Pull-Up exercises
The
basic
pull up is a very simple exercise with many variations. You begin by
gripping a
horizontal bar above head height with both hands, let yourself hang
suspended
with your arms at full extension, pull yourself up vertically so your
chin is
level with the bar and then lower yourself so your elbows are straight
without
touching the floor with your feet. You can let your legs hang down or
bend your
knees and cross your lower legs behind your body.
Correct
breathing is very important during pull-ups: inhale on the way down and
exhale
on the way up.
In
general,
you should move through the entire movement in a somewhat slow and
controlled
motion and avoid swinging or relaxing your muscles too much during the
hanging
position.
Contents
3.
Advanced Pull-Up
Variations
BASIC
PULL-UP VARIATIONS
1. BASIC PULL-UP
Grab
the
bar with your palms facing away from your body (overhand grip), spaced
slightly
wider than shoulder width apart. When ready, pull yourself up using
strength
from your arms and your back until your chin clears the bar. Pause for
a second
at the top. Slowly and with controlled motion, lower yourself back down
until
your arms are straight.
2. CHIN-UP
Grip
the
bar with your palms facing towards you (underhand grip) and pull
yourself up.
This grip places more stress on the biceps, helping build bigger,
stronger
arms.
3. WIDE
GRIP
PULL-UP
The
wide
grip pull-up is just a different variation of the basic pull up. Grab
the bar
with your palms facing away from your body, spaced as wide out as you
can get
them and pull yourself up. Placing your hands wider on the bar puts
more
emphasis on your upper back, paying special attention to your lats.
4. NARROW
GRIP PULL-UP
In
this
variation your hands should be as close as possible to one another on
the bar.
It is a variation for both pull-ups and chin-ups. If you do your
chin-ups like
that it will focus more on your biceps and if you do your pull-ups like
that it
will focus more on your forearms.
Adding
external weight to pull-ups is an obvious way of increasing the
intensity of
the exercise. There
are
two primary ways to add external weight to a pull-up:
a.
Use a
weight belt and hook weight plates to it, or
b.
Use a
weighted vest. Think
about
adding weight to your pull-ups once you are you are able to do sets of
more
than 15 repetitions.
Perform
rear pull-ups in the same basic manner as you do a standard pull-up,
but dip
your head under the bar so it touches the back of your neck instead of
your
chin. The main purpose of the rear pull-up is variety, as it doesn't
specifically target different muscles than the front pull-up.
Performing the
rear pull-up may cause shoulder injury, neck pain or shoulder
impingement.
Stand
under
the bar facing down the length of the bar, grasp it and pull yourself
up so
that the bar and your hands are next to your head. Then lower down and
pull up
on the other side.
Grasp
the
bar with only one hand and pull yourself up. An easier variation is the
Assisted one Arm Pull-Up: during the exercise, you hold the wrist of
the
lifting arm with the other arm. Wrap
two
towels over a Pull-Up Bar, spaced about shoulder-width apart, and grab
both
ends of each towel with one hand. Raise yourself slowly as performing a
typical
Pull-Up.
PULL-UPS
for beginners
If
you are
not strong enough to do one full pull up yet, there are several ways
that can be
used to build the strength necessary to execute the movement.
A.
Progression exercises
There
are
four main progression exercises that can help you build up the required
strength.
1.Dead hang
Hang
from
the bar with arms extended. Simply, grip the bar and lift your feet off
of the
ground by bending your knees. It is a good way to start developing the
strength
required for your first pull up.
2.
Flex
Hang
Hold
yourself at the ‘finish’ position of a pull-up with your chin over the
bar. Use
a box or adjust the pull-up bar height to get in position and then
simply try
to stay up.
3.
Negative
Pull-Ups
Perform
only the lowering phase of a pull-up. Again, use a box or adjust the
pull-up
bar height to get your chin over the bar and then slowly lower yourself
all the
way down.
4.
Half
Pull-Ups
Stand
on a
box or adjust the pull-up bar height allowing your elbows to bend as
you grip
the bar and then pull yourself up.Starting the exercise from this
position requires less
strength than
starting with fully extended elbows. As you build strength you can
straighten
your elbows for a more difficult pull up.
B.
Assisted
Pull-Ups
In
addition
to the progression exercises you may find very useful the assisted
pull-up
exercises.
1.
Band
assisted Pull-Ups
Hook
a band
around the pull-up bar, and then loop the opposite end of the band
under your
shoes or your knees. Pull yourself up.
2.
Human
Assistance
Similar
to
the band method mentioned above, you could just have a friend supply
the
“assistance” by putting his hands under your feet or knees.
ADVANCED
PULL-UP VARIATIONS
1.WEIGHED
PULL-UP
2.REAR
PULL-UP
3.SIDEWAYS
PULL-UP
4.
ONE ARM
(assisted) PULL-UP
6.
TOWEL
PULL-UP
* Always talk with your doctor before
beginning any exercise program.