Why couldn’t I do a single pull-up?

[giovanipinto]

@fengyuwei People seem to expect that you can do these exercises with no effort.

 

[strivingdaily]

@fengyuwei Branded pull ups work for me in the end of the training. It is a quite good way to make a progresses

 

[djohns98]

@pablob You probably have long arms and weak lats and supporting back muscles(rotators, lower traps, etc.). At 6'6" I've been where you are.

Dead hangs for a few minutes every day, scap pull ups where you just dead hang and retract your scaps a few inches every day, rotator cuff strengthening exercises a few times per week, and other activation and contraction work on lats a few times per week will get you to doing pull ups in likely weeks, but at most a month or two.

Here is a little routine...

Rotator Cuff Work, light resistance:

Band Pull Aparts 3x10

Band Row full ROM protraction to retraction 3x10

Band Internal/External Rotations 3x10 each

Serratus Push Up 3x10

Serratus Wall Walk 3x

Bodyweight from Pull Up Bar:

Dead Hang 3:00 Total in whatever intervals you can, even :10-:20 at a time, or even with partial assistance from the ground if you need at first. Can mix up grips.

Scap Retraction Pull Ups 3x10

Machine, medium resistance:

Lat Pulldown Machine 5x10 - I know it is BW Fitness but this is to help get you started on activation and contraction of the main mover in pull ups, your lats. Once you progress to the point you can do pull ups then you can ditch the assistance of the machine and do pull ups on your own. This is a means to an end

 

[pablob]

@djohns98 yeah I think you've hit the nail on the head there with your assessment, my arms are pretty long and thin, carry more weight in my torso and legs. ill definitely look into this routine, super helpful thank you so much.

Another issue I was having was actually finding a bar that was tall enough for me hahaha. I know it seems a bit silly but I would often find my feet touching the floor at the bottom of negatives etc. is the best solution to bend my legs up behind me?

 

[theophilos014]

@pablob Personally I didn’t do that myself, as I started with bands so my legs naturally went in front of me into a hollow body position (stepping both feet into band from floor).

I find I get a lot more ab activation doing it this way than legs behind me, but try it both ways and see what is most comfortable for you. I’d also say that I personally find legs in front a bit easier, as when I have legs behind I am usually going for chest to bar (arched back) and those are harder overall.

I can’t praise bands enough though. Being able to do chin up but not a pull up, the bands were a great tool to help. Start on a higher band and work your way down until you don’t need them.

 

[gods10rules]

@pablob Do you regularly train them?
I used to train them all the time and could do 9 at my peak. (Was 27/f) Meanwhile I could only do like 15 push ups....so I think training that specific movement is key!

Holds at the top, banded pull ups, assisted pull up machine, slow lowers, etc and train them regularly! It isn't your every day movement.

 

[jen]

@gods10rules This right here.

Start with lat-pulldowns and use bands to do pull-ups.

Do a combination of neutral, chin-ups, and pull-ups. The only way you get better at a movement is by doing the movement.

 

[alysdare]

@gods10rules i can do 17 pushups but no pull ups yet

 

[faith2017]

@pablob You just have to start doing them, by doing them I mean trying as hard as you can as often as possible. That worked for me M 6'6 @ 105kg.
I couldn't do one pull up but I was deadlifting 160kgx6, so yeah pull ups are a different kind of exercise to tackle.

Try supported chin ups with bands, or just try it even if you cheat with momentum, the goal is to do one with good form and then move on with more reps.

The more you do it the better, good luck

 

[pablob]

@faith2017 Thank you sir, hopefully progress will start coming soon!

 

[aplacetobelong]

@pablob It could take you a few years of practice to build up to it. Muscle growth takes real time.

 

[petergntm]

@pablob yes you cannot do a pullup because you have not trained to do a pull up. Im sure you cannot do a front lever either. Some exercises are hard and if you dont train for those specific movements its unlikely that you can do clean reps.

You can do pullups at 100kg its just harder than at 80kg

 

[xamell]

@petergntm

Im sure you cannot do a front lever either

Lol

"I know you cannot run a mile... But something tells me you cannot run a marathon either..."

 

[petergntm]

@xamell indeed . Sometimes the best way of illustrating an issue is with absurdity,

 

[bandr]

@pablob Chest up to start the rep - way up if your posture sucks.

Pull Elbows to armpits.

No thumbs. (Reduce forearms trying to do the work)

It sounds like you don’t know how to pull with lats. This is extremely normal, and also easy to overcome.

I would use the lat pulldown at high reps and low weight just to “feel” your lats pulling. Or, if you have means, put bands under your feet to reduce the load for pullups. Get at least 3 sets of 12 pulls.

I generally aim for 5 sets.

 

[dawn16]

@bandr This is really good advice, I would also add the shoulder shrug. Making a point of pulling your scapula (shoulder blades) back and down in the dead hang and then power yourself up. This helped me the most.

 

[pablob]

@bandr I think you’re definitely right about not knowing how to pull. I don’t readily have access to pull down machine but the low weight high reps had me wondering about maybe just contracting and squeezing hard with no weight at all? Could it be beneficial

 

[bandr]

@pablob I think this would help. The only thing I would avoid is contracting lats with arms at your side. This shortened position might create muscle strain, it nearly definitely would for me.

Instead of squeezing lats hard, maybe just do “pull-ups” with a broom handle/pvc pipe using just enough muscle tension to get your lats activated.

 

[kozluv]

@bandr What happens without chest up? Is it bad for shoulders?

 

[bandr]

@kozluv Just much less back activation and way less leverage on the fulcrum for your lats, so you get way less work done. It can potentially impinge the anterior shoulders, but more likely that you strain brachioradialis attempting to pull-up than impinge probably.