pullups--so close yet so far away

[Yael Grauer]

Okay, so I just got my pullup bar set up in my new digs, and I also have the little toy I bought (http://www.lifelineusa.com/en/produc...n=all-products) and I can actually do an assisted pullup from a dead hang. WOO HOO! I do have to put the stirrup thing kinda high, right above my knee, with two out of three of the cables in (60 lbs. assistance each) though I could probably put my feet closer to the ground if I had three cables.

Anyway, I can do about two or sometimes three assisted pullups from a dead hang with the thing. Is there a recommended protocol? Like should I just grease the groove and do 1-2 whenever I walk past the thing? Or should I raise it higher or add assistance so I can do sets? And if so, what sets?

So excited I can do something from a dead hang even though it is assisted. And that it's measurable...i.e. I'll be able to lower the thing, or take off a band, eventually, and actually (gasp!) measure progress.

Also should I alternate? Can do wide grip, regular grip, neutral, pullups, chinups, etc.

[Jae Chung]

Sounds like you've moved toward a solution, but did you ever do weighted negatives?

[Ryne Clos]

Do you think that weighted statics, holding at the top for 5 seconds and then dropping into a negative and back onto a box, would help? I am going to try those myself.

[Yael Grauer]

Originally Posted by Jae Chung

Sounds like you've moved toward a solution, but did you ever do weighted negatives?

Nope. Don't really see the point since it's only the pull from dead hang that I have trouble with.

[Yael Grauer]

Originally Posted by Ryne Clos

Do you think that weighted statics, holding at the top for 5 seconds and then dropping into a negative and back onto a box, would help? I am going to try those myself.

Not doing weighted and not using a box. I got my new assistance thingy so I can start from a dead hang.

Anyway I decided on my program. I am just doing GTG from a pretty high start point with my assistance thingy, and once it's easier and I can do 3-5 I will lower the band/knee stirrup thingy, and then when I can easily do 3-5 from the lowest level I'll take off one band and start higher again and go down from there until I can do 3-5 with one band from the lowest level and then I'll see if I can do one from a dead hang without the assist.

Thanks for the suggestions though!

[James Evans]

Yael, I think you've got it figured out pretty well there. Run with that, be patient and let us know how you get on. Try not to force any reps.

[Yael Grauer]

Okay, so update on this... I've been doing assisted pullups with the Pullup Revolution thing, and even though I can't get a pullup from a dead hang yet, I *am* now able to get a lot closer. I can get from a deadhang to maybe 60 degrees. I need 90, of course, and it took me several months to get from 0 to 60, but it's definitely a start.

I've been using all three bands, which say they offer 60 pounds of resistance each, but since I weigh less than 180 (but more than 120) I'm not sure how accurate that is. I can do about 8 pullups with full resistance (starting as high as I can--so pretty much max resistance, max bands). I am thinking of dropping down to just 2 bands at some point.

[Yael Grauer]

Another update... two months ago I said I could get from a dead hang to maybe 60 degrees, now I can get from a deadhang to 90 degrees. For some reason I can't get from 90 to the actual pullup, even though I can do a pullup starting at 90 degrees... so more practice.

I can do one pullup with just one band--which is supposed to offer 60 lbs of support, but on the bottom instead of the top, so it's pretty much the lowest level of support for the thing I can use. But I can only do one pullup at that setting. And since I'm doing Joel's program and doing pullups at tempo I need to have more support.

Getting there! Slowly but surely.

[Bruce Jane]

Well your pull ups workout has been fantastic and awesome. Thanks for posting your way and i will also try to follow this pattern. Thanks for the posting.