Bobby Barbells

[Robert D]

Can you tell me a bit more about how you program / progress on Chin Ups? I want to make them more of a focus in my own training this year too.

Otherwise, amazing lifts - we're a similar bodyweight so it is very inspiring to see such large numbers. Hope you have an excellent 2025.

Hey James, I'm probably not the best person to ask about progressing chins. I'm an apprentice at on of the SS gyms so I do have some idea.

I had heard Rip say something to the effect of "Chins are part of the program so you have to do them, but they are an assistance exercise so do them however you want to as long as you do them". I'm pretty focused on driving up the other lifts, personally I feel like whenever I try to chin too heavy too often, I just end up beating up my elbows and the main lifts suffer.

Might not be the best way, but I just do bodyweight sets of 5 on my upper body days, and I do them in between my volume presses/benches. I'll set a 5-6 min timer between sets on the bench for example, and do a set of 5 chins at about the halfway mark. If I leave them to after my workout I'm likely to skip them.

Hopefully this is good advice. Good luck with your training!

[JamesFazz]

Thanks for that Robert, it was quite helpful, I just need to suck it up and get in some more sets throughout the week I think, the method you mention is a good idea.

[Robert D]

14Jan2025
Bench Press: 285x2, 260x3x2
Volume Press: 155x5x5
Chins: 5x5

16Jan2025
Squat: 365x5, 325x5, 325x4 (lost my balance)
Pin Press: 227.5x1x5
Deadlift: 405x5

18Jan2025
missed my Press day

21Jan2025
Bench Press: 265x5
Light Squat: 300x5
Volume Press: 157.5x5x5
Chins: 3x5

23Jan2025
Squat: 370x5
Pin Press: 230x1x5
Deadlift: 420x5 (dropped my hips on at least the last two, gotta cut it out)

25Jan2025
Press: 175x3x3
Light Squat: 300x5
Volume Bench: 225x5x5

[Robert D]

BW184
28Jan2025
Bench Press: 267.5x5
Light Squat: 300x5
Volume Press: 160x5x5

30Jan2025
Squat: 405x1, 345x3x2
Press: 177.5x3x5
Light Deadlift: 365x5x2

04Feb2025
Pin Press: 235x1x5 (going to make 5 lbs jumps for a while, now that I remember how to do these its too light)
Light Bench: 230x5x3
Chins: BWx5x3

06Feb2025
Deadlift: 500x1, 425x3x2 (still dropped my hips a tiny bit)
Press: 180x3x5
Light Squat: 275x5x3

11Feb2025
Bench Press: 270x5
Volume Press: 162.5x5x5

18Feb2025
Pause Squat: 365x1, 315x3x2
Pin Press: 240x1x5
Light Bench: 230x5x3

20Feb2025
Bench Press: 275x5
Press: 185x2,3,3,2,3

22Feb2025
Rack Pull: 545x1, 465x3x2
Light Press: 167.5x5x3

[Robert D]

BW 181 Got sick again a couple weeks ago, still don't feel 100% but okay in the gym

25Feb2025
Squat: 410x1, 370x2, 330x5
Press: 187.5x3x5
Bodyweight Chins: 3x5

27Feb2025
Bench Press:
277.5x4, 325x0, 277.5x1, 250x5
Pin Press: 245x1....not going to work on my heavy bench day
Light Press: 165x5x3
Chins: BWx5x3

04Mar2025
Deadlift: 505x1, 455x3, 405x5
Press: 190x3x2, 190x2x2, 190x1

06Mar2025
Bench Press: 300x1, 315x1, 280x3, 255x5
Volume Press: (couldn't do it, shoulders were completely smoked from Tuesday and the benching) Need to move this to the third day, will do some kind of light lower body movement on this day
Power Snatches: 60kgx1x8

[Robert D]

181

13Mar2025
Pause Squat: 365x1 (floor) 385x1, 345x2-4: 3, 315x5-8: 5
Press: 205x1x3, miss, miss, 190x1x2

18Mar2025
Block Bench Press: 315x1 (floor), 335x1, 365x0, 90% 300x2-4:4, 80% 275x5-8: 8. First time trying these. I hit the top end of both my backoff ranges so looks like 365 was too heavy, but 335 was too light. Will try 345-350 next time
Power Snatch: 62kgx1x8
Chins: 6, 8, 8

20Mar2025
Rack Pull: 495x1 (floor), 555x1, 500x2-4:3, 455x5-8:5
All I had time for tonight I was coaching solo