starting strength gym
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Chin Up Protocol question (rest periods)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2023
    Posts
    16

    Default Chin Up Protocol question (rest periods)

    • starting strength seminar december 2024
    • starting strength seminar february 2025
    • starting strength seminar april 2025
    Hello - Sorry to post another thread about this topic, I've searched many of them and can't find an answer to this simple question:

    How long should the rest periods be between these "submaximal" sets of chins? I did my first round today, and did sets of 5 with about a 1 minute rest in between. When that got too hard I lowered down to sets of 3-4 with 45-60 seconds in between. I did 35 chinups total. Is there something I could be doing differently here?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    54,808

    Default

    I walk a lap to time my rest. Figure out a 2-minute lap and use that.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2023
    Posts
    16

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    I walk a lap to time my rest. Figure out a 2-minute lap and use that.
    Okay, 2 minutes it is - thank you. Looks like this will be more of a more time consuming endeavor than I expected, but that's worth it if it knocks out this damn near 4 months of golfer's elbow.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2023
    Posts
    16

    Default

    So I’ve just completed my 5th session of this protocol, done as precisely to a tee exactly the way Rippetoe describes it. I’ve made it up to about 50 total chins before I’m just completely cooked and can’t keep going - my elbow hurts worse than it did before I started. Should I be doing something different?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    54,808

    Default

    How many reps were your sets, how many sets, and how long did you rest?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2023
    Posts
    16

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    How many reps were your sets, how many sets, and how long did you rest?
    I started off with sets of 5 reps with a 2 minute rest, and as those got harder to do I lowered down to sets of 4 and then 3, each with a two minute rest until I hit 50, which was about 5 reps higher than my previous workout. I've been going up by about 3-5 total reps each session.

    Also, I noticed early on that deadlifting really pisses that elbow off, even if I use straps, so I've taken a pause on deadlifting. Is that a bad idea, or would it be okay to keep doing it before my chin-ups in order to basically consolidate all the elbow stress to one session at a time? I feel it when benching too, but not as bad.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    54,808

    Default

    The idea is to start with reps that are not hard, even at the end of the sets, and then add to that. Not the other way around.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2023
    Posts
    16

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    The idea is to start with reps that are not hard, even at the end of the sets, and then add to that. Not the other way around.
    That is what I meant. At first, sets of 5 are very easy, and when that becomes challenging to complete, I decrease the reps per set so each set is “submaximal” as you put it. Am I understanding correctly?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    54,808

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    No, you're not. Pick a weight that you can do for 20 sets of 3, and do that weight. Do that twice, then third workout goes to 4s. ETC.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •