Posted: 2/25/2011 11:02:48 AM EDT
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i usually save the pull ups for the end of my upper body workout, so i know im getting tired by then.
i also know that i weigh close to 230 now, versus the 205-207 i use to be doesnt make pull ups any easier. i never really did them back then though, not in large numbers at least. so, now at the end of my workout im doing 4 sets of 8-10. but i can never do more reps than that. is it natural to have a plateau on pullups ? i would think a person could build up their stamina in that area like just about any other workout, but i sure cant........... |
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I hear ya, OP. I used to be able to bust out 15 solid pull-ups when I was a twig, maybe 18ish if I cheated on form. Now that I weigh 45-55lbs more than I did back in the day, I'm lucky to get 7 strict form, maybe 9 if I cheat. So for that reason I've been sticking to pulldowns and barbell rows.  |
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Plateau, sure. Try some variations. - wide grip. Focus on lats and on starting the pull motion between your shoulder blades. - asymmetric. Up and down movement describes a circle (seen from the back or front, and more of an oval in practice). Up with your body aligned to one side, shift over to the other side while you're at/near the top, down . . . alternate, or reverse halfway through your reps. You wind up loading each side more than you would otherwise, but the "off" side is there to provide assistance, dropping the effort. |
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To get up to 20 dead hangs I:
Warm up a bit....wouldn't want to aggravate my shoulder.... 
Picked a dumbbell weight and put it in between my feet that would allow me to get 10 - 12. Repeat with different weights for 3 sets. Then 3 sets of back row. Then 3 sets of max chin ups. Then 3 sets of hands together pull ups, maxing out each time. I'd want to throw up at this point. Then I'd go work biceps. I used to do this every 3 days until I got the results I wanted. Now I just do 3 sets of 10 randomly between other sets to keep it up. |
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I've mentioned this before but it works for me. I am in my 40s and don't kill myself anymore but am trying to maintain what I have. Go to an agri-supply center and buy a couple of 5' sections of the thickest chain they have. Really thick, like monster truck industrial thick. A 5' section should weigh between 10 and 15 pounds. Vary your workout like this: Week 1 PUs. Done with no weight. Week 2 PUs. Done with 1 chain. Week 3 PUs. Done with 2 chains. Week 4. Back to week 1. So basically adding that extra resistance should help you bust out of your plateau. I recently wanted to do a 50 rep max super-set of pullups / dips. 3 minute rest between pullup set and dip set. I was able to get 22 pullups and 31 dips. I was happy with that. Good luck- 4073 |
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Pullups, like pushups use multiple muscle groups and should be done earlier in your workout before your biceps are fried. Start with the large muscle group stuff like bench and pullups and work your way out distally, ending with isolated arm work––bicep curls and tricep extensions.
On pull ups, do different hand positions and direction. to increase, when you get to your max get your feet on a crate, chair, etc and crank out some more until you are completely wasted. Do certain days where you really crush certain muscles. Some days I will pound bench, others pullups, upright rowing, etc. Some days I hammer the arms. I'll do 2 sets of everything else until I get to arms and then just go on the biceps and triceps until I can't anymore. This is how I make good gains. It takes a little recovery time but oftentimes a week or so later I am cranking out another rep. I don't go for max's much. I like my shoulders too much and I am 52. It also helps me keep my weight down a little as opposed to the low rep stuff. I'm doing 20 reps on bench press with 200lbs right now. Yesterday I hammered on the bench. 5 sets––200lbs––20,17,16 reps, then 170lbs––27, 24 reps. Sometimes I do ladders but it doesn't really work so much anymore because the portable bench I use is one I don't trust with much more than 200 lbs. If you can get on a lat machine try doing some ladders on that. That might improve your numbers some. |
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Quoted:
how many can you do after a couple days rest with no workout? ( after warming up and doing a couple sets of squats ) 1st set tonight- 14 2nd set-10 or 12, cant remember then i did some of those circular / angle ones people described in this thread earlier this week, my first set of pullups was only 12. followed by 8-10 on the next set. i think i could have done better, but i felt like garbage today, i wonder if i have a flu coming on or something. |
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The answer has been posted several times but I'll say it again: You need to add weight.
Get yourself a weight belt. Add enough weight so that you can do no more than about 5 consecutive pullups. Then drop the belt and immediately continue the set with just your body weight until exhaustion. Over time, the body-weight-only reps will start feeling much easier... translation: you are building muscle. Every couple of weeks test yourself by doing a full set of body-weight-only reps until exhaustion. You should notice that without the intial handicap of the weight belt your max reps will start to climb. For me, 5 reps with a 66lb weight belt + another 7-10 unweighted reps has translated into 23 deadhang pullups using just my body weight. I never saw any progress at all using those pulldown machines at the gym. In this case, old school is best. |
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You could try the Recon Ron or the Armstrong Pullup programs. They will help you increase your Deadhang Pullups.
Also doing sets of weighted pullups will help. And, getting the rest of the body in shape will help (Do lower body exercises, pushups, and weight training too). Finally, you can try some variations on the deadhang pull up such as Tuck sit pullups or L-Pullups. |
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Eh, when I was significantly weaker than I am now about 1.5 years ago I could bang out proper pull-ups dozens at a time.
Now, I'm significantly stronger and healthier, but I really can only do like 15 now per set. /shrug It's a bit of a trade-off. When I was 165lbs and mostly fat, it was easy. Now I'm about 168lbs and mostly muscle, it's become a lot harder. |
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If you want to improve pullups, you have to focus on pullups. I was doing them as part of my upper body workout 3x/week and wasn't seeing much improvement (maybe +1 pullup every few weeks). I have since started the Armstrong Pullup Improvement program and the results have been awesome so far! The program has you doing max pushups and pullups 5 days a week. I am on a +1 pullup per week improvement since starting the program. I started the program stuck on 10 and am up to 14 in a month. My goal is 20+ for Marine OCS.
The thing about body weight workouts is that you need to max out often to see improvements, which is unlike weight lifting. |
| I weigh about 205 and spend 5 days a week in the gym. I've worked on pull-ups. I do them every week and the most I can rep out is about 7-8. I think there is a genetic element to it. Sure, I can do more than I used to be able to, but after working on them for a couple of years, this is still the best I can do. |
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Like breaking through any workout plateau, it's almost always good to switch things up a bit.
- Pull ups are a serious workout, and your lats are a massive muscle group...I'd put it in the beginning of your upper body workout - at least every now and then. - Put on a belt and add some weight for variation - Throw some super sets in the mix from time-to-time...pull-ups and bench/rows and flies... Variation kills plateaus (in my experience anyhow) |