31

Jan / 12

Pull Ups By the Numbers
Categories: Workout of the Day

10add / read
comments

posted by:  

Stephanie on a blue band May 2010. Last night she did a 10# weighted pull up for a set of 2!

I posted about pull up progressions a while back based on an article from T-Nation which detailed a series of movements ranging from barbell rows to ring rows to pull ups and weighted pull ups.   Yesterday, 70′s Big honed in on specific progressionsto get from no chin up (palms facing you) to one or more pull ups (palms facing away).  These are excellent progressions and can be done even if you don’t have bands to assist with pull ups.

Instead, he focuses on using negatives in his progressions (Be controlled and deliberate during your negatives and don’t just drop to the bottom).  It’s important to also include  band-less progressions so you can increase your grip strength.  The bands often support enough of your weight that when you try to hang from the bar on your own, your grip goes out before you can even attempt the pull up!   Check out his progressions below:

  • No chin-up, weak: Use some sort of body rows (ring, barbell).
  • No chin-up, not so weak: Use negatives.
  • No chin-up, weak in top half (lockout): Use “Double Negatives” for the top range of motion. What’s a Double Negative? »
  • No chin-up, weak in bottom half (getting started): Use Double Negatives for bottom ROM.Tell me how »
  • Chin-up! Yay! But only one?: Maintain frequency method, but with full ROM (more in later sections).
  • Regular chin-ups, no pull-up: Start hitting doubles on chins for a week, then triples. Then start on pull-ups.
  • Chin-ups are pretty solid, but no pull-up: Alternate between workouts that focus on chin-ups (see previous point) and pull-ups. Find out where you are on this list on the pull-up and start there. If you can’t lock it out, then work the top ROM. If you can’t get out of the bottom, then work that ROM. If it’s no dice either way, use negatives.

Note that you’ll occasionally (i.e. once every 7 to 10 days) attempt a dead hang chin or pull-up. If you show progress, then shift to the next point.

Read more about developing a pull up here.

We’ve had the opportunity to witness many many athletes go from banded pull ups to strict pull ups.  Yesterday Sri busted out his first two strict pull ups after just one month here (started with blue/red)!  This last month many Intrepids got their first pull ups and chin ups.  Below is Michelle’s pull up story:

8/5/10  Green (1st workout after foundations)

9/20/10 Blue/Purple

11/2/10 Blue

12/10/10 Red

5/2/11  Purple

Got my first unassisted pull up towards the end of the W30 challenge (around 5/3/11)

5/24/11 NO BANDS!!

If you transitioned from banded to strict pull ups here, post your story to comments!!

WOD 01.31.12

Back Squat 3×5 or Wendler

Partner WOD:
AMRAP 9:
7 Thrusters
7 Burpees
170m Run

Partner A completes 7 Thrusters while Partner B completes 7 Burpees. Partners then switch movements and go on the run together. When both partners return, Partner A then starts with 7 Burpees while Partner B starts with 7 Thrusters.

10 Responses to “Pull Ups By the Numbers”

Xuan
January 31, 2012 at 7:36 AM

I started on black in Feb 2010.
Moved down to green pretty quickly.
Was too scared to go down in bands for about a year, but dropped about 35 lbs via Intrepid. New job derailed by crossfit workouts. Bought a pull up bar for the house and started doing some of the progression stuff. December 2011 = Band Free!

Anna
January 31, 2012 at 8:37 AM

My pullup progression was a little different as I started Crossfit in the dark ages where we were allowed to kip before strict.
Feb 2009- I told Ruth I wanted to learn how to do a pull up by my birthday (April 26). I started doing jumping pullups and kip swings every day.
Three weeks later- Kipping pullups a success.

Fast forward 1.5 years (and two clavicle surgeries later), I decided to tackle strict pullups
August 2010-
Me: “Marcus, I want to learn how to do strict pullups”
Marcus: Cool, just do 20 a day, you will get it
Me: What are you smoking? I can hardly do 1, how should I do 20?
He told me to take breaks during my warmup and lifting and knock out a few, within a few weeks I was doing 5 unbroken!

I’ve had similar experiences with ring dips and wall balls. Even old dogs can learn new tricks!!

Jeff Stoehr
January 31, 2012 at 9:22 AM

Youse guys are awesome!!!

Brady
January 31, 2012 at 9:37 AM

Awesome to all of you crushing pullups! I’ve been in the morning classes with Sri and his progress has definitely been motivating me to reach my pulling goals. Here is another site that has been motivational for my pullups:

http://www128.pair.com/r3d4k7/Chinups.html

Scott
January 31, 2012 at 10:45 AM

Michelle wants to add another line to her progression…..she did a strict pullup with a 15 lb weight last night! She was pumped. :)

Like Anna, I too am from the dark days, so I feel pretty good with my kipping pullup. You may have noticed me regularly asking Ruth if I can kip for a pullup workout. But I have not been able to tackle more than a single strict pullup, and even that is borderline. I guess I have a new goal!

Anna, you kill it! Very impressive. Nice work Xuan! Both on the 35 lbs and the pullups. You’re in full beast mode!

Holley
January 31, 2012 at 12:16 PM

I started CrossFit in a globo gym doing pull ups on the assisted pull up machine.

When I came to Intrepid in Aug 2010 I did strict pull ups with a red band and workouts with kipping pull ups using a purple band.

To improve my pull ups I moved down to a purple band for warm ups and did only strict pull ups. Once I got a strict pull up without a band, I did as many of my warm up pull ups unassisted as possible. It took me a couple of months, but soon I got two, and then three and then all of the sudden I could do an entire warm up of strict pull ups.

By January 2011 I was completely band free. Now I can do 13 strict in a row and 1 pull up with a 45 lb weight.

To me it seems like the trick is to constantly challenge yourself, especially in the warm ups. As soon as you can use less assistance, do it and stick with it…even if warm ups take you a little longer.

Ray
January 31, 2012 at 1:26 PM

When I started in Oct 2011, I was able to do 1 strict pullup. I was doing all the pull up WODs with a Green Band up until Dec 2011. I moved down to 2 Red bands through the month and was able to do 2 strict pull ups during the Whole 30 workout session.

This month, I’ve been trying to knock out a set or two after each workout of however many I can do. I’ve gotten up to 5 unbroken (6 on a good day).

Anna saw me doing them and asked why I was doing WODs with bands and it was just because I didn’t know how to kip. 2 days of work in the week with her (+ the time spent with Sean/Ruth on some skill days) and I did my first workout for pullups without bands this past Saturday!

Stephanie
January 31, 2012 at 2:49 PM

Nice work everyone! Impressive Ray!

Here is my pullup progression:
Oct 2009 – Green (could barely do 2)
took some time off and did not wod consistently till February 2010
May 2010 – Blue
June 2010 – Red & Purple (Fran almost killed me!)
July 2010 – First kipping pullup (Anna taught me – thx Anna)
Aug 2010 – Red
Sept 2010 – Purple (It was tough to get off the purple band b/c I didn’t practice active shoulders while using the bands)
Oct 2010 – First strict pull up
Feb 2011 – Band Free!

Like Holley, I also pushed myself to use a tougher band for warmups and once I was able to go bandless I shifted to doing as many strict pullups as I could. It took me a lot longer to finish the warmup but it was worth it.
Pullups are still a goat for me and I still have to work at them but persistence and hardwork does pay off.

Alice
January 31, 2012 at 4:19 PM

A couple months ago we had a WOD that included max strict pull up. I told Ruth, I couldn’t do a strict pull up so she said, try a chin up then. I successfully did one strict chin up in the WOD. Then after the WOD Troy says you should talk to Jason about pull ups…he helped Michelle get started and now she can do a lot more. So I go to Jason to ask and he looks at me and says you can do a strict pull up. Go do one now and Troy and I will watch. BOOM! Strict Pull up #1 in the bag same day I did my first strict chin up! Apparently I just needed some faith…thanks boys! Hoping to get 2 strict pull ups on Friday for our post Whole 30 WOD!

Michael h
January 31, 2012 at 9:31 PM

Love seeing these rsults.
RSS