Pull-ups are one of the main standards in schools, universities and in the armed forces. About how to increase the number of pull-ups in the shortest possible time, I will tell in today's article.
Basic principles of training
You can train one hour after eating, not earlier, otherwise undigested food will interfere with the program.
You can practice both at home and on the street. It is better to choose a horizontal bar that is not very thick, but not thin either. You can find a large selection of horizontal bars for the home here: www.weonsport.ru/catalog/turniki/ . You can purchase both separately horizontal bars, and together with the bars.
Before training pull-ups, you need to do a little warm-up of the upper body. Perform various exercises for rotation of the arms, light jerks, etc.
After each set of pull-ups, you need to shake your hands so that the blood rushes and the muscles relax. You can just shake your hands. You can do several rotations in the elbow or shoulder joint.
Pull-ups can be done every day. But in any case, one day a week should be a rest. It is best to train pull-ups 5 times a week.
How to train pull ups
Pull-up workouts can be done on any day, even on the day you train in another sport, as long as there is at least 4-5 hours before or after the extra workout. Preferably at least 4 times a week.
There is an excellent system for increasing the number of pull-ups. In the common people, it is called "army". Its essence lies in the fact that it is necessary to do 15 approaches to the horizontal bar, doing the same number of pull-ups for each approach. Rest 30 to 60 seconds between sets.
Depending on how much you pull up, for each approach to the horizontal bar, you need to pull up about 2-3 times less. Then rest for half a minute to a minute, and pull up again. And so 15 times. This completes the pull-up workout.
When you can do 15 of these sets, then move on to the next number of pull-ups per set. And do as many sets as you can. Let's say you have enough strength to do 8 sets of 6 times. Finish your workout with this. And so do the workout every time until you can reach 15 repetitions with six pull-ups. Then move on to 7 and so on.
Do max pull-ups every two to three weeks at your discretion to monitor progress.
In addition, pulling up with additional weight will help. Take a backpack, fill it with water bottles, and do one set of pull-ups with the backpack. And another approach without a backpack.
Also a great pull-up ladder system. Start pull-ups once and rest for 30 seconds. Then do 2 pull-ups, etc. However, this type of training is less effective than the "army system", since the total number of pull-ups is less. Therefore, this type of training is carried out once a week.
Of course, the person who pulls up (push-ups on the uneven bars) should not be overweight. If there is excess weight, then naturally you won’t catch up with it much. Therefore, you need to start.
During pull-ups, and work.
It’s a big mistake to think that pulling up is training. See for yourself: the deltas raise our hand up, and when pulling up, the hands go down. Just pull-up develops the latissimus dorsi, which in turn expands the back. And at the same time, the deltas look bigger.
Pull-up technique on the horizontal bar
If you work out at home, you need to have a durable horizontal bar. After all, in the future you will need to pull up with weight. And if you still like push-ups on the uneven bars and need to perform reverse twists, then a simulator specially designed for full-fledged home workouts will help you.
This movement is imperceptible to the prying eye. And from there, pull yourself up. Going down from top to bottom, you need to get to the point below, which is a little ahead and immediately go up.
The grip should be straight (now we are talking about this pull-up). Direct grip, this is when you put your hands on the horizontal bar from above. If hands are placed underneath reverse grip.
Special attention should be paid to grip width.
You will perform any exercise best if it is convenient for you to do it. Those. in our case, if you grabbed the horizontal bar with an optimally comfortable grip in width, then you will pull yourself up more times. Right?
If you take it, imitating other athletes, widely, then you will catch up less than you could. So, the grip should be optimal. Not too wide and not too narrow. Comfortable.
narrow grip used for other purposes.
The grip that is optimal in width is such a grip when, pulling up your chin, you are above the crossbar, the hands hold on to the crossbar a little wider than your shoulders. Inhale at the bottom and exhale at the top. We figured out the technique of performing the exercise.
Pull-ups on the crossbar. Why these schemes do not work!
Now, on every site about classes in the gym, there are such training schemes for pull-ups. I do not know who invented them, but at first glance they are very good. The most important thing is that the rest time for the muscles is observed. Exercises are done in a week. And the number of approaches is optimal.
But human muscles are not capable of such a jump up. They reach their limit, and then, no matter how you do it, there is no progress. That is, somewhere up to half of the program you can reach (14-15 weeks), and then everything will stall. You can pull yourself up 15, and especially gifted - 20 times. If it were so easy to pull up 30 times, we would have all the athletes doing it.
If this program is shifted to the bench press (we can easily do this), then with a maximum squeezed weight of 80 kg, after 30 weeks (7.5 months) you should bench press at least 160 kg. In practice, this does not happen. A person who lifts 80 kg in 7 months will squeeze about 100 kg.
So why do all the sites have such schemes for pull-ups? That instructors do not see a clear discrepancy between the desires and capabilities of a person? Everything is very simple. If you stuff yourself with hormones, then such a result may well be. The websites just don't talk about it.
And the person who wrote this scheme probably trained with anabolic steroids.
I also want to take a look at this diagram:
It's all absurd here. Muscles need at least 5 - 7 days, and in the scheme they work 5 days in a row.
Before embarking on any training program, try to find out who its author is. And evaluate such a program based on your own knowledge and obvious things.
How to quickly learn to pull up on the horizontal bar (crossbar)?
There is a term "negative and positive» repetitions. Positive when you pull up, and negative when you go down.
In order to pump up muscle mass and our strength, we do not need to pull up more than ten repetitions in one approach. Yes, and it’s morally difficult to pull yourself up, for example, 25 times one approach, then another, etc.
Although of course there are people who can pull themselves up much more. But now we are talking about how to increase the effectiveness of pull-ups for a person who pulls up quite a bit 2 times, 8 times, etc. In general, if a person cannot pull himself up 4 * 10 (four sets of ten times).
Pull up. Pull-up program on the horizontal bar.
Start pulling up with two approaches. As much as you can to the maximum. Whoever can’t pull up at all, does only negative reps. Then, when the muscle pain goes away, add a third, and after a week or two, add a fourth set.
You only do pull-ups a week. Muscles grow and get stronger when they have enough time to rest. Therefore, doing pull-ups every day is unwise.
Muscles grow during rest.
We need to pull up four approaches. It doesn't matter how many reps you do. The pull-up pattern might look like this: 8, 6, 4, 2.
Or it may look different, it's not so important. Ultimately, it is important for us to pull up all four approaches ten times each. What we will strive for by applying a little trick. Namely (you probably already guessed) that these will be negative repetitions (NR).
It looks like this: in the first approach, you mastered only eight times, you no longer have enough strength. But after all, there is no strength to pull yourself up, and two negative repetitions (NP) can be done from top to bottom.
Pull-up technique. How to do negative reps correctly?
Without embarrassment, substitute a chair to the crossbar and jump on the horizontal bar until the chin is above the crossbar. And then slowly lower yourself down. The rate of descent is four seconds.
With such a slow lowering, the muscles are worked out very intensively, given that they are already tired from the previous pull-up. Just a warning: it is not recommended to do more than five NPs in one approach in order to avoid stretching the ligaments and muscles.
Thus our pull-up scheme will look like this:
8+2 NR, 6+4 NR, 4+5 NR, 2+5 NR
You see, instead of 20 repetitions in the first case, we got 36 repetitions. This work is much more productive than without NP.
If, after such a workout, the latissimus dorsi or biceps are very sore, and you can’t pull up almost completely at the next workout, then the muscles have not yet recovered. Since the load was almost twice the usual.
Rest until the pain subsides and you can pull yourself up again for a normal number of reps. ensure that the total number of repetitions in one approach, together with the NP, does not exceed 10 times.
Your task is to pull yourself up 4 sets of 10 repetitions. And in the future, in the first approaches, you will already be able to pull yourself up more than ten times. But I recommend not to do this, leave strength for the last approaches.
Within 2-3 months, your results in pull-ups will creep up sharply. When you pull yourself up 4 * 10, you can go further pull up with weights. For this, the fitter's belt is best suited. You gird yourself with it, and put weight on the chain.
By training properly, you will progress with every hard workout. If you are pulling up 30 or more reps per workout (along with negative reps), then you should do this exercise no more than once a week.
One hard workout a week, another easy. After a week of rest, the muscles will recover and become stronger. If you pull yourself up every day or every other day, then the muscles will not have time to recover.
If you can't pull up at all, it's not a problem. Now they have come up with a special simulator called "Graviton". With it, even a 3-year-old child will pull up. A counterweight helps you pull up and push up on the uneven bars.
Usually overweight guys cannot pull themselves up and most girls and women. But on this simulator you can work out the biceps and the latissimus dorsi very well. All in all, I recommend this trainer. Learn the rest from the video.
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Pull-ups. Weight training program
To get further weight gain from pull-ups you need to put a weight on the installer's belt with which you can do 5 sets of eight repetitions. AND pull up thus once a week. From such training, muscles are destroyed and restored in five days.
hyper recovery occurs on the 7th day after training. It is on this seventh day that you need to carry out the next hard workout. The muscles will be at their strongest. Once you have mastered all five sets of eight repetitions with your chosen weight, then add another 2.5 kg to 5 kg. And again pull up 5 x 8 once a week until you have pulled up all sets of eight times.
If it’s been three weeks (three hard workouts) and you haven’t been able to add a single rep in pull-ups, then leave this working weight and do it 5 x 7 five sets of seven reps.
Do this until it works. Then 5 x 6 and already putting a decent weight on the belt, do 5 x 5 for five sets of five reps. You don’t need to go below five repetitions, i.e. do 5 x 4 five by four or five by three.
When you have worked out to the fullest, i.e. with the weight you pull up five reps, there is no progress three hard workouts, this ends the training cycle.
Rest from pull-ups for two weeks. And then you start a new cycle, start with 5 x 8, only put the weight a little more than the initial one by 2.5 - 5 kg. Rest between sets up to 5 minutes. You need to rest as much as possible to complete the next set as much as possible.
Frequently asked question: “Is it possible to pull up every day?” Of course you can. It just won't make much sense.
Here is the correspondence in contact. It turns out that in 42 days Alexey was able to Achieve your goal of doing 20 pull-ups. And even more pulled up - 22 times.
Push-ups on the uneven bars
The situation is similar with push-ups on the uneven bars. Everything is exactly the same. NP on uneven bars are done from top to bottom using the same technique as pull-ups.
I recommend doing pull-ups first, and after pulling up with the next exercise, push-ups on the uneven bars. And do not say that after pull-ups it is already difficult to do push-ups. This is the first time. In general, these exercises work different muscle groups.
The main and most common myth about pull-ups on the bar is a change of grip! This includes overhead pull-ups, wide-grip pull-ups, close-grip pull-ups, and more! Lots of variations!
But how effective are these pull-ups?
Many argue that changing grip helps to work the muscle from different angles. Some say that by changing the grip, they work out, for example, the bottom of the pectoral muscles, the back head of the deltoid muscle, etc. Let's take a closer look at this issue!
For example, let's take wide grip pull-ups. This exercise is very fond of in sports and athletic halls, as many bodybuilders consider it almost a panacea for the growth of the latissimus dorsi.
Often you have to watch the guys on the site, who are trying to grab the crossbar wider, motivated by the fact that the lats work better this way. Many do not even suspect that such pull-ups are traumatic for the shoulder joints! And there can be no talk of a full-fledged pumping of the back muscles!
Why?
When pulling up with a wide grip on the head, the amplitude of movement decreases, as a result of which the back muscles do not fully contract, which leads to their poor-quality study. In order to qualitatively work out one or another muscle group, you need to choose such an exercise (in our case, the grip), with an amplitude of which the trained muscle group will be completely reduced.
Remember once and for all! The muscle contracts completely, or does not contract at all! So now you choose and think which way is more adequate in this matter!
But what about with narrow grip pull-ups?
The Internet is replete with information on how to pull up! As I said above: "Variations are many!".
Consider pull-ups with a narrow pronated (straight) grip, and compare them with classic pull-ups. Do you think there is a difference? There is practically no difference. Both in the first case and in the second, the muscles work (contract) in the same way, and the accent of the load change is 1-5%. Do you think you can feel such a difference?
For a snack, I want to quote Alexei Ozherelye. Despite the fact that he talks about pumping the abdominals, the essence of the issue does not change. Very often in the halls you have to hear from trainers that you can separately pump the lower part of the press and the upper one. There are no exercises for only a part of a certain muscle, whether it is the abdominal muscles or any others.
A muscle always works as a whole, it cannot work in parts. Either it contracts or it relaxes. Everything else is a "myth about the afterlife," as the well-known character from "12 Chairs" used to say.
If you approach the issue formally, you can change the emphasis of the load (but not the entire load completely) on a part of the muscle, but these changes are in the range of 1-3%. Do you think you can feel such a difference?
And instead of a conclusion!
Use a classic grip for both pronated (forward) and supinated (reverse) pull-ups! In the first case, grab the bar a little wider than your shoulders, in the second case, shoulder-width apart! It is with this arrangement of hands that the trained muscles contract completely! And for a quality study, this is very important!
Train right! Good luck with pull-ups
Do you have any questions? Come to ours.
Pull-ups for biceps.
Grab the bar with a reverse (palms to yourself), narrow grip, hands 5 - 15 centimeters apart. Pull yourself up to a chin position above the bar.
Go down until the elbows are in front of your eyes. Then up again. If you go below the elbow bends, then the load is intercepted by the latissimus dorsi. Biceps work less.
Thus, we create the conditions for the most high-quality work of the biceps, but we should not think that the latissimus dorsi muscles work very weakly. They also train well in this exercise.
Since the reverse grip is easier to pull up, you need to take the installer's belt and train with weight. But don't force the workout right away. In order not to damage anything, pull yourself up for the first 2 months without weight, little by little. Let the muscles get used to the new exercise.
(9-10 years old)
Test procedure
Pulling up from the hang on the high bar is performed from the PI: hanging with a grip from above, hands shoulder-width apart, arms, torso and legs straightened, legs do not touch the floor, feet together.
The participant pulls up so that the chin rises above the bar of the crossbar, then lowers into the hang and, having fixed the IP for 0.5 s, continues the test (test). The number of correct attempts is counted.
- pulling up in jerks or with swings of the legs (torso);
- alternate bending of the arms.
Pull-up technique on the horizontal bar
The traditional option, popular with both domestic physical education teachers and noisy sergeants of the American special forces.
What muscles work: back muscles and flexors of the forearm, especially the brachialis and biceps.
Execution: grab the bar with a grip equal to shoulder width. Hang with your back slightly arched and your legs crossed. Pull yourself up, bringing your shoulder blades together and trying to touch the bar with the top of your chest. At the bottom point, for a better stretching of the back muscles, fully straighten your arms.
Pull-ups with medium reverse grip
This option is easier than the previous one, since the biceps, which work to the fullest here, are usually stronger in beginners than the shoulder muscle.
What muscles work: latissimus dorsi and biceps.
Execution: grip, equal to the width of the shoulders, only palms on yourself. Pull up, following the same rules, but focus on pulling your shoulders back and down at the very beginning of the movement.
The horizontal bar training program
Before embarking on targeted training, determine your current maximum in the selected pull-up option. Then find out which group you belong to, and follow the complex prescribed for you two to three times a week. Exactly one month later, test yourself again and, if necessary, make the appropriate adjustments.
Group 1: BEST ATTEMPT from 0 to 1
Problem: you are still too weak for your own weight.
Solution: Do only the reverse part of the pull-ups. That is, put a bench under the crossbar, stand on it and pull yourself up with the help of your legs, and lower yourself only due to the strength of your hands. Rest exactly one minute between sets.
Training schedule:
Week 1: 3 sets of 5-6 reps, 5-6 seconds per descent.
Week 2: 3 sets of 5-6 reps, 5-6 seconds to lower.
Week 3: 2 sets of 5-6 reps, 8-10 seconds to lower.
Week 4: 2 sets of 5-6 reps, 8-10 seconds to lower.
Group 2: BEST ATTEMPT: 2 to 4
Problem: you can't do enough reps to improve your brain-muscle connection.
Solution: Do more sets with fewer reps. The very first repetitions will be as intense as possible, which will allow you to use most of the muscle fibers of the working muscles and improve neuromuscular efficiency.
Training schedule:
Week 1: 8 sets, 50% of best attempt, 90 seconds rest.
Week 2: 8 sets, 50% of best attempt, 60 seconds rest.
Week 3: 8 sets, best attempt, 90 seconds rest.
Week 4: 8 sets, best attempt, 60 seconds rest.
Group 3: BEST ATTEMPT: 5 TO 7
Problem: you are pretty strong, but you lack muscle endurance.
Solution: do more total reps than usual, not counting the number of sets. For example, if you usually do 3 sets of 6 reps for a total of 18, do 30 reps regardless of how many reps you can squeeze out of each set.
Training schedule: do the maximum number of pull-ups. Rest for a minute and try again. Rest as much as you want until you reach the required number of repetitions.
Group 4: BEST ATTEMPT: 8 TO 12
Problem: such a result is not a problem, you are just too strong for your own weight.
Solution: pull up with weights. By increasing your absolute strength, you will be able to pull up with your own body weight more times.
Training schedule: attach a weight equal to 5-10% of your body weight to a special belt. This should be enough to pull up 2-3 times less than usual. Perform 4-5 sets of weighted pull-ups as many times as possible, resting exactly 60 seconds between sets.
TRP standards for pulling up from the hang on the low bar (number of times)
| Step (age) |
Girls | Women | ||||
| (6-8 years old) | 4 | 5 | 11 | |||
| (9-10 years old) | 7 | 9 | 15 | |||
| (11-12 years old) | 9 | 11 | 17 | |||
| (13-15 years old) | 9 | 11 | 18 | |||
| (16-17 years old) | 11 | 13 | 19 | |||
| (18-24 years old) | 10 | 15 | 20 | |||
| (45-49 years old) | 10 | |||||
| (50-54 years old) | 10 | |||||
| (55-59 years old) | 8 | |||||
Test procedure
Pulling up from hanging lying on a low bar is performed from PI: hanging lying face up with a grip from above, hands shoulder-width apart, head, torso and legs form a straight line, heels can rest against a support up to 4 cm high.
The height of the crossbar bar for participants in the I-III steps of the complex is 90 cm. The height of the bar bar for participants in the IV-IX steps of the complex is 110 cm.
In order to take the PI, the participant approaches the bar, grabs the bar with an overhand grip, squats under the bar and, keeping his head straight, puts his chin on the bar of the bar. After that, without unbending the arms and without lifting the chin from the bar, stepping forward, it straightens so that the head, torso and legs form a straight line. The assistant referee places a support under the competitor's feet. After that, the participant straightens his arms and takes the IP. From the SP, the participant pulls himself up to lifting the chin above the bar of the crossbar, then lowers into the hang and, having fixed for 0.5 s of the SP, continues to perform the test (test).
The number of correctly performed attempts, recorded by the score of the sports judge, is counted.
Errors (attempt does not count):
- pulling up with jerks or with bending of the body;
- the chin did not rise above the bar of the crossbar;
- lack of fixation for 0.5 s IP;
- alternate bending of the arms.
Pull-ups on the low bar
The crossbar is at a height of 40 cm to 65 cm, depending on height. Hang on this crossbar. The grip is straight, the body and legs are extended in one line. Bringing the shoulder blades together and keeping the body perfectly straight, we pull ourselves up, touching the crossbar with the chest. Smoothly returning to the starting position.
Greetings, dear readers. Just imagine, the Guinness record for pull-ups in one set is 232 repetitions! Incredible numbers, right? Especially for people who can't pull themselves up at all. You are unlikely to achieve such numbers, although who knows. But I will definitely tell you how to learn how to pull up a lot!
To dispel all your doubts about whether to start pulling up or not, I will tell you about the benefits of this exercise.
Force
Now you just need to go to the crossbar and with the right technique pull yourself up for the maximum number of times before breaking the technique. If you didn’t manage to pull yourself up at all, it doesn’t matter! We have a solution for such cases!
Inverse and direct progression method
If in your school years you were fond of horizontal bars, then you probably know the game "ladder". For those who are not in the subject, I will explain. Two opponents take turns performing pull-ups, starting with one repetition and each time increasing their number by 1 repetition. The winner is the one who last completes the required number of pull-ups. So this is an exact copy of the direct progression method.
The reverse progression, on the contrary, begins with a large number of pull-ups. Then, in each subsequent approach, the number of pull-ups decreases.
The method of reverse and direct progression can be used not only within one training session, but throughout the entire training cycle.
You need to train according to this scheme 3 times a week, every other day. Do 5 sets using the reverse progression method. But from week to week, increase the number of repetitions in each approach. As you can see, the program implies that you already know how to pull yourself up. If not, then you will have to devote several weeks to the preparatory exercises, which I will discuss in the following chapters.
Advantages of the method:
- Simplicity
- The direct progression method follows the main principle of increasing muscle mass - the load must increase
- Not suitable for beginners
The negative pull-up method
Use it if you want to learn how to pull up from scratch.
The essence of the method is to exclude the entire phase of the rise up. You only put in effort when you go down. If you already know how to pull up, then with which you will not be able to pull up, but you will be able to lower under control. It is easier for beginners, they do not need weights.
How to take a starting position?
- You can use a high stand that will allow you to sit in the starting position (chin above the bar)
- Ask a partner to help you climb up
- Use a low bar that will be slightly higher than your head. In this case, jumping slightly, take your starting position. At the same time, your legs will have to be bent so that they do not touch the floor when you lower
This technique can be used in preparation for the 30 Week Pull Up program. You have to train 3 times a week, adhering to the same number of repetitions and approaches as in the mentioned program.
- Suitable for beginners
- They put more stress on the muscles, which stimulates their more active growth.
- Complement your standard workout
- Should not be used frequently. Due to the increased load on the muscles
- Requires additional equipment or partner assistance
Lewis Armstrong pull-up program
The training scheme was designed by Marine Corps officer Charles Lewis Armstrong. His goal was to increase the number of pull-ups in one set to the maximum possible number. Just what we need!
What did the American officer's training program consist of? It included 5 classes per week, and after 2 days of rest.
Monday is a tough day. You need to master 5 approaches, performing each to failure. But you can not violate the correct technique!
Tuesday is pyramid day. Consider the direct progression method. Start with one repetition and continue to the maximum number of repetitions. And after pulling up for the maximum number of times, do one more approach to failure.
Wednesday. Your task is to do 9 trips with a fixed number of repetitions. And every three approaches, you need to change the grip. Stretch first with a wide grip, then with a medium grip, and finally with a reverse narrow grip.
Thursday. It will remind you of the environment, but there will be not 9 approaches, but a maximum. If you manage more than 9 sets, then next week add 1 rep to each set of each day.
Friday is a day of remembrance. Remember which of the previous days was the most difficult, and repeat it.
Watch the video as a visual aid:
- A variety of loads allows you to comprehensively work out the muscles of the arms, deltas, chest and back
- Will help to quickly improve results in pull-ups for genetically gifted athletes
- Not suitable for beginners
- High chance of overtraining
Auxiliary exercises for beginners
If you want to pull yourself up, but you can’t do it, then you can listen to the advice of experienced fitness trainers. Do not immediately run to the crossbar, start with general strengthening exercises!
If earlier you saw sports only in pictures or you are a fragile girl, then at the initial stage you can train according to the system of physical development of Evgeny Sandov.
Exercises:
- Dumbbell Bent Over - 10 reps
- Push-ups - complete to failure
- Standing Dumbbell Alternate Curl – 25 reps per arm
- Raise your arms with dumbbells to the sides, palms facing up. Flex and extend both arms - do 25 reps
- Side Dumbbell Raises – do 15 reps
- Dumbbell front raises - do 15 reps
- Raise your arms with dumbbells to the sides, palms facing down. Move your hands up and down and back and forth. Run to failure
- Take a dumbbell by one end and spread your arms out to the sides. Rotate the brushes forward, then back. Run to failure
- Lying Leg Raises - Complete to Failure
As an exercise imitating pull-ups, a dumbbell row to the belt in an inclination is suitable.
At the second stage, include Australian pull-ups in the complex. You can perform the exercise according to the program "Pull-ups in 30 weeks."
We will listen to the advice of professionals who have gone from zero pull-ups to setting records and answer frequently asked questions.
What to do if you never manage to pull yourself up on the crossbar?
Use in the gym to build muscle mass. But do not forget that the key to muscle growth is proper nutrition.
If you are overweight, then first you have to lose weight. By creating a calorie deficit in the diet.
Use pull-ups in half amplitude.
Pull-up secrets or how to pull up more
The duration of classes should be no more than 40 minutes a day.
Reduce the load on training if you feel that you do not have time to recover.
What exercises can be done on the bar?
- To make pull-ups easier
- Great exercise - pull-ups on the low bar
A few last words
The summary is this: anyone can learn to pull up. Moreover, you are able to bring your results to fantastic values. The main thing is to believe in yourself!
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Everyone knows that pull-ups are one of the most effective ways to develop a pronounced muscular relief of the torso and arms. But the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day, for many is a mystery with seven seals - at least on thematic forums it is asked regularly.
Therefore, we decided to tell you about how to properly operate the horizontal bar, what is the optimal number of repetitions and how to achieve maximum endurance. If you are interested in learning about whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day, then stay on this page. And after reading this article, you will be able to defend a dissertation on this topical topic!
Before revealing the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day, let's outline a few important points:
- The effectiveness of training does not depend on how often or how long you practice, but on the correct execution of each exercise. The postulate that "Less is better" on the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day, it is more relevant than ever
- The frequency of training and the number of approaches should be determined individually - and depend on the general physical fitness and experience of a particular athlete. However, even for a trained athlete, there is no point in performing more than ten repetitions of pull-ups during one set. Even if the muscles are already accustomed to a high load, there is still a risk of overstressing them - and getting stretching of the connective tissue, and with it, a persistent unwillingness to exercise. Certainly, “I pull up a thousand times in one set” sounds proud though “I pull up five times, but in perfect technique» sounds much more reasonable. Any experienced athlete with an athletic body once also started small, so your Olympic records are still ahead!
Well, now a specific answer to the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day.
No you can not.
At least very undesirable.
Below we will explain in detail why.
Why the answer to the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day is negative:
- Because Muscles do not grow during pull-ups, but during rest
- Hence, muscles need to rest- and exercise a maximum every other day, and at least once a week
- If during the previous workout you overdid it, and your muscles reacted with intense pain, and not moderate discomfort, then rest until the pain is completely gone. As long as your arms, back, or shoulders hurt, doing new pull-ups is not recommended.
And in order for the training program to be more effective and contribute to the harmonious development of the muscles of the whole body, pull-ups must be combined with other exercises aimed at strengthening the abs and leg muscles.
Note that the answer to the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day depends largely on pull-up techniques which you are using. The more complex and varied it is, the longer the break between workouts must be maintained by the athlete.
For beginners, pull-ups from the “middle grip” position are recommended. When pulling up with an average grip, the athlete's hands are located on the crossbar at the level of his shoulders. Pulling up with a wide and narrow grip is somewhat more difficult, but in the future you will definitely master these techniques. Remember that a reasonable athlete develops his skills gradually - and does not seek to embrace the immensity from the very first days.
Note that the effectiveness of such an exercise as pulling up also largely depends on correct breathing.
Proper breathing is when a deep breath is taken at the bottom point, and when the pull-up reaches its top point (that is, the chin is located above the crossbar), exhalation takes place. If you are looking for an answer to the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day, then you are probably taking the wrong breath while climbing the bar. As practice shows, this is the most common mistake of all beginners: apparently, it seems to people that inhaling on the rise is somehow more logical and more convenient than exhaling.
If you are wondering if you can pull up on the horizontal bar every day, then most likely you are not too well versed in matters of strength training. In this case, it will be useful for you to familiarize yourself with the optimal pull-up technique for beginners. A specially selected sparing technique contributes to the development of muscle endurance, but at the same time, does not load the connective tissue and joints to a dangerous limit.
So, about whether it is possible to pull yourself up on the horizontal bar every day, you already know - and now let's talk about negative pull-up technique designed for beginners:
- The very first technique that a beginner needs to master is the negative pull-up technique. Stand on a chair, and grab the crossbar with bent arms in such a way as if you have already risen above it (while your chin should also be located above crossbar)
- After that, slowly lower yourself down, lowering your legs from the chair. You should feel the maximum tension in the muscles of the arms and back - and smoothly, without jumping, lower yourself onto your feet. Then return to the chair, take the starting position and do three more similar repetitions.
- Using a chair, you will significantly reduce the amplitude of pull-ups. Thus, it will be much easier for you to perform the exercise - and the risk of injury to muscles and joints will be minimized.
A few more important notes that are directly related to the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day:
- To help the muscles of the arms and back increase endurance, it is necessary to perform additional exercises. To this end, it is worth using the bars, which are available in almost every yard, or perform the most common push-ups from the floor, which strengthen the biceps, triceps and latissimus dorsi. However, we draw your attention to the fact that beginners on the uneven bars should also be engaged in half strength - and at first limited to two or three approaches. In the future, when your muscles stop feeling the load, you can increase the number of repetitions.
- If you can’t pull yourself up on your own, don’t rush to curse the horizontal bar and lie down on the sofa. Of course, doing nothing is much easier than making an effort, but mastering the correct technique the first time is almost impossible - and this applies to absolutely any exercise. And since you are looking for information about whether it is possible to pull yourself up on the horizontal bar every day, it means that you are determined to take it seriously - and this pleases. To reduce the load on untrained muscles, involve a partner in training. Have a partner support and guide your body up during the sets.
- Make sure that you do not bend forward or lean back during each approach.
- During each subsequent workout, try to increase the number of repetitions in each approach several times. And the number of approaches themselves should be increased no more than once a week, so as not to overload the muscles.
We sincerely hope that after reading this article, the question of whether it is possible to pull up on the horizontal bar every day has been resolved for you. And we also hope that the restrictions announced in the article have not discouraged you from training. As mentioned above, all champions who have achieved enviable heights once started small - and the right way to train largely determined their success.
Don't forget that the road will be mastered by the walking
- and success to you in your sports endeavors!
