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Thread: How to Do Weighted Chin Ups | Mark Rippetoe

  1. #1
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    Default How to Do Weighted Chin Ups | Mark Rippetoe

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    Mark Rippetoe teaches the weighted chin up and explains how and when to use them in your barbell training program.


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    Useful video -- thanks! Mark recommends three sets of bodyweight chin-ups. He suggests adding weight when you can perform 15 reps. Is that 15 reps in a single set, or 15 reps across the set (e.g., 7 reps, 5 reps, 3 reps)?

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    15 reps in a single set

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    Great video! I have two questions. 1-How frequently are weighted chins supposed to be trained? Twice a week, or maybe every other session? 2-How do we approach them once no more weight can be added? Go down to triples or just reset over and over? I am 18 by the way in case that changes something. Thanks in advance

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    15 reps in a single set
    Hello,
    I guess I just saw this, Thank you in advance for your advice.
    I was able to get to 3 sets of 10 reps body weight chins, and when I went to 11 and 12 reps for 3 sets, my progression went to shit and I lost reps. When I went to doing weighted chins for 3 sets of 5 reps, my progression was linear and now I am at 30lbs weighted chins.

    I'm doing chins once a week and bent rows after chins.

    My numbers, 47yo, 6'1" 215lbs. I'm doing linear progression, 3 sets of 5 reps, and then move up 5 pounds. Working weights are: squats 285, DL 300 (all I have is a 300 lb weight set, need to buy more plates) bench 190, press 120.

    Should I start back at body weight chins until I can do 15 reps in one set? The most I ever did in one set was 13, but I was not able to keep any consistency and lost reps. (3 questions, not sure)

    Thank you!

  6. #6
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    Get some more plates. Your deadlift needs to go up.

    How important is it for you to do 15 in a row? Are you saying that if you add volume you lose reps? I typically recommend going for a AMRAP on set 1 and then break up the rest of the volume however you like, adding more total reps each week. You can also spread the volume out over more days per week.

  7. #7
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    I'm 6'3" with a 6'8 wingspan and 265 pounds. I was stuck at chins at 7 reps on the first set for about a month. I'd usually get 7, 6, 5 or something like that but never more than 7 on the first set. I then decided to stick to 3x5 and started adding weight. I started with 7, then 9, then 12 pounds added. I then went back to shoot for body weight reps and got 8, 6, 4. I haven't tried 3x5 @ 15 pounds yet but that's my next session.

    I can't really imagine doing 15 reps in a row (at least any time soon), but 3x5 with more weight seems manageable.

    I'm wondering if I'm just always gassed by the time I get to chinups each day. They're always after squats and presses - both exercises I find to be very taxing (squat currently @ 285, press @ 155).

    I know I can just try chinups first in a workout to see what happens, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

    I've always thought chins were hard for me because I've got long arms and it's a long way up and down and that's part of why I've had very slow progress past 7 reps. It's not grip - I chalk up and my hands never feel tired / I never lose my grip.

  8. #8
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    That's been one of the best parts of this entire COVID fiasco. Chinups.

    At 52y.o. & 197lbs (down 30lbs since my rookie powerlift meet of a year ago, a development that my doc thinks is great because "lighter is better"), I have always told myself that I just can't do pullups/chinups. Before the gym closed, I was working on the lat pull downs and slowly making progress, but it didn't seem that I would ever get to a set of body weight.

    These last several months of prison exercising has changed that. I started in the doorway with hangs, eventually getting to 1, then to 2, then to...today, where I'll do 10x10 with 25lbs hanging off the dip belt. It's keeping me sane for a few more weeks—the PowerBar arrived 2 weeks ago, the first box of my StrengthCo General rack arrived today, and hopefully I'll have Grant's plates before the month is out. The gym is open under ridiculous restrictions, but the next time I walk in is to cancel my membership. Then I start another NLP, smarter this time, and able to actually do my chinups at the appropriate time.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    Get some more plates. Your deadlift needs to go up.

    How important is it for you to do 15 in a row? Are you saying that if you add volume you lose reps? I typically recommend going for a AMRAP on set 1 and then break up the rest of the volume however you like, adding more total reps each week. You can also spread the volume out over more days per week.
    What would be a good starting rep number total if you are chinning every day like this for the week to start at?

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    Get some more plates. Your deadlift needs to go up.

    How important is it for you to do 15 in a row? Are you saying that if you add volume you lose reps? I typically recommend going for a AMRAP on set 1 and then break up the rest of the volume however you like, adding more total reps each week. You can also spread the volume out over more days per week.
    Thank you for the reply, Robert.
    Doing 15 chins in a row or more is really more about bragging rights among bros I guess. My goal is strength. At the time I was doing chins for reps, I am not sure what caused me to lose reps, I was doing chins once a week, and when I was doing AMRAP on my first set, one week I did 12, the next week could only do 8. I cant remember how I slept or ate before then. This was about a year ago ,and all I did was body weight chins.
    However, when I went to weighted chins, and 3x5, my progression was linear and much more consistent.
    Is it possible to program one chin workout for reps, and another weighted? Can someone do 15 reps on one day, and a heavy weighted chins on another?
    A skateboarding shoulder injured has sidelined every other lift right now except bent rows and deadlifts. I am bent rowing 205# 5x5 and going up each week in order to keep my chins as much as possible. When I start chinning again, I will program it twice a week.
    Yes, I need more plates!
    Thank you,

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