Pull Up Exercises

 This video is a little cheesy, but some good advice.

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Types of Pull Ups

There are two types of pull up exercises:

• The Regular Pull Up
  Hold the pull up bar with your hands, placed shoulder width apart, and your palms facing outward, away from you. Gather all your strength, and pull yourself up, till your chin is above the bar, then slowly lower yourself. You should be able to repeat this movement at least 10 times, without resting your feet on the ground.
• The Chin-Up
  The chin up is performed in a manner similar to the pull up. However, when you hold the pull up bar, your palms should be facing inward, towards you. Again, you lift yourself up, till your chin is above the bar, then slowly lower yourself, and perform at least 10 repetitions.

Also take a look at chin ups vs. pull ups. Now that the basics have been established, let's understand how you can do pull ups effectively and a routine that you can follow to build strength.

How to Do a Pull Ups Workout Effectively

It goes without saying that performing a pull ups workout requires immense strength, which as mentioned before, can be built only by doing pull ups daily, without giving up. Here are a few tips on being able to perform a pull ups workout effectively.

• Maintaining a regular breathing pattern while doing this workout is essential, to perform this exercise well. Breathe in before you lift yourself off the floor, and breathe out while you lower yourself back.
• If you are doing pull ups at a gym, just to get started off, ask someone to assist you in doing them. You will find it easier to begin, and will not have a valid excuse to avoid this exercise.
• Do not use machines to do pull ups, as they are never as effective as doing them manually on a bar.
• The number of sets you do matters, as much as the number of repetitions. To build your strength so that you can perform several repetitions together, try out this routine. Start with ten sets of one pull up. This means doing one pull up, taking a 20-30 second break, and performing the next set.
• Slowly increase the repetitions to 2, 3, 4 and then 5 repetitions per set. Once you are able to do 5 in a set, you will be able to perform 10 repetitions in 1 set easily.

When you are capable of doing the basics, you will be able to do this pull ups workout routine mentioned below.

Pull Ups Workout Routine

If you are looking for a pull ups workout routine, you may be looking to build your muscle mass and strength, or for bodybuilding. To do so, ensure that you follow a protein rich diet, and develop a healthy sleeping pattern. These are primary requirements to perform the pull ups workout routine effectively. The following exercises comprise a complete pull ups workout. Perform this workout only after you are comfortable with doing the basic pull ups and chin ups. To get the most of this workout, perform 10 repetitions of each exercise in a minimum of two sets, increasing the number as you get more comfortable with the exercise.

 

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Primary muscles targeted: Latissimus Dorsi,

Synergists: Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Teres Major, Deltoid (Posterior), Rhomboids, Levator Scapulae, Trapezius (lower, middle), Pectoralis Major (sternal), Pectoralis Minor

Dynamic Stabilizers: Biceps Brachii, Triceps (long head)

Equipment needed: Pull-​​up bar that is positioned approximately 3–4 feet from the ground

Start: Sit underneath the pull-​​up bar. Place your hands over the top of the bar and grasp it tightly with your arms shoulder-​​width apart. Tighten your abdominal muscles and elevate your hips until your back and legs form a straight line. Adjust your foot position until your chest is directly under the bar.

Actions: While keeping your abdominal muscles tight, pull your body toward the bar by bending both elbows. Return to the start position and repeat until your goal is reached. Exhale through your mouth as your pull your body upward and inhale through your nose while you return to the start position.

Warning: Try not to rock your body while performing pull-​​ups. Called “swinging” or “kipping” (when you use a forceful initial movement of the legs in order to gain momentum), it prevents your stabilizers from protecting you from injury. Swinging or kipping should only be allowed while performing “negatives” (when you use a spotter to get you up to where your chin is over the bar or where you jump upward on your own, and lower yourself to the ground as slowly as you can).

Female standards:

Basic: 5–10 seconds, or 1–3 repetitions

Intermediate: 11–20 seconds, or 4–8 repetitions

Advanced: 21–40 seconds, or 9–15 repetitions

Extreme: 41–60 seconds, or 16–24 repetitions

Male standards:

Basic: 5–15 seconds, or 1–5 repetitions

Intermediate: 16–30 seconds, or 6–12 repetitions

Advanced: 31–60 seconds, or 13–25 repetitions

Extreme: 61–90 seconds, or 26–40 repetitions

Perform three sets of this exercise, resting 1–2 minutes between sets. Give yourself 24–48 hours rest before attempting the pull-​​up training again. Perform this routine for a month and you will notice increased strength in your back and arms, better posture, and a noticeable improved physique!

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