Pull-ups are considered the basic standard for men in any educational institution, as well as in the army. But not everyone can do it, although for students and schoolchildren of the senior classes it is necessary to pull up just 12 times with excellent marks. But don't despair. Learning to pull up is not that difficult. If you pull up at least 1 time, then after just a month of regular training, you can easily fulfill the standard.
We will divide the article into three parts, depending on your initial preparation.
How to learn if you never pull up
In order to overcome the initial bar of 1 pull-up, you need to do the following training exercises:
- Constantly hang on the horizontal bar, trying by hook or by crook to pull up. In this case, you can use rocking and jerking. The more and more often you do this, the faster you can pull up.
- If you have the opportunity to work out on simulators, then the upper block is first of all suitable for training pull-ups. Work out on this machine, changing your grip from narrow to widest. It is best to practice in this way. Do 10-15 sets with a short rest of 40-50 seconds, doing the same number of repetitions in each set. Do not try to do the maximum in the first approaches, and then do as much as you have enough strength. The most effective reps are in the last sets. Therefore, select the weight so that in each approach, do 5 to 10 times.
- Kettlebell exercises are great for strengthening the entire shoulder girdle, which also has a great effect on pull-ups. If you have a kettlebell at home, be sure to do it with it. There are many kettlebell exercises on the Internet. Do those that affect not only the legs, but also the shoulder girdle.
- Pushups. I'll make a reservation right away that the number of push-ups from the floor is not proportional to the pull-ups. That is, this does not mean that the more you do push-ups, the more you pull up. But at the same time, as a form of strengthening the shoulder girdle and arms, push-ups are very good for pull-ups. Therefore, along with the hang on the horizontal bar, push up from the floor, also changing the grip.
If you do not have the opportunity to go to the gym, and there are no weights at home, then just hang on the horizontal bar, trying to stretch yourself. And push up off the floor. This will be enough to be able to pull up your first time. It is difficult to say the exact time in which you will be able to achieve this, but it usually takes 2 weeks of regular training. Sometimes less, sometimes a little more.
You pull up 1-5 times
Everything is somewhat simpler here than in the case of the zero pull-up. The following recommendations can be made:
- Pull up on the horizontal bar as many approaches as possible. Strength endurance is important in pull-ups, so if you just periodically stretch your maximum, which is obviously not great, then it will be of little use. It is better to train in this way: do 10-15 approaches 1-2 times with a break of 20-40 seconds. If you only pull up once, then do the same, only you can slightly increase the break between sets. But try to do at least 10 episodes. It is better to do 10 episodes one at a time than 4 episodes of two.
- kettlebell lifting for pull-ups can be called the best. Just like pull-ups, kettlebell lifting requires strength endurance. Having trained only two weeks with a kettlebell, doing 4-5 approaches of various exercises every day, you can increase the number of pull-ups by 5-10 times.
- Pull up with different grips. The better you work your latissimus dorsi muscle, pulling up with a wide grip. And the better you train your triceps by pulling up with a narrow grip, the easier it will be for you to pull up with a regular grip, since it uses both muscles approximately equally.
You can train 1-5 times before passing the standard in a month of regular training. Moreover, the weight in this case does not play a big role, since if you can lift it, for example, twice, then you can 12 times.
You pull up 6-10 times
If you already know how to pull up, but the number of repetitions leaves much to be desired, then there is only one piece of advice for changing this state of affairs - pull up more.
Pull up with different grips, different systems, and a variety of methods. Here are the most effective pull-up techniques for increasing your reps:
- a ladder. You've probably played it with your friends. The essence of such a game on the horizontal bar is that first each participant pulls up 1 time, then two, and so on, until there is one left who reaches the highest figure. You can also set a limit on how much you need to reach, and then start reducing the number of repetitions to zero. If you have no one to play "ladder" with, you can pull yourself up like this yourself, taking breaks between sets, increasing each subsequent break by 5 seconds;
- an army system in which it is necessary to pull up 10-15 series the same number of times. You can also pull up with friends, or you can do it alone, taking temporary breaks between sets;
Remember, pull-ups are all about strength endurance. Therefore, do not try to increase the number of pull-ups with maximum weights. Whatever weight you take in the bench press, you will do a lot of pulling up only if you give the body an appropriate load.
