Pull Up/Shoulder Help

A_Sober_Paddy

Hey all,

So after way too long of being lazy and unmotivated i'm starting back with the gym this week;

I've already been making changes to my diet over the last few weeks.

Got into a routine of waking up at the same time...

Now i just need to get a few other things sorted, gotta fix my hamstring strength, glute med strength, calf flexibility and my shoulders which seem to be a tad rounded, nothing major...

So i've been looking at a number of things, and pull ups seems to be a good place to start with the shoulders, as well as external rotation exercise(for shoulders)...

But my pull ups are terrible and have always been terrible, neutral grip is ok and chin ups were good...when i was doing a bit of training...

But i'd like to get back into it and finally get pull up's sorted...

So i've got my hands on some good quality resistant bands...

Red band and a Blue band...

What band is the best one to start with, and what kinda way should i do the pull up...as in how many reps/sets should i be aiming for and is it ok to be doing pull ups in this manor more than twice a week?

any advice and help would be greatly appreciated

Zombienosh

When you say bad? how many are we talking about?
How many chin ups vs how many pull ups?

You don't necessarily need bands, you can combine chins with pull ups or use negatives & static holds.

.ak

Saw a cool technique on how to build pull ups... Let me try and find the video.

Basically it involves having a bar set very low, so you're laying on your back, bend your legs a little and pull your body up off the ground.

Get proficient at that, keep working your legs out and when you get them straight it makes it harder. Then you move the bar up every week. All the while you're building your lats and the pulling muscles around pull ups.

I did something similar myself, using a chair to help with the pull up, and moving the chair further away. My pullups suck too. Think I can manage about 5 of each before failing. Will try the above technique myself once I finish rehabing an injury.

A_Sober_Paddy

Zombienosh wrote: »

When you say bad? how many are we talking about?
How many chin ups vs how many pull ups?

You don't necessarily need bands, you can combine chins with pull ups or use negatives & static holds.

Well its been a while since i've been training...

But when I was it was roughly 7 proper chin ups to a about one proper pull up...I've since have a diagnoses of one of my shoulders been rounded, and the shoulder that is rounded was the one that seemed the weakest when donig pull ups.

I asked about bands as i have some and in the gym i'm in, bands will be easier to do than negatives(lack of benches in current gym, and equipement hogs)

.ak wrote: »

Saw a cool technique on how to build pull ups... Let me try and find the video.

Basically it involves having a bar set very low, so you're laying on your back, bend your legs a little and pull your body up off the ground.

Get proficient at that, keep working your legs out and when you get them straight it makes it harder. Then you move the bar up every week. All the while you're building your lats and the pulling muscles around pull ups.

I did something similar myself, using a chair to help with the pull up, and moving the chair further away. My pullups suck too. Think I can manage about 5 of each before failing. Will try the above technique myself once I finish rehabing an injury.

Any luck with that video?

Are you talking about inverted rows?

As said above, negatives will be difficult for me to do for reasons outlined above...

cheers again for replies, any other help is greatly appreciated

Zombienosh

I think it would be better to do chins instead of using bands because its using your full bodyweight. You could add in your pull up into the sets of chins, as in..
if you were doing a set of 5..

If you can do 1 pull up,
do 1 pull up then finish the set 4chin ups..etc.
gradually the amount of pull ups will increase.

A_Sober_Paddy

Zombienosh wrote: »

I think it would be better to do chins instead of using bands because its using your full bodyweight. You could add in your pull up into the sets of chins, as in..
if you were doing a set of 5..

If you can do 1 pull up,
do 1 pull up then finish the set 4chin ups..etc.
gradually the amount of pull ups will increase.

My major problem with my pull up is, one side is more dominate than the other, but doesn't seem to be an issue for chins, or if it is, its less apparent...

I'm going to do a few other bits to on back anyways, t'bar with rope and face pulls and external rotations to hopefully get a balance back into my upper back

A_Sober_Paddy

Hey all.

Quick one, deadlift straps for pulls/chips. Was told they would help isolate my back more. Is that true? A lad in the gym was saying.

Cheers

Alf Veedersane

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Hey all.

Quick one, deadlift straps for pulls/chips. Was told they would help isolate my back more. Is that true? A lad in the gym was saying.

Cheers

They just help when your grip is a limiting factor. Not sure how they would isolate your back more since they shouldn't alter the movement

A_Sober_Paddy

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

They just help when your grip is a limiting factor. Not sure how they would isolate your back more since they shouldn't alter the movement

Sorry, was told it would mean i'd use less energy gripping, and less use of my arms, thus isolating my back more...How this lad seemed very confident and had a pretty good build and was well able to lift

Mellor

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Sorry, was told it would mean i'd use less energy gripping, and less use of my arms, thus isolating my back more...How this lad seemed very confident and had a pretty good build and was well able to lift

You might use other muscles less, but your back isn't doing any extra work.
You could call this isolated if you like, but its not offering any benefit of isolation work.

Alf Veedersane

A_Sober_Paddy wrote: »

Sorry, was told it would mean i'd use less energy gripping, and less use of my arms, thus isolating my back more...How this lad seemed very confident and had a pretty good build and was well able to lift

They will still just reduce the work your arm muscles do and if your arms/grip are giving out before your back, then use straps and improve your grip separately.

But they don't necessarily do anything extra for your back.