[Closed] Pull ups.

if you go once a week not many. I would guess you could do something like three sets, one of 6, then 4, then 2 or 3... am i right? I'm right arent I.... 🙂

edit: Three sets of ten wide arms pull ups as you describe is very respectable. Slowly up and slowly down, no swinging of course.

When I was in decent shape I could do 20-25 at a struggle

Now I struggle to do 10...

Wide grip (hands ~1m apart) with palms forward is pretty hard, I can only manage 10-12 slow reps and I'm 25.

Dunno. How many can you do now? Just try to slowly increase it. If you can easily churn out 20 or so, then add a weight belt for more load and less reps. (depending on what you are trying to achieve)

Depends on your background I suppose. I was running with two fit mates and being humiliated as usual when we came to some of those park fitness type exercise stations, one of which included a pole about 10ft high. I nipped up it hands only in a couple of seconds, they couldn't get off the ground.

I could probably do 2-3 sets of 6-8 pullups as described, I reckon, despite not doign them regularly and being high 80s kg.

If you've only just started doing them unassisted then don't be disheartened if you can only manage 1 or 2. I doubt most of the population who don't exercise could do any. If you can do more then kudos.

A key point that I have read over and over when trying to improve pull-ups is do not train to failure. When you do a rep that is a real struggle but you manage it, leave it there.

I started at three sets of 5 pull ups but have now worked up to three sets of 10 over the last few months. So I would suggest starting at a fairly low number and building up as they are one of the more demanding bodyweight exercises.

I can manage 1. the 2nd is always full of fail.

Just done a couple on the door architrave. Good grief - I feel weak and heavy!

I thought this was going to be about nappies. Pampers pull-ups are great, much easier to fit than the standard types and they hold their shape better.

I can only do one, because I'm so powerful I can't help launching myself over the bar and landing about 12 feet away. Sometimes I do a somersault, just cos I'm awesome.

I can manage 8 comfortably, 10 at a push, and I don't do them regularly

Build them up slowly though, wherever you're at

I'll just leave this here

I do sets of 10 in between other exercises (on Pull days). The last couple of each set see my legs swing a bit.

I mix them up, do proper ones as described above, or when I want to hit my arms I do palms facing or underhand.

A year ago, I couldn't do a single one...so respect for managing any. They get easier. I am 42 this year.

I'll raise you this 😉

edit - sorry that is the campus one. There is a one-finger, one-armed pull up extravaganza linked at the end of this I think.

The last couple of each set see my legs swing a bit.

There is a member of this gym who can do one arm pull ups

20 odd years ago when I was in my teens and climbing lots I could manage a couple. Weighing 3/4 of what I do now obviously helped. Probably manage about 10 two arm ones these days.

Always mix your pull-ups with some of this for balance

If you can do one or two it's a good sign if you haven't been practicing them or doing similar pulls. I could only do a couple two years ago, but can now manage a reducing set of 12/9/6. Facing your palms is a lot easier, as is not going the whole way down, so kudos for trying the tough option first. I think it's sensible to mix it up, though, palms facing, and parallel grips too if your kit allows it. 49 yrs and 87kg here.

cross fit today is 10 sets of 9
thrusters(weighted), burpees, pullups.

90 pullups would see me still in the gym when the lights go out.

Thanks for all the replies, vids and encouragement.
Strutting around like a bloody peacock at the moment.

As a weak elite mtber, I can manage about five. After that I'm left whimpering on the floor having lost all use of my arms. Same at the dip station. I am friends with one of the paralympic hand bikers, here is a depressing fact: he does three sets of 100. With a 40kg weight vest.

I used to be able to do about 20 or so from any of the positions (wide palms forward, wide palms back, narrow palms forward, narrow palms back) when I had a chin-up bar set up next to my bedroom door. I just used to do a set every time I went past it.

Sadly, that no longer happens, so when I did start getting back into them (a tree with a branch the right height on my dog walking route) it took me a while to go from 5 t 15 or so. Then I got tendonitis and had to stop.

The joy of getting old.

Bare in mind the pull ups you describe are mostly down to back strength, if you want to build the amount you can do then set a limit of say 20 or 30 pullups and try for them when you're in the gym no matter how many sets it takes. If you manage 8 first attempt then 6 then 4 then 2 to make the magic number then as the time goes by it'll get easier and you can up the target.

When I was climbing a good bit and lighter I could do about 10-12, now maybe 8 in row.
It's worth mentioning I think that it's not particularly an indicator of anything other than ability to do pull ups on a bar, Dave Macleod, who is one of the U.k's best climbers mentioned one time on his blog that he could do about 21-24, but more importantly he could do that many in any grip or position, palms in, out, wide arms, narrow, tiny pinchy finger holds, big open handed sloping holds, hanging off ice axes, whatever, also worth mentioning that I've seen him pull up single armed on a single finger pocket, so outright strength and ability to do lots of pull ups aren't connected.
Also, unless you are also doing lots of push-ups you'll ruin your elbows quite quickly.

robinlaidlaw, Not done any push ups yet, perhaps a future thread. The big problem with being 51 is motivation, helps when a few ladies are present in the gym. 😉

Edit - isitafox has basically said all this already!

A good suggestion I read recently for a pullups workout if you can't do many is to aim for ten - do as many as you can in one go, then rest for a minute, do as many as you can again. Repeat until you get to a cumulative total of 10. If that is too easy, do the same but aim for 20. Do that two or three times a week.

By the time you can comfortably get to the total aimed number in one go a few times, you can increase the aim by 10.

As a 51 yr old myself I recently found out that I can no longer do [i]any[/i] and I'm not happy about it at all.

It's worth noting that to begin Royal Marine commando training you need to manage 5 with the proper technique...

[url= http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/~/media/royal%20navy%20responsive/documents/idt/royal%20marines/royal%20marines%20training/rm12_rmt_fitness.pdf ]Souce[/url]

Usually do 10 pull ups followed straight away by 22 press ups, then a 3 min rest - 6 reps of each.

Its also worth noting that at 51 theres more stopping me from doing commando training than that.

Practice and biomechanics!

Before I did P90X (trying to recover from an injury) I could barely manage 3 or 4 proper wide arm pull ups.

At the end of 3 months solid of doing them, depending on type obviously, I could do between 20-50 without too much effort.

I used to do one with a towel which was a semi-one-arm pull up. Couldn't get close to half of one when I started, finished up being able to do 10 at a time.

P90X involved using your tip toe on a chair out in front once you were unable to do any more "proper" ones. I think I'd do on average about 100 in a session, so you tend to get better at them biomechanically more than anything else.

How many should a 51 year old be able to do?

Years (yes many years) ago when I was climbing I was capable of two finger pull-ups (two handed though). I wasn't very strong but I weighed nowt. I weigh less now but avoid things which can cause tendon damage (or sweating and breathlessness). I honestly can't remember how many pull ups I used to do - I have obliterated memories of such savagery. Anyway it was tricep curls that killed me!! Horrible.

That Frank Medrano stuff is quite clever, but it's nothing that gymnasts or acrobats don't get up to.

I used to love watching Johnny Dawes bouldering. Some lovely one and no handed moves as in this vid:

I'm 54 and very definitely in the 1 or 2 group 🙁 I do remember my father saying when he turned up for his national service loads of lads couldn't do any.

Bloody hell these pull ups could be opening up a whole new can of worms, the climbing stuff is fascinating.

When I was in me prime I could do sets of ten, I could fire 10 reps with wide grip hands forward and touch the back of my kneck on the bar.
20 years and a few stone later I struggle doing one.

I opened this thread thinking it was about 37 posts about nappies. 🙄

Glad to hear that at least I can start royal marine commando training.

At the moment I can do 6 proper ones (slowly and all the way down, not like most of the blokes at the gym do them, cheating buggers!)

Used to be able to do 10 (about 10 years ago), but I have had surgery since which does probably affect things a little.

Trying to get back to 10 though....

Btw, 37 and a girl, 58kg/ just over 9 st.

Simone

There you go, weak but light. Just like I was. 😉

I am sure girly pull ups count twice..... 😉

First time anyone ever called me light.....

Thought i'd revive this thread as a progress update if anyone was interested, pull ups wise i can now do 20, did three sets of weighted x10 with 10kg today, dips with 15kg and can now do 70 push ups. No one is more amazed than me and at 51 i thought it was all over.

Good effort, I love bodyweight type training. A mixture of pull-ups, dips, press-ups, crunches and cycling is a great way to keep fit without neglecting your upper body and core as lots of cyclists tend to do unfortunately.

Nice one twinw4ll - you might want to progress to some other stuff? Levers, flags etc. Bloody hard work, but very rewarding.

I love bodyweight type training

So does Rob 🙂 Currently working through the progressions in this:

[img] [/img]

I laugh at your pull-ups (I can't actually do that many btw), although I can do a one handed cheat - pull up with right arm and hold right wrist with left hand - and raise you a Dragon Flag...

[img] [/img]

My technique probably isn't the best though (not me in pic)

The assisted pull up and dip machine is my favourite instrument of torture at the gym. "Concept 2" rowing machine, cross trainer and that will see a pretty fruitful hour's training.

I really must have another go at the Convict Conditioning exercises...

Thanks you lot, a bit of encouragement goes a long way, TheArtist i do those dragon flags with 20kg dumbell between my feet.

Just kidding. 😀

There isn't a set amount anyone should be able to do, regardless of willy waving. Just practice, it doesn't take long to up your reps. Do dead hangs to failure before going assisted for the remainder of the set. You'll just find that you'll be doing more and more on your own.

I've just tried doing one & I've pulled both my biceps. Ah well, another week off then.

This blokes good...

Palms facing me, 4. Palms away & I just shake instead of moving!

I'm 55, weigh 88kg and I can't do a single one 🙁

twinw4ll - Member
Thought i'd revive this thread as a progress update if anyone was interested, pull ups wise i can now do 20, did three sets of weighted x10 with 10kg today, dips with 15kg and can now do 70 push ups. No one is more amazed than me and at 51 i thought it was all over.

No get yourself a fingerboard and get those fingers nice and strong.

Thanks Rob, just purchased a copy of complete calisthenics. Been doing a lot of core work but would like to add a bit more upper body strength to the routines and that looks great.

Palms facing me, one

There are some very strong strength to weight guys at the gym.
One day one had a 35kg belt on - his best was 4. I asked him how heavy was he in total. 91kg.

A) Thats over 50% inbody weight he strapped on - full credit.
b) Thats still less than I weight (I was born when meat was cheap). And he was taller than I am.

41y, 94kg, 5'7 .. maybe... I find warming up makes a lot of difference. From cold - I can manage 10 if I'm lucky. After a hour's hard ride and sweating heavily I can do 15.

and moniex - girl doing pullups? <dribble....>

One day one had a 35kg belt on - his best was 4. I asked him how heavy was he in total. 91kg.

I put up a chin bar last week after 4 years off. That was a shock...

Been doing a lot of core work but would like to add a bit more upper body strength to the routines and that looks great.

Prepare to find out what a *really* strong core feels like

I'm doing it to up my strength to weight and it's really doing the job.

I'd use 60kg for my heavy sets in my lifting days. I weighed around 105kg.

dips or chins?

either way - woah!

No get yourself a fingerboard and get those fingers nice and strong.

Bear in mind that if you're not already a climber* this is likely to result in injury very quickly.

*or have strong fingers to start with.

65kg!!!!! a mate of mine can't even dead that!

5th elephant, that is impressive, 😯 how many could you do with 60kg? infact i only weigh 65kg, so i would need to add about 35-40kg, i'll keep you posted.
Yes, have just started climbing, doing pull ups on the door architrave at the moment.
This post may have it's roots in willy waving, at 51 waving is all i really do with mine. 🙂

tw - 51 - no only doing but progressing - full credit there.

Dan John has a good article on Fitness Standards

http://danjohn.net/2013/04/strength-standards-sleepless-in-seattle/

Although this is aimed at College Athletes, so you need to intelligently down grade it by age eg I'm 44 and the WR masters (40-45) record for the Snatch is 2/3 of that vs the OR, so I knock 1/3 off all his numbers.

NB Anyone who can do 15 overhead squats at body weight is doing very very well!

Pull ups are a funny thing, they mostly tell you how good you are at pull-ups. I know some good standard rock climbers (French 7a/b ish) that are rubbish ...which is a long-winded way of saying 'not as many as I used to' 🙂

dips or chins?

5th elephant, that is impressive, how many could you do with 60kg?

Form wasn't great, but your balance gets messed up...
[img] [/img]

The older I get the better I was 🙁

The older I get the better I was

Yep, it's all downhill from now on....

[img] [/img]

Yeah, that's me. 😆

I started doing some training for climbing and pull ups was suggested, apparently in hindsight its not the most relevant but I gave it a go. It was incredibly hard. After 4/5 months I can now do about 8 with good form and then the next two are crap.

Theres a lot of technique and core strength involved, not just bicep pulls. Good luck.

Loving the whole bodyweight Calisthenics revival at the moment.....or at least that's how I could justify spending a couple of hours building some paralettes the other weekend when I could have been doing proper husband jobs!

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Saying that they are proper fun to play on and they only cost me about £7...bonus!

Need a pic of you doing a planche on them Chris. 😉

Yeah the planche is a little way off still! 😳

I`m 42 and I still cant do one
been strength and conditioning training for the last 8 weeks or so and its making a difference, but not to my pull ups 😳
I`ve not been in the gym for 18 years either, but really enjoying it now.

I'm no expert Dominic, but why not just do the negative part of the pull up very slowly, step up to the top part of the pull up then lower yourself down.

Pull ups. I could do more on dips.

Yarp. Always strikes me as odd, that one, as for bench/row its the other way around.

I'm a ways off your pullups. Maybe 20kg for 5 right now. I can dip 30kg for 7 (followed by strained shoulder, doh).

Anyone who can do 15 overhead squats at body weight is doing very very well!

That Dan John list is pretty cool, but with some odd bits. There's a massive, massive difference in flexibility, technique AND strength between 15 bodyweight squats (which is relatively easy) and 15 overhead bodyweight squats (which is, well, you'll rarely ever see it).

twinw4ll

I'm no expert Dominic, but why not just do the negative part of the pull up very slowly, step up to the top part of the pull up then lower yourself down.

Thanks, that's a good idea, I`ll try that tomorrow 😀

Yarp. Always strikes me as odd, that one, as for bench/row its the other way around.

I've seen that's the way to get into them

Stand on a chair to get into the up position, then just lower yourself down, and repeat