The pull-up is a challenging exercise that can significantly improve your upper body strength and overall fitness level.

Whether you're aiming to achieve your first pull-up or increase your pull-up volume, this comprehensive guide will provide you with practical strategies and a step-by-step approach to help you conquer this exercise and achieve your fitness goals. With dedication and consistent practice, you can build the necessary strength and technique to perform pull-ups with confidence.

HOW TO DO YOUR FIRST PULL-UP

1. Start with Hanging Exercises

Begin by building your grip strength and getting comfortable with hanging from a bar. Start with dead hangs, where you hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended. Gradually increase the duration of your hangs over time.

1. Add in Chin Over the Bar Holds

Next, progress to holding the top of the pull-up, with the goal of building to 30 to 60 seconds with your chin over the bar. 

1. Eccentric Pull-Ups

Now you have strength in the top and bottom position, it’s time for eccentrics. Eccentric pull-ups involve emphasizing the lowering (eccentric) phase of the exercise. Jump or use a box to reach the top position of the pull-up, and then lower yourself down as slowly as possible. This eccentric loading helps build strength and control, and over time you can add external load to do weighted eccentrics. 

1. Use Assisted Pull-Ups

Assisted pull-up variations can be helpful in building strength and developing the necessary muscle activation for a full pull-up. Use your toes, a pull-up assist machine, or partner assistance to reduce the amount of body weight you have to lift. Gradually decrease the assistance as you become stronger.

1. Include Other Pulling Exercises

These progressions should exist within a complete training program that includes all patterns of movement. It’s important to develop strength in pulling with accessory work, and both horizontal, vertical, and elbow flexion exercises should be included in the program design. 

 

Improve your pull-up skills with this class - Programming the Strict Pull-Up. Available on LearnRx

 

HOW TO INCREASE PULL-UP VOLUME AND DO MORE REPS

Now that the first pull-up has been achieved, it’s time to build volume. Other than consistent exposure to strict pull-up variations over time, specific program design tactics can include cluster sets, AMRAPs, agonist supersets, and variation in grip.

 

1: AGONIST SUPERSETS

Agonist supersets are a great tool for those who can perform a very low number of strict pull-ups, allowing you to expose the musculature to longer time under tension than just a few reps. This involves pairing a set of pull-ups with another exercise that challenges the same muscles, such as a chin over the bar hold, lat pulldown, or eccentric pull-up. 

 

For Example: 

A1. Strict Pull-Up, @30X0, 1-2 reps x 4 sets; rest 10 sec

A2. Chin Over the Bar Hold, AMSAP x 4 sets; rest 3 min

 

2: CLUSTER SETS

Cluster sets allow you to increase the volume within a set, performing more reps than could be done straight through by taking short rests between submaximal clusters. For example, if you can do 2 reps, program a cluster set of 1.1.1, resting 10-20 sec b/t clusters. This allows you to do 3 total reps per set. Or if you know you can do 8 pull-ups, perform a cluster of 4.3.2.1 to complete 10 reps per set. You can progress clusters by increasing the number of reps per cluster, increasing the number of clusters, or reducing the number of clusters while increasing reps per cluster.

 

3: AMRAPS

AMRAPS are a great way to self-regulate volume progression and work well for those who can perform 5+ pull-ups for a max set. There’s no rule against using them if you can do fewer than 5 reps, but consider performing more sets to get adequate volume in the training session. Let’s say week 1 you perform 7, 6 and 5 reps across 3 AMRAP sets. In week 2, you might do 7, 6 and 6 or 8, 6 and 5.

 

For Example.

A1. Shoulder Press, @20X1, 10 reps x 3 sets; rest 3 min

A2. Strict Pull-Up, @20X1, AMRAP x 3 sets; rest 3 min

 

4: VARIATION IN GRIP

Switching the grip changes the stimulus and may bias different parts of the movement, helping you bust through plateaus. It is often, but not always the case that you can do the most reps supinated, then neutral, and the least pronated, so progressing week 1 or cycle 1 Pronated, week 2 or cycle 2 Neutral, week 3 or cycle 3 Supinated may allow you to do more reps over time.

 

WEEK 1

A1. Shoulder Press, @20X1, 10 reps x 3 sets; rest 3 min

A2. Strict Pronated Pull-Up, @20X1, AMRAP x 3 sets; rest 3 min

 

WEEK 2

A1. Shoulder Press, @20X1, 10 reps x 3 sets; rest 3 min

A2. Strict Neutral Grip Pull-Up, @20X1, AMRAP x 3 sets; rest 3 min*

*increase reps from last week

 

WEEK 3

A1. Shoulder Press, @20X1, 10 reps x 3 sets; rest 3 min

A2. Strict Supinated Grip Pull-Up, @20X1, AMRAP x 3 sets; rest 3 min*

*increase reps from last week

 

CONCLUSION

Achieving your first pull-up and increasing your pull-up volume require patience, consistent effort, and a progressive approach. By following the strategies outlined in this article, you can develop the necessary strength, technique, and muscle activation to conquer the pull-up and reach your fitness goals. Remember to listen to your body, maintain proper form, and celebrate each milestone along the way. With perseverance and dedication, you'll be able to perform pull-ups with confidence and enjoy the numerous benefits they bring to your overall fitness journey.

 

Looking for more pull-up programming? Check out this LearnRx course >>