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.