pullup Archives - Select Athlete Training Systems

How to Improve Your Pullups: 7 “Secrets” to Better and Stronger Pullups

Does this sound familiar? You have a workout that requires you to lift your chin over a bar but you realize that you have to scale the workout because for the past couple years you’ve been working out, you never really learned how to develop the strict pullup. Well you’re not alone. Many people fall victim to the pullup. It’s ok though. There is hope. As long as you are willing to take the time and put in the work, you will be stronger than you ever have.

The pullup is the secret to all your dreams (I hope not) and it’s one of the most bang for your buck exercises that were listed here in this article.

Also if you need a program to follow, look no further, just tackle this program and start training like you were meant to. Click Here for the Athletic Physique Workout Plan.

Listed below is not really rocket surgery. These are some tips to help you start developing the strength to start pumping out pullups in no time.

select athlete pullup

Hold on to the Bar!

Surprise right? You need to get your ass up on that bar. This is actually something that Ive seen overlooked time and time again. People say “I’ll just do pullups in a WOD” (but they can’t do them, and resort to a band….) Look if you can’t do a pullup you need to do Bar Holds and Hangs. This can be done at any given point of the day. (Except when you are suppose to be at work. You can’t just start doing pullups in the office…) Even if you know you can’t one stinkin’ pullup. You need to develop the grip strength, the shoulder strength, and the back strength before you even think about performing the movement. If you say that you can’t hold on to the bar, then you already lost. Get up there and do some holds and hangs. Shoot for a specific time to be up there. Try and hold your chin over the bar for 10 sec., then 20 sec., then 30 sec., etc. Before your know it you’ll up there for a minute and things will be so much easier. Do the same thing with the hangs. Make sure your shoulders are back and down, and hold on to the bar with your arms fully extended.

2. Perform Negatives

Alright, so you can hang from the bar and it doesn’t hurt your feelings or hands to be on there. Great! Now one strategy is to start working on the eccentric (lowering) part of the movement. So unless you have a short pullup bar, you’re going to need a box to jump up and get your chin over the bar. You are then going to proceed to lower yourself self in a nice a controlled movement. At first, you may be only to do it for 2-3 sec., especially if you are brand new, but eventually, you’ll be able to do sets for 10 sec. at the minimum. This will dramatically help you because you are developing the strength within the movement. You just might surprise yourself and instead of jumping back up, you accidentally just pull yourself up there.

3. Stick to a Program

Look, it’s going to seem like this process might take a while, but just like anything else if you stick to it you will see progress. If you know you are really overweight and are carrying a lot of extra body fat, then the program would also include some type of fat loss. This is very simple. I’m not saying it is easy. But it is as simple as consistency. Make sure you are determined to get after it every day you workout. There is no excuse bigger than your goal and if your goal is to get a freakin’ pullup, then go do it. Simple.

Want more tips and a program like this? Join the facebook group where we go over many, many more ways you can be stronger today. UPDATE: A complete Pullup Workout Progression LIVE VIDEO in the group! Just click here:

select athlete pullup

4. Inverted Rows

These can be very powerful for developing the back. When you perform an inverted row you start recruiting and activating more muscles that will develop a proper pullup(1). They can also reduce scapular dyskinesia (rounded shoulders). Inverted Rows will help you develop a solid base to start with press movements, such as the bench press and the overhead press. You can perform the movement on a Smith Machine (its real use), Gymnastics Rings, TRX, or just put a barbell lower on the rack. So do these. Do these often. When you are performing a CrossFit workout, don’t be a cop out and go to these as a default though. You’ll never get stronger if you are always doing the same easy thing. You can do it. Start developing your entire back.

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5. Stop the Kipping

Probably what many CrossFitters don’t want to hear. But guess what? That’s not going to make you any better if you can’t perform an absolute minimum of 5 strict pullups. Why? Well, that’s simple, your shoulder is not strong enough. And to be honest, it’s probably still not strong enough until you can start doing sets of pullups. Listen, why do you think so many people have problems with injury and CrossFit? Because they have not built a foundation of strength before they start doing all the very technical stuff.

Don’t do CrossFit? Then there is no reason to put your shoulder through that kind of stress. You have to know what your goals are before you start working out. Working out is NOT random. You can vary your movements but it must be a systematic and smart approach. Not random.

I am not against kipping if you do CrossFit. I am against people who think they are ready to be at the CrossFit Games but they cannot do a simple set of 10 strict pullups and I see them swinging around a pullup bar pretty much having a seizure. Don’t be that guy or girl. Work on your kip swing while you are developing the strength. Then your life will be so much easier and you will be on your way to being injury proof.

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6. Ditch the Bands and the Machines

If God wanted you to do a pullup with a band, he would have created you with one on your foot when you are born. Stop it. You’re not helping yourself. Especially if you are against machines like the smith machine and the leg extension. The band for pullups is what the elliptical is to running. Nobody runs a marathon on the elliptical. Enough is enough. Become strong. End of story.

7. Practice, Practice, Practice

The pullup isn’t easy for most people. That’s fine. But that’s what makes it so great to learn. You must have patience with yourself before you become a pullup King or Queen. Before you know it, you’re going to be pumping those reps out like you’ve been doing it your whole life. Just like anything you do it takes practice and consistency with that practice. Practice with different types of grips. Practice with different tempos. Just be consistent.

Look we know you want to get stronger. What I have done is put together a quick guide Power and Speed so you can start really developing your athletic capabilities. Download you copy of the ebook here at freebook.selectathlete.com

Or just click the cover of the book below…

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1. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: July 2016 – Volume 30 – Issue 7 – p 1933–1941

Are these Exercises Part of Your Routine?

Do you think of yourself as an Athlete? Well in our opinion if you are a human, you are some sort of athlete and you should start thinking about yourself that way.

On your adventure to sculpting the body of your inner athlete, there are a variety of exercises and movements that can help or even delay your results. When it comes to training, you can easily confuse yourself with all the machines and special programs/plans during your journey. Movements such as the Deadlift, Squat, Pullup, and Overhead Press are tried and true exercises that athletes cycle through during the course of their lifetime of training. Once you master these movements, it will open the door for you in terms of more complex movements for your future. This will inevitably help you develop the body of an athlete, which is something that we all truly want, right?

Deadlift

The First exercise we will discuss is the deadlift. The art of picking something off the ground, possibly something extremely heavy. This movement elicits one of the greatest hormonal responses in our body when executed with intensity. In other words, the greater the hormonal response, the leaner and more muscular you will become. There are actually many benefits to incorporating this exercise into your training program, let’s discuss why.

It is a total body exercise which means it will build muscle mass and get you stronger at the same time. It work’s more muscle groups at one time than any other exercise-yes, even more than the squat. The deadlift focuses on stabilizing the core and all the muscles surrounding the hips and lower back. It easily improves your grip strength. When executed without the aid of wraps, the deadlift will by nature develop your forearms and overall grip strength. Your arms and shoulders will ultimately be affected by this miracle of a lift. They will grow bigger and stronger with every workout. Your shoulders will learn stability, which in turn directly affects your trapezius development. (those muscles by the neck, on your back) Guess what else you use to pick up weight? You probably guessed it, your legs. Your glutes and all muscles associated are completely activated at full contraction during the deadlift. Building mass and strength like an athlete will be the reason you must be obsessed with this lift. Furthermore, deadlifting will undoubtedly develop the back in its entirety.

Executing the deadlift correctly will build unrivaled mass while strengthening all the major muscles groups.

Squat

Known as the King of all Exercises. There is a reason many elite athletes consider this a staple exercise in their routine. There are many ways to squat and develop unparalleled mass and strength but for the sake of argument, we are just going to discuss the barbell back squat. Along with the deadlift, the squat creates an anabolic response in the body. You will see great mass and strength gains when you perform this exercise properly. This means that all the upper body movements that you probably already do will actually get better because of this lower body blast of an exercise.

Many, many athletes perform the squat to run faster, jump higher, even hit harder. There have been numerous studies that have proven this fact. This movement develops all the muscles in your legs and instead of listing them all here, just look down at your legs and look at someone else’s from behind (because you can’t see the back of yours) and then you’ll see what the squat will develop. My point is if you do the squat, you will look bigger, be more powerful, and gain more strength than if you didn’t.

Pullups

One of the most effective upper body strength builders anyone can do. It’s simple (but really not that simple). Just pull yourself up to a bar. Many elite athletes can easily do twenty or more in a single set. It easily strengthens and builds your arms and upper back. The lats, forearms, biceps, and middle and lower traps are all targeted while you execute the movement. Athletes incorporate this exercise into their workout program to effectively train their muscles throughout the entire back which is bombarded with enough stress to make them grow stronger, more powerful, and overall larger.

Want the upper body of an elite athlete? Train your upper body like an elite athlete. Do Pullups.

Press

Want to forge the upper body of an athlete? Athletes usually train their shoulders depending on the demands of their sport. Many athletes also use the press as a diagnostic tool. Many athletes tend to have imbalances in their shoulders, including scapular instability, rotator cuff muscles, deltoids, and pectorals. They do the press to eliminate these problems and decrease the risk of injury.

The overhead press is the most efficient movement to train your shoulders, triceps, core (all muscles that stabilize your spine), and upper legs. Taking the time to incorporate this potent exercise into your program will allow you to increase your strength and mass in other pressing movements such as the bench press and dips. Isn’t getting stronger, more powerful, and larger muscles what we are ultimately after? Do the press and all your dreams will come true.