What would be a good way to improve pullups at this point?

[kanahan]

Hi Andy,

[33 yo male, 1m73 and 76kg on LP]

My chins and pullups # haven't really improved in about 2 months, in the vicinity of 8 or 9 reps for 3 sets (with ups and down, in the past 10 days there were a couple terrible days where I failed at 5 or 6 reps on a set).

In the meantime I have gained around 6kg. In all fairness I should be eating and sleeping a lot more, but my other lifts have improved during that same time frame. My presses and BP have improved as well but have become a lot more taxing, which means I am a lot more tired before the chins and pullups. Another possible problem is that I have stopped doing normal chins because of a wrist problem, now doing neutral grip, which I suppose are less efficient.

I don't know if adding weight (option 1) would be useful at this point since my numbers are already regressing, and I'm below the 10-15 reps usually advised to reach before adding weight. Should I just keep the course and do my best (option 2), knowing increasing BW means I'm still progressing? I've also thought about adding a 4th set to get more overall volume (option 3). What would you recommend? (in addition to sleeping and eating more, which I am trying to do!)

Many thanks

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Chins are difficult to progress late into the LP. As you've noted, bodyweight goes up fairly substantially (most of the weight is in the ass and legs) and chins are very sensitive to an increase in bodyweight. i.e. The addition of 5 lbs of bodyweight is much more significant than the addition of 5 lbs to a barbell on a squat, bench, etc.

I don' require my trainees to achieve 15 reps before adding weight. If they can get about 8-10 good BW chins I'll start adding weight on alternating workouts. Usually this is 10-15 TOTAL reps (ex 4-5 x 2-3) with maybe 5-10 lbs of added weight. Progress is slow, but it always seems that BW chin strength starts to go up quick once weight is added.

[kanahan]

Great thanks. I'll try 3 sets of 5 with 5lbs to start simple and (I hope) easy, and add 5lbs until... until I can't anymore I guess!

[JRBomm]

Hey Andy,

I am not on pull-ups yet and maybe the book covers this, I Just started the 2nd phase and have not spent much time reading about the other lifts/accessories. If a trainee has access to a pull up "machine" that allows less than BW pullups, would it make sense for to start at a BW-X lbs for 15x3 and add 5 lbs every pull up workout to get up to BW similar to every other movement in the program?

Thank you

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Back in the good ole days when I worked in the globo gyms, I used to use those machines a lot to try and progress people to pull ups. I never had much luck. For someone who really isn't ever going to get to pull ups anyways, it's not a bad machine though as an alternative.

[crookedfinger]

Back in the good ole days when I worked in the globo gyms, I used to use those machines a lot to try and progress people to pull ups. I never had much luck. For someone who really isn't ever going to get to pull ups anyways, it's not a bad machine though as an alternative.

I actually used those machines when I first started lifting--well before SS. I was a fat 257. I started on the level with the most assistance added and when I could do 10, went up a level. It worked incredibly well. Once I got to body weight chins, I used the same principle with weighted chins, but limited sets to 5, when I could get 5 at a given weight, I added 5 pounds. Seemed to work like a charm. I can do 5 with 110 pounds strapped to my waist. Don't really care about adding weight at this point. Just do them as an accessory lift.

[muntz]

I hate those machines. If the gym has bands use them. If they don't buy some. They are cheap. I started on banded Chin ups and now can do a few regular chins and pull ups.

[JimtheConquerer]

Great thanks. I'll try 3 sets of 5 with 5lbs to start simple and (I hope) easy, and add 5lbs until... until I can't anymore I guess!

I'd try 3x5x+2.5-5, and follow it up with 1x MAX x BW. I think alternating with weighted pull-ups isn't a bad thing either.