Pull ups

[JHC]

Thursday was the last day I did pull ups, when I was able to do eight. After that layoff, I was only able to do six this morning, which makes me think recency is a thing with pull ups.

Maybe at this stage sure. Much of the fist big chunk of strength gains are neural learning related so that might come into play there. But some days are diamond and some days are stone (based on about 50 years of consistent PT) and many factors could throw you off one day; sleep, diet, etc. The length of time between pullup workouts for optimum recovery and progress is going to vary by individual, level of exertion damage of previous, and other things. Hit them every 3 or 4 days for a spell and look for a longer pattern might be an idea.

For a lot of my highest volume pullup training years I only did them once a week but total reps got up very high or the weight added pretty high close to 50% of my bodyweight so a long recovery fit me well.

[Duces Tecum]

This thread reminds me that I need to find a place to put up a bar.

I had an apartment years ago where the only place to out one was under the light well to the skylight so I had enough room for my head to poke up higher than the ceiling!

@rob_s, @littlejerry

A good exercise ("good" as in multipurpose) is the knees-to-chest pullup.

Cordially,
Duces

[frozentundra]

@GJM what pull up bar did you buy?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0CDC...b_b_asin_title

I got one of these. It's bigger than the measurements listed on Amazon.

43.5"L x 38.58"W x 87.4"H is what they list.
50.5"L x 49.00"W is much closer to the outside footprint of the one I got.

This probably makes it a better pull up bar, but certainly harder to fit into a room. Just a heads up for anyone looking to buy one.

[Beast17]

My two cents, and worth all of that, on a variety of aspects of pull-ups...

- I struggled for years to do more than 2 pull-ups. Otherwise pretty good shape, trained a lot, etc. Did lat pull downs and that stupid pull-up machine that you kneel on the pad and it applies negative weight to make the pull-ups easier. Eventually, someone gave me the Recon Ron program (https://get-strong.fit/Fitness/The-R...r-2016/Month-8) which worked great. I eventually got up to 12 weighted pullups with a 45 pound plate.

- Years later I jumped back into pull-ups at age 57. I did the locked arms thing because that's the way I remembered pull-ups being graded. I was doing them 6 days a week. Got bad tendonitis in my elbow which really derailed things. I'm working back into it without locking the elbow out, but I lost almost 9 months on pullups.

So my advice to people is don't lock your elbows out unless you are actually being graded for selection to something.

In my opinion... this is the way to test, but not the way to train. At least when you're older.

https://fedboost.com/pull-up-protocol/

[MGW]

I got one of these. It's bigger than the measurements listed on Amazon.

43.5"L x 38.58"W x 87.4"H is what they list.
50.5"L x 49.00"W is much closer to the outside footprint of the one I got.

This probably makes it a better pull up bar, but certainly harder to fit into a room. Just a heads up for anyone looking to buy one.

I think I’m going to wall mount a bar in my garage. I have a pretty jacked up shoulder. Hanging and a few easy negative pull ups are about all I can do.

[GJM]

Quick update since it has been a number of months since this thread started.

My wife is up to four pull ups, which is awesome post her shoulder surgery. I suspect she will keep increasing that number.

I have worked pull ups into my every other day workouts, during the week. I have been focusing on good form and reps as opposed to a lot at once to try to avoid injury. Ten is my most, but for example, I did fifty this morning in twenty minutes. Pull ups are enjoyable for me.

[Guerrero]

Quick update since it has been a number of months since this thread started.

My wife is up to four pull ups, which is awesome post her shoulder surgery. I suspect she will keep increasing that number.

Post surgery? Four full hang pull ups are great for any woman, period!