How long b/f you could do a pull-up

[ambitiouspoetry]

How long did it take you to do at least 1 full pull-up &
what did you do to get there?

I'd like to hear from anyone but especially the smaller, weaker females b/c that's me (5'3" 102lbs).

 

[flyerfile]

@ambitiouspoetry 5'1 113 lbs.I wanna say about 6 months. I've been lifting for about 1 year and a half. I started doing assisted pull-ups with my boyfriend. He holds me by the waist and lifts me up. One day he decided to let go of my waist and then I magically rose up! It was seriously a magical moment. I'm always going to remember it . I can do 4-6 now.

 

[dawn16]

@ambitiouspoetry I started trying with 8 reps 2 sets on the assisted pull up machine with a supinated grip, gradually letting the machine assist me less and less. I also did negatives, as many as I could until fatigue - usually around 6/7. I did this 4 times a week for about 4-5 weeks before I managed my first pull up. Another week or so before I could do two, etc.

Now... onto chin ups!

 

[neverforget]

@ambitiouspoetry Rock climbing has helped me a lot in the arm strength department but what I specifically did to train for my first unassisted pull-up was controlled negatives with as long of a flexed arm hang as I could manage before I went into the controlled negative. I think it took me about 2 months before I could do a pull-up. It is now 2 months past that and I can do 5 consecutive pull-ups

 

[fluxthesecond]

@ambitiouspoetry I used the assisted pull up machine. After 12 weeks with Strong Curves I can do 2 without assistance -they aren't the prettiest. But it uses ALL of my arm strength to do it, and I'm mostly controlling eccentric muscle movement. AKA negative pullups.

I still train with the assisted machine. Today I did 5x5 @130lbs. My BW is 138lbs.

I definitely need more strength, but one of my biggest complaints is that my hands are teeny tiny and the bar to hold on to is too big, so my grip isnt 100%-more like 80%. Also, bc of my tiny hands, the padded part where you are supposed to hold is too far from me so Im just gripping the metal and there is a sharp spot at the welding that digs into my finger. : /

Gym equipment was not created equally.