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So I finally broke down and got one.... which I have been meaning to do for a long time. Boy are those things hard to get used to! Definitely not like using the machines for lat pulls and chin-ups, obviously.

How long did it take you to get used to using one (if you have one)? Any ideas you can pass along to help ease into a program that will not only get me used to it, but help me to increase the number of reps I can do right now? (right now I can only get about 5-6 in a set)

Thanks.

just keep doing it
on alternate days or maybe even every 3rd day
soon you will be adding another rep to your sets

Yeah, a lot of guys don't realize there's a difference between using machines and not using them. Running on a treadmill is not the same as running on the ground. Lat pulldown machine is not the same as doing pull-ups. Leg press is not the same as doing squats. And so on.

I think it took me about 6 months to get from 1 pull-up to 15 pull-ups. And then a few more months to get to 20. I don't have any specific advice, except to just do them. Even though you're only able to 5 - 6, you're building up your strength gradually. And you'll be able to do more as time progresses.

If you're at the gym, ask someone to spot you. And by spotting, I don't mean holding your feet. Ask the spotter to give you a little push upwards on your back. This is the proper and safe way to provide assistance.

Using the correct form also helps. You should have a slightly arched back, so that you shift the workload to your lats. If your back is straight, then your arms are doing most of the work.

Also, do some grip and forearm exercises. When doing pull-ups, it's pretty common for your grip to give up before your arms/lats do. You can use wrists straps during pull-ups if you want, but you lose the benefit of developing grip strength.

Other things..

Try doing negative reps. Pull yourself up, then in a slow and controlled manner, descend back to the starting position. Do another pull-up, and repeat.

Push-up/pull-up supersets. Do as many pull-ups as you can. Then do as many push-ups as you can. Take a minute to catch your breath. Then repeat. The number of pull-ups and push-ups will decrease with each set. You can stop when you're spent, or whenever you feel like puking.

someone's gonna have a big ol' back in a few months work it, df!

I'm scared my door frame would collapse. D:
Or that I'd fall...

i can only do 8 and ive had it for a while.

my reps have gone way up through p90x. i can do something like 15 full-extension chin-ups now. i guess if you were to extract how they do it in p90x - there are two days a week where you do pull-up exercises. the pull-ups are always paired with opposing exercises - so there will be a chest/back day or a back/bi day or legs/back day - and they have you alternate between the pull-up exercises and the exercises for the opposing muscle so that your back can rest (so, you'll go from a chest exercise to a pull-up exercise, then back to chest, then back to pull-up, then back to chest). for each of those workouts, they will have you alternate through a series of three - four different types of pull-up (i.e. wide front pull-up, reverse grip chin-up, close-grip overhand pull-up, switch grip overhand pull-up), , and you'll end up doing each pull-up exercise twice (meaning, you'll do wide front, then close grip, then switch grip in the first half of the workout - then repeat that same sequence in the second half of the workout).

don't know if this makes any sense, it's difficult to explain but it works!

just make sure to go full extension. also you can place a foot on a chair in front of you as an "assisted" pull-up. i am sure if you google around online, you can find some good pull-up programs.

i know what you mean..im using p90x as welll its monday and wed i think

funny that people are mentioning P90X... I got this bar in anticipation of doing this.

I've had a home pull up/chin up bar for a few years now. I love it...but because I mix it up too much in my workouts, I'm not consistent in using the bar every other or every 3rd day. But if I take to a clip where I'm using it every other day...I can increase rep counts within a couple of weeks. As others have said, it's about consistency!

I love mine to death. It's always there, taunting me, so I can hardly walk under it without pulling out a few. Reminds me of my boot camp days when we had to stop and do at least five pullups everytime we happened upon a chinup bar...

iron gym bar is cheaper and better than the P90x bar.

when i was a kid, we had a bar in the corridor. once in a while when i passed it i'd do two or three chin-ups. needed to do it for high school physed class requirement of 20. took me 3 months to get to 20 from 5 or so.

MikemikeMike saidiron gym bar is cheaper and better than the P90x bar.

Iron Gym all the way... if you want to fuck with your doorway, there's always perfect pullup, but i have no idea why people would want a permanently installed one... I actually have a lot more confidence with the bar than with machines.

I don't need one, I just hang on the chandelier.

I need to get one of those so I can work out at home.

I usually start out at the gym with a set of pullups. I used to be able to do only 3, now I do 10 easily.

Curls and lat pulldown machine helped condition me for it.

I also get a chance to do a few sets at work 3 times a week when I clean a pool with exposed rafters in the pump room. That one is next to a table that I can push off of for some assist to get a few extra in, and I can switch grips from overhand to the sideways between the rafters grip.

But I have trouble controlling my swing. I need to work on form so I don't swing out with momentum so much. Often it makes me have to end a set... anyone have advice on that?

Ya I also got one for P90X. I was worried about tearing my door frame apart and didn't really trust the claimed "leverage" but it works well. I've used it for a while and it's really great. I love being able to work out at home and with the videos helps me keep motivated and the pace up.

Anyone who's done P90X for a while, can you please confirm with me that Tony Horton is annoying as hell? And some of his quotes or things he does drive me CRAZY. (The program is still really good though).

if you're planning on doing p90x, i would just start the program. like i said, it builds your pull-up strength tremendously.

allatonce, it is best to do p90x with a friend - that way you can make fun of tony horton together. it makes it all the more worthwhile.

innerathlete saidif you're planning on doing p90x, i would just start the program. like i said, it builds your pull-up strength tremendously.

allatonce, it is best to do p90x with a friend - that way you can make fun of tony horton together. it makes it all the more worthwhile.

haha, my poor roommate has to hear tony horton without getting any of the benefits of working out. I think she hates him more than I.

Celticmusl saidI don't need one, I just hang on the chandelier.

Doesn't look like you could do more that 5 anyway!!

MikemikeMike said

Celticmusl saidI don't need one, I just hang on the chandelier.

Doesn't look like you could do more that 5 anyway!!

I guess that would be a slam if it made any sense.

Yea i had one of those until i lost the do-hicky that held it together

but they're great - really it's just practice (and almost nothing like the machines that are supposedly the same)

I was doing 25 at a time at one point - but like i said i lost the dohicky and now who knows how many i can do - it's been a while....

I can do 3 sets of 6 or 7 reps, it's one of the most difficult exercises to do and some guys are unable to do any so you're doing pretty well so far.

XRICHX

That was really great advice you gave him, I started being able to do about 8, now I can do 20 to 30...well that was 6 months ago...ive been lazy,depressed and anxious for more concerts, so i stopped. Now Im gonna start again after reading this post...this is all very exciting lol