I have a goal to do an unassisted pull-up. I enjoy lifting weights and I am a fairly strong woman. I can only pull up half my weight though. Does anyone have a good plan to do this in 4 months or so?
I want to do an unassisted pull-up
- Thread starter tandssmith
- Start date
If you have access to an assisted pull-up machine use it. Put enough weight on to allow you to do 8 reps. Do 3-4 sets with that weight. If you use an underhand grip and do a chin-up your biceps will be helping and you will be a bit stronger. Try doing 2 sets overhand(pull-up) and 2 sets underhand(chin-up). Once you can get 3 sets of 8, lighten it up by 10 lbs and repeat. This will gradually build up your strength, and hopefully you will reach your goal. Not many women can do pull-ups, so if you reach your goal you will have made a good accomplishment. If no Assisted machine is available you will have to use a lat machine.
I'd like to know more about how long you've been doing resistance training for, and what equipment you have access to. If you've been training for a year or more, you should be able to safely go into max strength training, so, furthering on from the advice above, you may be able to do sets of 8 for a few weeks, then sets of 6 for a couple more weeks, then 4, 3, 2, 1.
If you have access to both an assist machine (which you load up to take weight away from your total body weight as you do chins or dips) and cable lat pulldown, I'd recommend doing strength sets on the assist machine and then speed sets on the cable machine (eg 3x5 with good technique, at a rapid but controlled speed, at a weight that you perhaps could have done 10-15 reps of per set). Having both of these in your program (perhaps on alternate days) should help you build the strength required to perform bodyweight pullups.
If you have access to both an assist machine (which you load up to take weight away from your total body weight as you do chins or dips) and cable lat pulldown, I'd recommend doing strength sets on the assist machine and then speed sets on the cable machine (eg 3x5 with good technique, at a rapid but controlled speed, at a weight that you perhaps could have done 10-15 reps of per set). Having both of these in your program (perhaps on alternate days) should help you build the strength required to perform bodyweight pullups.
Id advise against an assisted machine, you need to get used to handing your own body weight. Some good ways to build strength for pull ups is to start with a flexed arm hand(holding the top position of a pull up) and performing controlled negatives(the lowering part of the pull up). The slower you can lower your self down the better, this is the most effective way to build strength needed to perform unassisted pull ups. A good routine is to perform rep ladders of negatives and flexed arm hangs, and once you can manage to do one pull up, then do as many sets of one throughout hte day as you can and you'll notice your numbers will improve incredibly
Two things to keep in mind about pull ups:
1. since you are lifting your whole body, the less you weigh the easier they are to do. Every ounce of fat makes it harder to do a pull up. One way to increase your pull ups is to loose as much excess fat as possible.
2. the reason they are so incredibly difficult and effective is that they use virtually every muscle in the body to some extent. So an overall strength training routine stressing heavy weights and every major muscle group will get you there in good time. Concentrate on barbell or dumbell compound movements (deadlift, squat, bench press or push ups, military press or hand stand push ups, bent rows).
1. since you are lifting your whole body, the less you weigh the easier they are to do. Every ounce of fat makes it harder to do a pull up. One way to increase your pull ups is to loose as much excess fat as possible.
2. the reason they are so incredibly difficult and effective is that they use virtually every muscle in the body to some extent. So an overall strength training routine stressing heavy weights and every major muscle group will get you there in good time. Concentrate on barbell or dumbell compound movements (deadlift, squat, bench press or push ups, military press or hand stand push ups, bent rows).
I see nothing wrong with using an assisted machine to work up to your goal.
If you can't do a single pull-up now, how do the 'no assisted machine' members propose she do this? If you can't do one rep, you didn't work the muscles, thus no progress is made.
Lat pulldown stations only get you so far. Keep decreasing the assisted weight as often as possible and push yourself hard.
also remember that any weight loss on your body will make it 'easier' (assuming you have any bodyfat to shed of course).
If you can't do a single pull-up now, how do the 'no assisted machine' members propose she do this? If you can't do one rep, you didn't work the muscles, thus no progress is made.
Lat pulldown stations only get you so far. Keep decreasing the assisted weight as often as possible and push yourself hard.
also remember that any weight loss on your body will make it 'easier' (assuming you have any bodyfat to shed of course).
performing negatives is how you do it without an assisted pull machine, flex arm hangs are also a great way, but the most effective way is to combine the two. The army/marines/navy, etc, doesn't use assisted pull up machines to help people achieve pull ups, because it takes too much time, instead they make them hang, perform negatives, and do partial reps. Forcing to handle your own bodyweight is the quickest way to achieve a pull up.
Thanks to all
Thank you to all who have responded. I have received a lot of excellent feed back!
Goldfish: I have been weight training for four years. I am kind of in a rut and am trying for new goals.
dswithers: I weight 140 lbs and can't seem to get below that. I've come to believe that's where my body is supposed to be. I am a clean eater, but a cheater once a month.
I do have access to an assist machine at the gym. I don't get to go regularly though, so I was hoping for some alternatives. I like the negative rep approach and I have a lat machine at home.
I am going to combine the three with building weight and reps and hopefully acheive my goal in 4 months. I will get back with you all
Thank you to all who have responded. I have received a lot of excellent feed back!
Goldfish: I have been weight training for four years. I am kind of in a rut and am trying for new goals.
dswithers: I weight 140 lbs and can't seem to get below that. I've come to believe that's where my body is supposed to be. I am a clean eater, but a cheater once a month.
I do have access to an assist machine at the gym. I don't get to go regularly though, so I was hoping for some alternatives. I like the negative rep approach and I have a lat machine at home.
I am going to combine the three with building weight and reps and hopefully acheive my goal in 4 months. I will get back with you all