How many strict pull ups can you do?

italodisco · 25-06-2019 1:39pm

I screwed my shoulder badly so decided to smash the hell out of my legs for 6 months....... Bad idea....

Now im absolutely foked with hip/tailbone /knee pain on one side.

Due to be checked for lymes disease and arthritis, fingers crossed i get some answers and get back in the gym asap

riffmongous · 25-06-2019 1:48pm

I can do 7 now with that kind of strict form.. I never really felt any point for me in going beyond 10 per set tbh (improper form towards the end it must be said), never had a specific need for it. I found the one arm+towel version to be really useful and interesting as a variation, as well as changing grip during the sets to swap to a chin-up

Alf Veedersane · 25-06-2019 2:26pm

italodisco wrote: »

I screwed my shoulder badly so decided to smash the hell out of my legs for 6 months....... Bad idea....

Now im absolutely foked with hip/tailbone /knee pain on one side.

Due to be checked for lymes disease and arthritis, fingers crossed i get some answers and get back in the gym asap

Sounds a bit like Aids.

italodisco · 25-06-2019 2:32pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Sounds a bit like Aids.

:pac:
The tested me for hiv and hep last year in hospital so it aint that....

I've an extremely high pain tolerance so theres definitely something going on if its bothering me alot.

I walked around for over a week with a broken wrist and a broken finger, all which had to be rebroken in hospital lol says it all really

Alf Veedersane · 25-06-2019 2:44pm

italodisco wrote: »

:pac:
The tested me for hiv and hep last year in hospital so it aint that....

#You may be at risk if you've been a MSM (man who squats with men) since.

At least I think that's what it stands for.

Zillah · 26-06-2019 2:36pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

#You may be at risk if you've been a MSM (man who squats with men) since.

At least I think that's what it stands for.

MSM stands for mainstream media, actually. That said, I have never understood why HIV rates were so high among newspapers.

NSAman · 26-06-2019 2:39pm

Absolutely 0.

I am pretty fit, but carry a large amount of weight in muscle on legs. Arms cannot carry that long body and short legs... Basically look like gorilla..without the strength..:)

dastardly00 · 27-06-2019 6:07pm

NSAman wrote: »

Absolutely 0.

I am pretty fit, but carry a large amount of weight in muscle on legs. Arms cannot carry that long body and short legs... Basically look like gorilla..without the strength..:)

I think Gorillas have stronger arms than legs!

http%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2F_%2Fmedia%2FNetwork%2FImages%2F160111coachgorilla2.jpg

Mike9832 · 27-06-2019 6:12pm

Crap reps about 20

True strict hang pull up, maybe 7 or 8 max

ittakestwo · 28-06-2019 7:16am

9 in first set. Then 7 in next 4 sets with a minute and a half break. By the last rep I'm struggling to get chin over and form is bad. I'm 35, 6ft2 and about 80kg.

This time two years ago I could do none. I was using the pull up assistant machine in the gym for about 6 months before I was able to do sets without it. Pull up assistant machine is great for anyone who wants to start.

I noticed from looking around the gym that always the fittest looking people were doing pull ups so I wanted to start..... it is an amazing exercise for overall fitness . Still want to be able to get to 10×5 sets but more work to do. I don't do any abs exersise but I blame pull ups for my abs now showing as soon after I started doing pull ups every second day they started to appear.

I'm in a very busy gym. max I counted another was 15.

Gottanage · 28-06-2019 8:56am

Currently now 25(30+ if I add temp). My best clear pullups were 30+20(with adding temp)

Transform · 28-06-2019 2:16pm

Bob Harris wrote: »

I'd have my doubts that they are the strict dead hang pull ups the OP asks about.

my thoughts exactly, need vid

Transform · 28-06-2019 2:18pm

italodisco wrote: »

You're free to be skeptical, but i have nothing whatsoever to gain from lying online.

Maybe the gymnastics background up to the age of 17 helped, along with the fact i must have done 10 sets of them a day along with a couple hundred push ups daily through my teen years up to my mid 20s.

And then theirs the other side of the coin, i cant squat more than 130kg without my legs giving way even though they look like theyd handle 400kg lol

gymnastics back ground = well that explains it

freemenfitness · 28-06-2019 2:21pm

Transform wrote: »

my thoughts exactly, need vid

Yep anything over 20 and I need video. Except maybe long term gymnasts

NSAman · 28-06-2019 2:42pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

I think Gorillas have stronger arms than legs!

OK an upsidedown gorilla..;)

CrankyHaus · 02-07-2019 8:49am

Is it normal to be able to do more chin ups than pull ups and advisable to do more during training?
For instance I may do X sets of 5 pull ups and X sets of 10 chin-ups.

shutup · 02-07-2019 9:58pm

Yes chins are easier. You should be able to do more.

ittakestwo · 02-07-2019 11:22pm

shutup wrote: »

Yes chins are easier. You should be able to do more.

Are pull ups and chin ups complementary to each other.... ie if you practice just one of them that you will get better at the other even if your not practicing it.

Ush1 · 03-07-2019 12:48pm

ittakestwo wrote: »

Are pull ups and chin ups complementary to each other.... ie if you practice just one of them that you will get better at the other even if your not practicing it.

Yes, chins have more bicep focus while pull ups are more purely back focused but back is the primary muscles involved in both.

03-07-2019 1:05pm

I can do about 8 chin ups with good form, though it's not something I do regularly.

But I have really really struggled with pull ups, even on the assisted pull up machine with a lot of assistance. I think my form must stink and I may ask for guidance seeing as it is a fantastically efficient exercise and I want my limited gym time to be as constructive as possible.

What do people think is the best exercise to work your way up, assisted or negative pull ups?

freemenfitness · 03-07-2019 2:26pm

Deleted User wrote: »

What do people think is the best exercise to work your way up, assisted or negative pull ups?

It depends on what part of the movement you struggle with is it the starting point, pull or lock out?

03-07-2019 2:38pm

freemenfitness wrote: »

It depends on what part of the movement you struggle with is it the starting point, pull or lock out?

The pull but I couldn't be sure tbh

freemenfitness · 03-07-2019 3:30pm

Try some later and let me know.

Zillah · 03-07-2019 5:55pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I think my form must stink

Honestly, proper pullups are just a really hard exercise, it takes tons of upper body strength. I started out having to do, like, two, before having to take a break.

I'd do 2,2,2,2,1,1, something like that, and then next time it'd be 3,2,2,2,2,1, then 3,3,2,2,2,1, etc. You really just have to work up to it slowly.

Bob Harris · 05-07-2019 11:13am

Zillah wrote: »

Honestly, proper pullups are just a really hard exercise, it takes tons of upper body strength. I started out having to do, like, two, before having to take a break.

I'd do 2,2,2,2,1,1, something like that, and then next time it'd be 3,2,2,2,2,1, then 3,3,2,2,2,1, etc. You really just have to work up to it slowly.

It's all relative. There is a video on Youtube from about a month ago of Brian Shaw - 4 times the World's stongest man. The best he could do were 6 fairly crap pull ups.

Transform · 05-07-2019 12:29pm

Zillah wrote: »

Honestly, proper pullups are just a really hard exercise, it takes tons of upper body strength. I started out having to do, like, two, before having to take a break.

I'd do 2,2,2,2,1,1, something like that, and then next time it'd be 3,2,2,2,2,1, then 3,3,2,2,2,1, etc. You really just have to work up to it slowly.

if you practice them daily, rarely go to failure and vary the practice in all sessions then they progress pretty quickly

this goes for most exercises - biggest mistake is going to failure all the time

Transform · 05-07-2019 12:30pm

Bob Harris wrote: »

It's all relative. There is a video on Youtube from about a month ago of Brian Shaw - 4 times the World's stongest man. The best he could do were 6 fairly crap pull ups.

any 300lb powerlifter is going to find pull ups hard not just because of their weight but also because getting your shoulder into full extension with a sh1t ton of muscle in the way is bloody hard

honda boi · 05-07-2019 4:41pm

Transform wrote: »

if you practice them daily, rarely go to failure and vary the practice in all sessions then they progress pretty quickly

this goes for most exercises - biggest mistake is going to failure all the time

Would doing them everyday and not going to failure help progress quicker rather then going to failure one day,then skip a day and going to failure again the next day?

Alf Veedersane · 05-07-2019 5:14pm

honda boi wrote: »

Would doing them everyday and not going to failure help progress quicker rather then going to failure one day,then skip a day and going to failure again the next day?

It comes down to how many you do? If doing them every day means more total reps across the week, then there's your answer.

silverharp · 06-07-2019 11:16am

this video came up in my suggestions , it gets advanced very quickly but the first 2 minutes looks like a good starter , do negatives, isometric holds and scapula pulls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DHZpc_SVJ8

Transform · 06-07-2019 9:13pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

It comes down to how many you do? If doing them every day means more total reps across the week, then there's your answer.

exactly - total volume of work performed and consistency matter more than intensity

06-07-2019 11:17pm

Sounds like that backs up "greasing the groove"

Mellor · 07-07-2019 6:50am

Bob Harris wrote: »

It's all relative. There is a video on Youtube from about a month ago of Brian Shaw - 4 times the World's stongest man. The best he could do were 6 fairly crap pull ups.

He's 415lbs. Very few people in the world are pulling up that weight even once.
When you consider them in terms of load and not reps they are no different than any other lift imo

Transform · 08-07-2019 7:56am

Deleted User wrote: »

Sounds like that backs up "greasing the groove"

Id put in far more variety when applying greasing the grove as it allows for more repetition without repetition

Bob Harris · 08-07-2019 8:25am

Mellor wrote: »

He's 415lbs. Very few people in the world are pulling up that weight even once.
When you consider them in terms of load and not reps they are no different than any other lift imo

Which is why I said it's all relative. No point comparing me doing a dozen at 165lbs with someone who is 415lbs doing even one.

Transform · 09-07-2019 6:01pm

Bob Harris wrote: »

Which is why I said it's all relative. No point comparing me doing a dozen at 165lbs with someone who is 415lbs doing even one.

165lbs is far more within the normal body weight range than 400+lbs

Transform · 09-07-2019 6:04pm

Transform wrote: »

165lbs is far more within the normal body weight range than 400+lbs

worked on a pull up program with lots of variation, here you go guys

Pull-up Program – get your first or build up your pulling strength

Points to keep in mind –
• This is a program to be used by those that can’t do a pull up yet or those that struggle to get a handful of pull ups
• The program has work programmed daily. It will take 10-12mins to do if it’s on it’s own but you can also slot the pulling in while you’re resting between other exercises e.g. in between breaks while doing squats/lunges etc.
• It’s important to please test your current pulling strength before starting – hang from a bar and check if you can do one, if you can’t do any then check if you can jump and pull chin over the bar (underhand or overhand grip) and lower slowly (5secs lowering) or use enough band assistance to allow for 1-2reps you can just about manage. This will act as your baseline which you should retest about every two weeks and performed at the start of any training session while your fresh, warm-up adequately before you test.
• The 7 days programmed can be run for 6-8 weeks which should be enough time to get or build your pull up. When you can do pull ups I suggest adding in a session with weighted pull ups and decreasing the frequency of pull ups so your training can move slightly towards a different goal.
• Grip – technically an underhand grip (palms facing towards you) is a chin up and palms facing away (overhand) is a pull up. I also program pulling exercises in a neutral grip (palms facing each other, same position you would have if shaking someone’s hand), such as, parallel grip bar pull ups, rope/towel pull ups, ring pull ups, ring rows.
• If you need to use band assistance then please watch the video here to show you how to do that in a few different ways – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHCLgrcH1cQ
• There are seven sessions programmed and ideally you would get them all done in one week, but this can be spaced out according to how often you can get to train. Having a home doorframe pullup bar would be ideal and they’re very cheap. If you want to get better at any skill you need to do it regularly, however the harder you push yourself the longer you’re going to have to recover. As we would like you to perform the program often please make sure that you’re not pushing every set or day to your limit. The last set should be the only one that you’re working to your limit or going to failure. Going to complete failure on all working sets will compromise your training for the following day and is counterproductive.
• It’s important to work on just on vertical pulling (pull-ups etc) but also on horizontal pulling which is why there is some rowing movements covered as they allow for more scapular retraction.
• The variation on the pull ups is important as we want to vary the movement slightly in each session as it allows for repetition without repetition i.e. you’re not doing the exact same reps, grip or style of pulling daily so it makes it harder to burnout or over train the pulling pattern
• The ultimate pulling strength is straddle rope climbs, building your pull ups to the point where you can attempt these is a very high and worthy goal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEotwklXDzo

Session 1 Paused Pull-ups 3reps, please make sure you lower slowly for 3-5secs- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2mRab0sTzU
5-6 sets with 90secs rest between sets – feel free to do core work or mobility wok on your break.

Core work ideas here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXj7Y6uj7g&list=PL7HyOap7lRny4eJPpPPGBkkGV0CmfFeWg
Mobilty work covered in link above

Session 2 High rep pull-ups 7-10reps – use band assistance as needed –
5-6 sets with 90secs rest between sets – feel free to do core work or mobility wok on your break.

Core work ideas here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXj7Y6uj7g&list=PL7HyOap7lRny4eJPpPPGBkkGV0CmfFeWg
Mobilty work covered in link above

Session 3 Rope or Towel pull-ups 3-5reps, scale as needed as shown in vdeo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga7tXl2NcRI
5-6 sets with 90secs rest between sets – feel free to do core work or mobility wok on your break.
Core work ideas here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXj7Y6uj7g&list=PL7HyOap7lRny4eJPpPPGBkkGV0CmfFeWg
Mobilty work covered in link above

Session 4 Pendaly row 8-10reps (use barbell or Kettlebells/dumbbells) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lG-wq9B0h8
5-6 sets with 90secs rest between sets – feel free to do core work or mobility wok on your break.

Core work ideas here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXj7Y6uj7g&list=PL7HyOap7lRny4eJPpPPGBkkGV0CmfFeWg
Mobilty work covered in link above

Session 5 Chin ups (underhand grip) 5reps and use band assistance as needed
5-6 sets with 90secs rest between sets – feel free to do core work or mobility wok on your break.

Core work ideas here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXj7Y6uj7g&list=PL7HyOap7lRny4eJPpPPGBkkGV0CmfFeWg
Mobilty work covered in link above

Session 6 Banded pulldowns 12-15reps these are supposed to be easier than many other pulling movements so focus on form and pulling with lats and not pulling shoudlers upwards - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imftgWv9Pyw&t=3s
5-6 sets with 90secs rest between sets – feel free to do core work or mobility wok on your break.

Core work ideas here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXj7Y6uj7g&list=PL7HyOap7lRny4eJPpPPGBkkGV0CmfFeWg
Mobilty work covered in link above

Session 7 One arm rows 8rep per side - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUGrQopEFgY&t=5s or Ring rows 6-8reps (covered here at 1min in - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnTCswcA-aw )
5-6 sets with 90secs rest between sets – feel free to do core work or mobility wok on your break.

Core work ideas here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgXj7Y6uj7g&list=PL7HyOap7lRny4eJPpPPGBkkGV0CmfFeWg
Mobilty work covered in link above

How many strict pull ups can you do?

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