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Thread: Chin Up Protocol question (rest periods)

  1. #1
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    Default Chin Up Protocol question (rest periods)

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

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    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.

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

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    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.

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    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.

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    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
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    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.

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