically just methods for doing a reasonable volume for people who have a weak strength-weight ratio via low rep sets.

Figure out your 1RM for pullups and use the loading parameters from any number of different programs. If your bodyweight pullup is 80% or 60% or 120% of your 1RM, you need to train based on that, just like any oher strength movement. And if you want to do high reps, you need to train frequently, just like any other endurance movement.

[d'Anconia]

K, I take it back, pull-ups make sense for the military. I was trying to think about it but forgot that they always have to climb up ropes... at least that's what I learned from watching Black Hawk Down. Don't wanna be that dude who couldn't hold on and ended up falling and hitting the ground. I know you guys know what i'm talking about...

[HelpMeLift]

I'm not particularly excited about these pyramid schemes (ha!) or other special methods of increasing your pullup numbers. They are basically just methods for doing a reasonable volume for people who have a weak strength-weight ratio via low rep sets.

Figure out your 1RM for pullups and use the loading parameters from any number of different programs. If your bodyweight pullup is 80% or 60% or 120% of your 1RM, you need to train based on that, just like any oher strength movement. And if you want to do high reps, you need to train frequently, just like any other endurance movement.

any advice on how to find out my 1RM for pullups? thanks and if there is any other way to add weight to pullups other than wrapping a DB between my legs, that'd be a lot of help.

K, I take it back, pull-ups make sense for the military. I was trying to think about it but forgot that they always have to climb up ropes... at least that's what I learned from watching Black Hawk Down. Don't wanna be that dude who couldn't hold on and ended up falling and hitting the ground. I know you guys know what i'm talking about...

damn I never saw that movie... from what it sounds like I don't wanna be that dude either. what happened to that guy?