Fitness: Improving on — and crushing — the pull-up

One of the single-greatest exercises known to man is the pull-up. It’s right up there with the squat as one of the best-ever compound exercises you can do. Whether you are a bodybuilder, powerlifter, rock climber or all-around athlete, this exercise should be in your training arsenal.

There’s one problem. They’re hard. Really hard. So much so that some folks can only do a few at a time (that would be me) and others who might otherwise be fit can’t do any at all.

I saw this video, and the tips offered here are excellent. Follow them and watch your pull-up count go from a couple per set to sets of 8 or more.

Here’s a link to some more great pull-up tips.

What do you do to improve your pull-ups? Comment here and let’s discuss!

Bob Doucette

On Twitter @RMHigh7088

10 thoughts on “Fitness: Improving on — and crushing — the pull-up

    • Totally. Recruits almost the entire upper body. If you’re a bodybuilder or fitness/figure competitor and you’re not doing these, just stop now.

      Also a must for climbers, but I think they already know that.

      • I have a ton of different ways I go about doing these and one of my faves (think gymnast here…front lever position) is to incorporate a lengthening of the body and total body control. From your toes pointing to the floor and a still upper body. This summer in the Olympics we will have the best look(s) at pure pull ups especially during the ring routines!
        Awhile back I had a pick from my garage that had rock rings, gymnastic rings and a pull up bar. IMHO that is all you really need to keep fit. Apologize for the rant…If you were only going to do one movement make it this one!!!

  1. Pull-ups are possibly one of my favorite excersises. When I was getting in shape for my PSTs I would do increasing sets of deadhang pull-ups starting from 1 rep all the way to 10 then decreasing back to 1 with a set of 10 push-ups between pull-up sets. When I shipped my pull-up count was at 37 (up from 12). It was a system that worked for me.

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