How to Improve your pull-up power

There was a time at the gym I could not do pull-ups and because of this I neglected to even try doing this.

Then I came across some advice on how to do more pull-ups and I was able to achieve more than mypathetic two pull-ups.  So whether you were hopeless like me or on a plateau where you can’t seem to improve try this:

Firstly you’ll need a stop watch, set it to go for a minute.  Do as many pull-ups (or chin-ups) as you can in that minute, resting as needed, it doesn’t matter how many you can do in a row, but how many you can fit into that minute.

So when I could only do two I did that, stopped, rested and stretched for 10 to 20 seconds, then did more, rested, repeat, until the minute was up.  Doing it this way I only did about 4 or 5, but that was more than I had previously done!

I would then rest for a minute, this would give me a bit of energy for the next minute.  Do the same trying to get as many out as possible.

Rest again for another minute and do a final set.

If you are giving it your all the 1st minute should have the most pullups and the 5th minute should have the least pull-ups.  So as below this is what the routine is:

1st Minute	Pull-ups
2nd Minute	Rest
3rd Minute	Pull-ups
4th Minute	Rest
5th Minute	Pull-ups

You can do this using a variety of pull-up and chin-up techniques. Check out the ones below:

Shoulders

Using Biceps

Also read this article:

How to do a proper pull-up and why you need them – Nerd Fitness

Some tips on getting the most from this:

• During the last 10 seconds of each set, if you are not still doing pull-ups jump up to try and get one more out (even if you feel exhausted you probably still have one more in you!)
• To make it harder or easier alter how far you allow your body to drop down, if you do a longer range motion you will feel a more wider range of muscles working.
• Vary with different pull-ups each time you train (hint there are may different grips to give you different ways of doing a pull-up)
• If you can’t do pull-ups at all try this.  Pull up one of those aerobic steps and jump into each pull up you do, leaving a short pull-up at the end.  Most of the momentum will build up from the jump (see video below)
• Try a ‘half pull-up’ i.e do the top bit or the bottom bit, not the full motion
• Improve your grip – grab onto the bar and just hold it for as long as possible
• In a few weeks you will hopefully see improvement!

Doing pull-ups with a jump

Here is what I have improved after a two months of training doing standard pull-ups:

Before:

1st Minute	6
2nd Minute	Rest
3rd Minute	4
4th Minute	Rest
5th Minute	3

After:

1st Minute	18
2nd Minute	Rest
3rd Minute	13
4th Minute	Rest
5th Minute	8

Give it a go and see how you get one, and one day you may be like this!

For this article I used Pullupszone to show the different methods of doing a pullup.