Stuck at 4-6 pull-ups for months

[jabba1495]

For context I am 17yo, 82kg, pretty average physique (

https://imgur.com/Rmf4fbd

)

I have been doing pull-ups consistently for around 6 months now (and I have been doing them also on and off for the past 2 years) for around 2-3x a week.

Before I used to do just 3 sets to failure 2x a week but recently (a month ago) I graduated to a more sophisticated program, where I do them 3x a week.

1st day of the week is 3 sets to failure (I get 5-6 pull-ups), rest 3-5min between sets

2nd day is 10 sets with half the reps (so basically 10x3 but as fatigue sets in its more like 6x3 3x2 1x1), rest strict 1min between sets

3rd day is ladder day where I do 5 sets of ladders to failure, rest 30sec between sets (its like 1x1, rest, 1x2, rest, 1x3 rest... repeat 5 times)

There is SOME progress as 6-8 months ago i struggled to do 3 pull-ups but...

Overall I am seeing very slow progress especially for my age and health - I eat a relatively clean diet with lots of protein (100-140g a day), protein comes only from animal foods, im not in a calorie surplus tho, i mostly maintain. I get very good sleep, 80% of nights without an alarm, I get 9-11hrs naturally.

Of course im not perfect, 1-2x a week I drink a couple of beers, maybe get like 7hrs of sleep some nights, but its not crazy.

My friends my age progress crazy fast and some of them are borderline alcoholics who eat sweets all day and smoke a pack a day and still destroy me in the gym

Here is my pull-up form maybe its not perfect but i try to do them as strict as possible, squeezing my back and trying to get the chest to the bar, full ROM (I cant go any higher lmao)

https://imgur.com/Pu4SC3X

I am wondering what I could be doing wrong... Am I not eating enough? Am I not doing the training right? Or am I just doomed for eternity and have to accept that its just gonna take years to get to 15 pull ups...

 

[helen1]

@jabba1495 I am not knowledgeable enough, but I would advice you to rest between each set for at least 3 minutes.
Check out the Russian fighter pullup program. I was able to reach 14 pull ups as starter at 93 kg.

 

[greg67]

@helen1 Same here, went from 6 to 11 (as a woman, I might add bc we take even longer for this kinda stuff ).

 

[avillarini]

@greg67 11 pull ups is impressive

 

[greg67]

@avillarini Thanks

 

[tabinek]

@helen1 I suggest the same program. I have been struggling at 5 reps and this program is helping me break the plateau

 

[fassy]

@helen1 Absolutely love the program - started at 2 pull ups, got to 12 within 6 months without being super dedicated

 

[jabba1495]

@helen1 Sounds good I will check it out. Thanks a lot!

 

[daburb]

@helen1 I can second that. I was stuck at 5 pull-ups after I started. Someone recommended the program and after a month of daily work I was able to do 10 in a set. After that, you start adding weight and start over.

 

[joelburntout]

@jabba1495 Some great advice in here but something I've not seen mentioned is to add rows - it'll allow you to keep working your lats after your pull up sets and will increase your overall back strength.

 

[sarangapani]

@joelburntout +1, the nice thing about rows is that they are also far less injury prone.

For some reason I also always felt that deadlifts and overhead press had a small but positive impact on my pull-up progression.

 

[jabba1495]

@joelburntout Thanks! I already do rows in the gym separately, around 6 sets a week of either barbell rows or machine rows.

 

[recy1982]

@jabba1495 You could try mixing in negatives. So basically jump up to the top of your pull up and as slow as possible drop down from the top.

 

[jabba1495]

@recy1982 Will try this! Thanks a lot

 

[strengththroughchrist]

@recy1982 I second this! That was the biggest contribution to increasing my pull-ups from 2 to 10 shortly

 

[rundpyday]

@recy1982 How slow is as slow as possible? I did 5 sec hold at the top and 5 sec eccentric. With this its impossible to reach 8 reps 3 sets. Gas out at about 4th rep. I can do 3 reps of clean chin ups.

 

[jermyn]

@jabba1495 I'm sorry to hear about the plateau BUT the good news is that I think the answer is pretty simple: You are training 3 times a week and going to failure. The high frequency and the failure are probably negatively affecting your recovery. I'd suggest dropping it down to twice a week and leaving at least 1 rep in the tank. If you do that, you will likely begin to recover better and recovery is where you actually make the gains you are working so hard to make.

 

[pawel]

@jermyn This doesn’t sound right. Three days a week is not what most would call high frequency and he’s only going to failure one of those days.

 

[jermyn]

@pawel I can see what you mean. Three days a week doesn't sound that high. Maybe I can detail a little more.

For some people, three times a week won't be that "high" of a frequency. If all you need to do is eat, sleep, train, and repeat, your "high frequency" will look a lot higher than someone else who has a 9-6 occupation, a spouse, 4 kids, a pet, and only gets a few hours of sleep. Basically, it's relative.

OP is doing 3 times a week, going to failure, and has hit a plateau. In that case, it's probably a bit too much work for them. They're at a "high frequency" for them. So if they drop that down and skip going to failure, they will probably start to make gains again.

 

[pawel]

@jermyn OP is 17 and sleeps 9-11 hours a night. And again, he’s only going to failure one day a week. Just doesn’t seem likely to me that overtraining is the culprit in this particular case.