Can’t progress pull ups - need some help with strategizing

[dollfaceme23]

@bdiddy Scalpula pull ups are just the first part of a normal pull up right?

 

[bdiddy]

@dollfaceme23 Yes it is that starting position, but being very conscious about contracting and expanding your scapula. You can also do scapula push-ups to strengthen that area

 

[dawn16]

@dollfaceme23 honestly you may be doing the right exercises but not enough of them. how long are your workouts? at the end of your workouts are you completely blown out and can’t do another rep? or are you pushing urself to failure for each one? Sometimes u cant just go though the motions

 

[christyanthony913]

@dollfaceme23 I know this is the bodyweight subreddit, but just for a little bit of a different suggestion: If you have access to a gym, use the lat pulldown machine on a weight you can manage and keep on progressing with it until you are strong enough to manage your own bodyweight. Even better would be if they had an assisted pull up machine.

Pull ups are obviously superior to using machines, but this is just to build up your strength.

 

[marvelouslight6]

@dollfaceme23 Just need some clarification, You cannot do any pull ups in any different hold ? (Neutral or Supinated or Pronated)

 

[lingle420]

@dollfaceme23 I never did pull ups to work on pull ups. If you are able to use any sort of pulley machine that would be best. Lat Pull downs, Seated Rows and straight arm lat pull downs will help you develop the muscles needed to do a pull up.

 

[natiesim]

@dollfaceme23 I was at your place. What helped me was to set up a place that I could practice often and using several beginner tricks. I used bands to help with my full extended hang to start my pull up. I would also get in the top position and try to extend my hang and slow descent as long as possible. I would do these exercises a few times a day with rest days in between as needed.

I would also try to do these with sets of 3 or 4 and reps of 5. I was above 20 when Cv-19 hit. I was quarantined and away from a gym for a year, so I am starting over. Pull ups are that exercise that I never could do as a child. They are more significant to me for tht very reason.

 

[brokenvessel59]

@dollfaceme23 The best way to learn any exercise is to do negatives! I progressed a lot faster by doing these. Pull ups, Muscle ups, Handstand Push ups, ...

 

[withfire]

@dollfaceme23 You don't need to be able to do shit until who gives a fuck.

I've never been obese but I've always been a heavy guy. The road of 0 to 1 pullups was the hardest and longest path I've ever been on. Its mentally tasking because you don't know what to expect and ready yourself to and the first pullups are not too often talked about. People just tell you do negative, do band assisted. And they would be right. But it takes;

hundreds of negatives, hundreds of half attempts, AND PATIENCE.

You are not entitled to your first pullup.

it is very hard.

It is a lot of work.

sure, for some it isn't.

You taking it in a long time doesn't mean you are a bum. It means you are one of us that started with a chubby tummy and thin arms and never had too much pulling power to begin with.

I know you at least don't want to be someone that can't do a single pull-up. and you want it NOW I know.

But you taking the time to do negatives and spending sweat and work every day is and not being able to do a single pullup IS. NOT. SHAMEFUL. You don't need to be ashamed. Its not something you run away from and distance yourself. Its just a part of the way. But please for gods sake be realistic. Try to see things clearly. Don't hide behind other exercises and slack off on pullups convincing yourself its just that pullups are weird for you.

You don't need to be able to do pullups by the end of the summer but you need to be able to still get through your workout. Losing motivation and you blaming yourself because of an unrealistic training and feeling entitled to FITNESS ACHIEVEMENTS in your mind (the first pullup is an achievement for many).

and now how I did it. trained 3 times pullups. 3x8 negatives, even if you are too tired after doing 3, EVEN IF ITS JUST FALLING AT THE LAST REPS. 3X8.

After some weeks, you will adjust to this. You might even take it back to 3x5 for a week and then work your way up to 3x6 3x7 and 3x8 with solid negatives.

and do horizontal rows or any row progression WITH GOOD SCAPULAR FORM. Now this is where you drop down the ego, increase the angle, and do PROPER REPS. GOOD REPS.

I was a huge fatass, first pullup took longer than 2 months. Almost one year later pulling with 55 lbs and increasing pretty fast. Even when I was at the gym Deadlifting 265 I couldn't do pullups. Got stuck in the home forever, did negatives and then one day it just happened. This might be too much tough love but I spent too much time blaming and hating myself because I couldn't do pullups.

 

[dollfaceme23]

@withfire Well... I need pull ups by the end of the summer cuz I’m joining the military by then, it’s not to prove anything to anyone lol. Other than maybe my drill instructors

 

[withfire]

@dollfaceme23 Lmao sorry for coming on too strong then. Proper negatives and horizontal rows combined with a caloric deficit should do it for you in several weeks.

 

[dollfaceme23]

@withfire Yea my problem is - I don’t know how to improve my negatives - I see people saying do 10 second negative or what not but I can only get like 4 seconds

 

[withfire]

@dollfaceme23 Well i tried that, and it was like welp thats not happening. So what i did was i constantly did 3x8 negatives and they slightly become longer and more controlled overtime. If you really start with your head above the bar (this is the most important thing) and try with all your strength to descend slowly you are bound to grow stronger whether you want it or not.

I did that until i had my first pullup. Then it was 1 pullup + 4 negatives and 5 pullups + 3 negatives and so on, so on

 

[dollfaceme23]

@withfire Are negatives with a chair assist good for building the strength to do normal negatives? Just to use the chair as a spot, not turning it into a negative squat lol

 

[withfire]

@dollfaceme23 Honestly just falling holding the bar is much, much better than using any kind of assist which isnt constant for certain for example like a band. Having foot on ground, using chair, these kinds of assissts you aren't sure if they are the same for exercise to exercise so i would strongly avoid those and focus on negatives.

 

[dollfaceme23]

@withfire Did you do negatives every other day or every day?

 

[withfire]

@dollfaceme23 I was basically following the Recommended Routine.

 

[eigna]

@dollfaceme23 I'm surprised i haven't seen this yet, but look up Australian pull ups. They train the same muscles and are way easier. I discovered them after I could do pull ups, but they really helped me improve and increase the number of reps I could do. Even when you get to the point when you can do 3-5 pull ups, that's really not enough volume to train at so you'll need another exercise to build those muscles up. Australian pull ups is my recommendation

 

[awwcute]

@dollfaceme23 I had a similar problem. I’m a trainer so I had my coworker watch me and he gave me the advice to do a LOT of scapular work bc my shoulders and rotator cuff was weak while my back was super strong. Scap push ups and scap pull ups are my fave

 

[asp4yxiat10n]

@dollfaceme23 I have the same height and weight as you and can now do over 13 pullups by first practicing hanging and half-way pullup holding. Consistency is key and doing it everyday is important. Soon you will make it past 10 in no time.