deadhang pullups

Steve Kaspar · 02-06-2009, 06:02 PM

years ago i was told that if your strong you can do pullups. the 150# fit guy has no advantage over the 200# fit guy. i was told that the 150# guy has 12" arms and small back muscles to pull all 150# up, where the big guy has 18' arms and big back muscles to help him.
so basically there is no advantage to either one. if your strong you can do them... correct????i just seen the video of that konstantin guy doing 55... and he sure isnt a thin guy.
so is it true then if your big, you have bigger muscles helping you, and if your small and thin you have small muscles helping you, so the bottom line is if your strong, you can do them?? i myself often hear bigger guys 180#- 230# saying the 140#-165# thin guy has an advatntage..
any info would be appreciated.
thanks
steve kaspar

Gavin Harrison · 02-06-2009, 09:20 PM

Small guys obviously don't have to move as much weight. So yes, they have the advantage, at least in metcons.

Troy Archie · 02-06-2009, 10:30 PM

And depending on arm length which equals distance travelled.
Smaller athlete often means shorter arms.

In reference to the konstantin video, he looks like he has shorter-arms. I'm using the reference point of where abouts his hands hang on his thighs. My hands hang way lower...

Kevin Perry · 02-06-2009, 10:53 PM

smaller guys generally have lesser weight to move and may have a shorter ROM to travel.

I think the way a person trains also plays a role, what type of programming they are doing, type of exercise, which fiber type they are training, are they doing isometric exercise or something else, lots of variables, genetics, etc.

Derek Weaver · 02-06-2009, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troy Archie

And depending on arm length which equals distance travelled.
Smaller athlete often means shorter arms.

In reference to the konstantin video, he looks like he has shorter-arms. I'm using the reference point of where abouts his hands hang on his thighs. My hands hang way lower...

What's insane, is that with his shorter arms he's got a longer pull off the ground.

Darryl Shaw · 02-07-2009, 04:51 AM

If you're talking about absolutely strict deadhang pull-ups then assuming that both athletes are of fairly similar proportions the little guy has no real advantage over the big guy.

Mike ODonnell · 02-07-2009, 09:11 AM

all depends on whether you are talking to a small guy....or a bigger guy...or a shorter guy....or a taller guy.....I am sure you get all different answers.

Dave Van Skike · 02-07-2009, 09:46 AM

as a medium guy with long arms, it's really really hard for me, ergo everyone else who can only do 15 deadhang pullups is sandbagging.

Troy Archie · 02-07-2009, 12:19 PM

I've been thinking along the same lines lately in regards to bio-mechanics. I keep noticing the smaller guys at my gym are really strong on the bench press meanwhile the taller ones (such as myself) really lag behind...

Ben Reynolds · 07-14-2009, 07:25 AM

There are always physiological advantages to certain body types with certain lifts.

Pullups train as much strength as you weigh. A guy who weighs 220 and does 15 pullups can probably outmuscle a 150 pounder who pulls the same number. Adding weight can help even the difference. Doing one armed pullups would be best of all. For us mere mortals though, front levers can develop more strength than pullups alone in the back and core.

If that little 150 pounder did one armed pullups, he would have an advantage over the 220 pounder by about 40 pounds per arm.