Home ▸ Articles ▸ Workouts ▸ 5 Ways to Maximize Strength on Pull-Ups
If you were stranded on a desert island and were only allowed one piece of exercise equipment, it would be worth getting a good old fashioned pull-up bar. Especially if you are a fighter.
Working on a hard surface can give you fantastic strength, conditioning in gymnastics, plyometrics, fluidity of movement and more. But training on the bar will help build a powerful upper body, grip and core.
There are many reasons why you should do (a lot of) pull-ups and other bar exercises, and they shouldn't be half-hearted sets. Let's name three of them.
- This loads several muscles at once
Bar exercises are challenging movements that will give you the most bang for your buck. With each jerk, you work the muscles of your back, biceps, shoulders, forearms, grip, and core. Time well spent for the sake of victory.
- There are always ways to progress
No matter what level you are at, there are many moves and combinations that will turn you into a very strong person.
- You'll gain tons of traction power.
Exercises on the bar will make it easier to throw punches and will allow you to defend yourself much more comfortably against your opponent in sports combat.
No. 1. Change grip
This is one of the easiest ways to improve your pull-up performance. The more open your hand is, or the softer the handle, the tighter you need to squeeze your hands to avoid falling to the ground. This will help develop finger and grip strength.
You won't be able to do this intensely at first, but once you get the hang of doing pull-ups on a thick bar/with a towel around the bar, you'll have a crushing grip.
Differences between rows and pull-ups
Why do professional athletes use deadlifts? It’s very simple. Classic pull-ups have a limit on their own weight. While the T-bar row allows you to lift weights up to 300 kilograms. If you use large weights (own weight +150-200 kilograms), then this imposes certain restrictions.
Firstly, it is technically difficult to implement an approach to the projectile. Secondly, such weights greatly stretch and can damage even the strongest spine. But if you look at the situation outside of powerlifting, classic pull-ups for strength have many more advantages compared to weightlifting:
- More natural trajectory of movement,
- Significantly less risk of injury in the absence of serious burdens,
- Ability to independently regulate the load,
- Reducing the likelihood of “overtraining”,
- More muscle groups involved in the work.
No. 2. Change tempo
Two ways to make pull-ups harder are to slow down and use static holds at different points in the movement. The next time you try a pull-up, try breaking the pull-up up into five steps.
- Starting position —dead hang
- 1/4 up (arms slightly bent at elbows)
- Raise 1/2 (elbows at 90 degrees)
- 3/4 up (chin almost on the bar)
- Final position - chin over the bar
Hold each position for 15 seconds on your way up and down. Aim for three reps. You'll be surprised at how hard it is, but it will help develop strength in different hand positions, which can also be used in combat.
Risks and contraindications
As with many basic movements, pull-ups on the bar simultaneously work several joints (shoulder, elbow), a large number of ligaments and muscles.
The complexity of the movement and the force-oriented nature of the load create the preconditions for injuries, but only if the correct technique is violated.
To minimize the risk of injury, do a pre-warm-up, focusing on warming up your shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. As well as light dynamic stretching of the muscles and ligaments that receive the movement.
Among the contraindications to performing pull-ups on the bar are:
- Diseases or injuries of the shoulders, elbows and hands (arthritis, arthrosis, bursitis, etc.)
- Injuries to muscles and ligaments involved in movement
- Heart disease and high blood pressure
No. 3. Paired pull-ups
This is more of a basic workout and involves static holds, but the difference is that you will need a partner to do this. For one thing, you can't accurately measure how much pressure you're applying. However, having someone motivate and push you makes this exercise extremely beneficial.
Partner A assumes a 1/2 pull-up position with elbows at 90 degrees. At this point, you are going to lift your legs by bending your knees.
Partner B is going to (gently at first) push down on Partner A's knees, trying to get them straight to the ground.
Partner A saves himself from this so as not to strain too much to keep his legs upright. Be prepared to suffer (in a good way). If Partner B insists, just politely remind him that there will be a price to pay.
Hold rounds for 20-30 seconds.
Chest muscles in pull-ups
The serratus chest muscles are involved in pulling up.
They bring the shoulder blades toward the spine and stabilize the back. The pectoralis major and minor are only slightly activated if the athlete turns his shoulders as he pulls up to the bar. How to train the serratus chest muscle?
It works on paused push-ups, shoulder blade retractions, dips, and all technically correct variations of the bench press. You can choose one basic multi-joint exercise for the chest, and perform it in strength mode for no more than 5-6 repetitions, or for muscle hypertrophy. It is impossible to give an absentee recommendation here. For some athletes, 10-12 repeated sets interfere with recovery in pull-ups. For others, they help, it depends on the predominant type of muscle fiber.
No. 4. Use the bottom half
Combining knee raises with pull-ups is a sure-fire way to activate your core at a higher level and make the deadlift that much harder.
Try performing a series of pull-ups with your legs at different heights and in different positions (straight ahead, slightly to the side, bent at the knees, etc.).
When you perform these sets of 5-10 reps, only one word comes to mind: brutal.
Exercises on the horizontal bar
The horizontal bar is a free and affordable piece of equipment that can be used to increase strength, muscle mass and make the relief clearer. To do this, you don’t need to have special knowledge or overpay to buy a gym membership; just go outside and walk to the nearest gym. sites. However, you need to remember that you need to practice on the horizontal bar regularly, otherwise you will not be able to achieve the desired result.
Training program to increase strength on the horizontal bar
This program will help those who want to increase their strength. The exercises included in the system are aimed at improving physical fitness and are highly effective.
For example, pull-ups such as plyometrics, when performing which you need to lift your hands off the bar and make a clap or with an additional. weights can significantly increase strength. We must not forget about proper breathing while performing them, otherwise fatigue will come much faster.
It is possible to become stronger with the help of a horizontal bar. To do this, you need to approach the exercises competently. It is important to remember that ascents must be done more slowly than descents, i.e. 3 seconds up and 1-2 down. Experienced athletes can increase this time period to 4-5 seconds. It is also best to perform 4-5 sets and no more than 8 repetitions. If you feel tired or have severe pain, then it is best to stop exercising on the horizontal bars, and after the body recovers, return again.
The following set of exercises is aimed at increasing strength and is suitable for both experienced athletes and beginners.
Close grip pull-up
One of the basic exercises on the horizontal bar that anyone can do. To do this, you need to fix your palms on the bar, so that they are located closer to the neck. Then bring your legs together and tighten your abdominal muscles. Next, you need to lift up so that your chin is in line with the bar. You need to stay in this position for no more than 2 seconds, then return to the starting position.
Medium grip pull-up
This option is most often used by beginning athletes, since it ensures an even load on the muscles of the back and arms. To correctly perform this exercise on the horizontal bar, you need to place your hands on the apparatus so that they are above your shoulders and cross your legs. Tightening your abs, you need to slowly pull yourself up until your chin touches the bar. Wait 2 seconds and lower to the starting position.
Gironde pull-ups
This workout on the horizontal bar will best pump up the latissimus muscles of the back and arms.
To perform this, you need to fix your hands on the bar so that they are wider than your shoulders. Bring your legs together and tense your abdominal muscles, wait 2 seconds and return to the starting position. It is best to perform the Gironda pull-up no more than 4 times a week, in 3-4 sets of 7-8 repetitions. This way, the body will not have time to get used to the high load, and the muscles will always be in good shape.
If you combine these pull-ups into a training system, you get the following scheme:
Training program to increase strength
- Monday and Thursday – Narrow grip 8 reps in 3-4 sets, medium grip 7 reps in 3-4 sets. You can complete your workout by doing an abdominal exercise, such as a leg raise. It must be done 8 times in 3-4 approaches.
- Tuesday and Friday – Pull-ups by the head with arms wide apart, 8 repetitions in 3-4 approaches, medium grip in the same quantity. The final abdominal exercise must be performed 8-9 times in 3 approaches.
- The remaining days are weekends.
System of exercises on horizontal bars for gaining weight
You don't have to go to the gym to increase muscle mass. You just need to have a horizontal bar and know the exercises that will help you achieve this. Pull-ups with weights are best suited, as well as work in the negative phase, i.e. Perform fast ascents and smooth descents.
The exercises are best repeated 7-8 times in 5-6 approaches. However, if the level of physical development is low, then it is recommended to reduce them so as not to harm the body. In this case, more does not mean better, since the more often you perform such exercises on the horizontal bars, the higher the chance of losing weight rather than gaining it.
The following set of workouts is aimed at increasing mass and strengthening muscles:
Wide grip pull-up
When performing this exercise, the latissimus and biceps brachii muscles are pumped.
For it to bring results, you must follow the correct technique, namely: place your hands on the bar so that they are wider than your shoulders, bring your legs together and tense your abdominal muscles. after that, quickly pull yourself up, fix the position for 2 seconds and return to the starting position. If after 4-5 sets of 7 repetitions there is still strength left, then you should add a load to your legs or use a reverse grip pull-up.
Rocky Pull Up
The exercises are named after the film of the same name starring Sylvester Stallone.
It was he who first demonstrated this technique, improving the Gironda pull-up. The technique will help work the muscles of the back, arms and forearms. To begin, you need to place your palms on the bar so that they are slightly wider than the shoulder line, bring your legs together and tense your abdominal muscles. After this, a slow tightening of the lower chest is performed. It is necessary to hold in this position for 1-2 seconds and return to the starting position. Do one more pull-up so that the horizontal bar is higher than your chest and lower to the starting position.
However, beginners are not recommended to perform this exercise, since it is quite complex and requires a lot of strength.
Close-grip pull-ups
This exercise is aimed at increasing the muscles of the back and biceps, and if you follow the correct technique for performing it, you can quickly gain the necessary mass.
First, you need to grab the horizontal bar with a reverse grip so that your hands are narrower than your shoulders, and then pull yourself up so that your chin is higher than the horizontal bar. In this exercise, you do not need to fix the position, since the muscles are slightly tense. After pulling up, you need to slowly return to the starting position. For greater efficiency, it is best to use additional weight. This exercise on the horizontal bar is performed 7-9 times in 4 approaches. This amount may vary depending on physical fitness and the general condition of the body.
Exercises aimed at increasing muscle mass can be combined into a training system:
Training program for gaining weight
- Mon. and Thurs. – Wide grip with weights, which must be done 7-9 times for 3-4 repetitions. The next day you need to perform a narrow grip and a wide grip, 8-9 times in 4 approaches.
- Tue and Fri. – Pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip, 4 sets of 7 times, then warm up and do Rocky pull-ups no more than 3 sets of 5-7 times.
- The remaining days are weekends.
A set of strength exercises on horizontal bars for relief
To have a toned and beautiful body, you need to follow a specially designed training program on the horizontal bar, do not forget about breathing and control your technique, otherwise you can get joint injuries.
Such training has shown greater effectiveness with the presence of weights. In this way, the load on the muscles will be evenly distributed throughout the body, making it toned and sculpted.
The following exercise regimen will help make your body more toned and athletic. The main thing is to follow safety rules, as well as monitor the condition of the body, and prevent severe pain or fatigue.
Pulling your knees to your chest
Classic exercise for working the abdominal muscles.
To perform it, you do not need to have developed endurance or a high level of physical development. It is accessible even to beginners. First you need to place your hands on the bar and raise your legs, bent at the knees, towards your chest. Hold this position for a second and return to the starting position. For it to bring results, you need to perform 16-18 repetitions in 2-3 approaches, depending on your physical capabilities.
Corner Leg Raises
Another basic exercise that will help create a beautiful body contour.
It is at an advanced level, so it may seem difficult for beginners. To perform it, you need to take a free hanging position and raise your straight legs so that they are slightly above parallel with the floor. Stay in this position for a second and lower your hips. Thus, it is necessary to complete 2 sets of 17-18 repetitions. For the best effect, it is best to lift your legs slowly.
Knee rotation
By performing this exercise for relief on the horizontal bar, you can pump up the oblique and rectus abdominal muscles, as well as the hips.
The technique for performing it is simple, you just need to take a free hanging position, bend your knees and make circular movements. It is important not to sway and keep your back as straight as possible. To achieve results, you need to do 2-3 approaches of 10 rotations in each direction.
For training to be beneficial, it is recommended to combine them into one program:
Training program for terrain
- Mon. and Wed. – The workout begins with a wide grip for 8 repetitions in 3 sets, followed by pull-ups with a reverse grip for 8-9 repetitions for 4 sets. For beginners, this figure can be reduced. You can complete the exercises with corner leg lifts, in the same quantity.
- Tue and Thurs. – It is recommended to start classes with pull-ups with different grips, in 3-4 sets of 8-9 repetitions. After it comes a wide grip and a narrow one, in the same quantity. You can complete the complex by pulling your knees to your chest 7 times in 3-3 passes.
- The remaining days are weekends.
No. 5. Use uneven bars
This option gives the greatest return. By using uneven grips/levels/movements, you build strength from different angles. Your first job is to find as many different places to pull up as possible (in other words, where there is something high enough and strong enough to support your weight). Trees, low overhangs, different handles on the squat rack at the local gym—pretty much anything.
Try using lateral pull-ups and one-arm pull-ups. This will improve your grip and do wonders to increase your overall pulling strength at different angles.
When performing a side pull-up, pull up on one side only (put all your weight on your right side as you pull up, then return down). Do the same number of repetitions on the other side.
Like strength, pull-ups are a skill, which means you need to practice them constantly. Try incorporating one of the above methods into three separate workouts.
- Monday: Weighted pull-ups with a thick grip (range 1-5 reps)
- Wednesday: static holds (15-30 seconds per hold)
- Friday: Multi-angle pull-ups (rep range 5-12)
There are literally hundreds of different ways to do a pull-up, but try focusing on these five variations (although even within them there are several more variations). Now grab the bar and take your strength to the next level!
How to choose a weight
First of all, it’s worth talking about what type of weights will be the safest to use for training on the horizontal bar. The answer to this question is simple - a special vest for pull-ups. When used, the weight puts pressure on your shoulders and does not have a negative impact on the spine, like say a plate or kettlebell hooked to a belt.
When doing pull-ups in a weightlifting belt, the weight has a strong stretching effect on the spinal column. In addition, since the weight does not press strictly downward, but, as a rule, slightly forward (the load hangs from the front), a bending load is added. Plus, you will also swing back and forth... You won’t envy the spinal discs. And if you hit your legs with a weight... It will be at least unpleasant. In general, do not skimp on equipment, because if you have already reached the point of doing pull-ups with weights, it means that you are serious and the vest will come in handy more than once.
Now about the choice of weight. It all depends on your training goals (strength, muscle mass or endurance). First of all, you need to determine the maximum weight with which you can do one pull-up without breaking technique or jerking.
- If your goal is to increase muscle volume, take the working weight 70–85% of the maximum. We do 8–12 repetitions. The last repetitions should be done almost to failure.
- If the goal is the strength of the muscles of the back and arms, you need large weights. This is 85–95% of the maximum. In this case, you should perform 2-4 repetitions and take longer rests between repetitions.
- And finally, strength endurance is a weight of 50-70% of the maximum. In this case, you need to do a lot of repetitions - 15-20.
Actually, having understood the features of the exercise, you can move on to technique.
Execution technique
Initial position
- The weight is attached to a belt with a chain to the waist;
- You should not hang it on your feet or put it on your ankles, this will only deprive the body of stability and will not allow you to pull yourself up effectively;
- You need to place a support next to the horizontal bar to safely accept the hang;
- The grip width is comfortable, slightly wider than the shoulders; in the future you can experiment with the grip;
- While hanging on the horizontal bar, you need to tighten your stomach, tense your back so that your shoulders do not rise to your ears, and concentrate.
Movement
- The movement begins with the convergence of the shoulder blades;
- Then the athlete bends his elbows and pulls his chest towards the bar;
- After this, it lingers a little at the peak point of muscle contraction, straining the back;
- Smoothly falls down;
- The weight can be held with your feet so that it does not swing on your belt.
Attention
- The body should be inclined in relation to the horizontal bar at an angle, and not hang so that the axis of the spine is perpendicular to it;
- You should not push with your feet and jump up to take the starting position, use support;
- Throwing your head back and straining your neck is dangerous for the cervical spine;
- Kipping pull-ups with weights is not a safe idea; it can lead to injury to the shoulders and spine. If you want to improve your kipping, change the apparatus to rings rather than hanging weights;
- From the point of view of the biomechanics of movement, the safest equipment is a weighted vest, and not weights on the belt.
After a long break
After a forced break in training, we recommend doing 2 sets instead of 3 or 4. And taking the weights 50% of those you used when you were still training. Yes, after training your muscles will ache. Strongly. But not so much that you fall behind schedule for a week.
In the future, you will gradually return to your working weights and begin to progress. Start small and increase the weight in each approach: for a barbell - by 10 kg, for dumbbells - by 2. You definitely won’t miss!
Bench press example
Warm up: empty bar, 20 reps. We weigh 10 kg and do a set. We hang another 10 and work. And there we reach 60 kg. If it becomes difficult in some approach, then there is no need to increase the weight in this workout. In the future, when it becomes difficult, add 1-2 kg and look at the result.
What exercises to do in the gym
We have already introduced the best exercises for muscle growth in this article. If you are interested, be sure to follow the links, because this information will help you, among the entire list of exercises, choose the most effective ones, which in turn will save you time.
For a general understanding of the principle of choosing certain exercises in the gym, it is necessary to understand, as we wrote at the beginning of the article, that there are isolated and basic (multi-joint) exercises. Beginners need to perform mainly only the basic ones, without wasting precious strength and energy on isolated exercises that are ineffective for muscle growth.
So that you don’t rack your brains about how much, in what order, and which exercises to do, we have written training programs, depending on your level of training. If you haven’t done any physical exercise at all (or it’s been a long time), then it’s suitable for you. here is this program, and if you have experience in the gym (1-2 years), then this training program is for you.
I would like to emphasize that rough muscle mass is provided by regular exercises in the range of 6-12 repetitions:
- Deadlift
- Bench press
- Squats
These are exactly those “magic” exercises for a beginner level athlete, which not only can, but also should be performed (if there are no contraindications for health reasons).
What exercises to do in the gym?
If your goal is to lose weight (get dry), then you need to radically change your nutrition system. To gain weight (muscle), you need a surplus, that is, an excess of calories; to burn fat, you need a deficiency (excess) of calories in the body, which is created primarily by cutting carbohydrates. Read more about how to eat to dry out or gain weight in the relevant articles.
Also remember that when losing weight, the gym takes a secondary place (and many fitness trainers don’t understand these banal things when they force their ward to squat with a barbell so that her hips become smaller!), when gaining weight, on the contrary, strength exercises are mandatory so that all excess calories do not turn into fat, but are used as fuel for the growth of high-quality muscles.
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Practical advice
- Keep a training diary. It should include the date of the lesson, the name of the exercise, the number of approaches and repetitions done, and the weights. You can choose the right working weight based on your own records. Your diary is the best adviser on what weight to start training with after a break, or where to start the next workout.
- Don't increase your weight suddenly. Many beginners do this: in the first workout they pressed an empty bar (20 kg), in the second it was 50 kg. This is stress for the muscles. Not every person will survive this easily. It is optimal to take steps of 10 kg. And if you have already exercised, you can raise the working weight by 40 kg in 4 approaches. At the same time, you will find out what your muscles are now capable of.
- When you immediately take the weight you think you need, you may make a mistake. That is, choose a heavy barbell weight. This will cause you to get tired before your work sets are completed. There is no need for any persistence here - remove a couple of weights from the barbell.
- Working “to failure” in the first workout is very dangerous. Just like the second one. The body should get used to the stress within a month. During this period, your task is not to chase the scales, but to practice your technique. If you can do more, that's good (that's what happens most often). Work on your movements, strengthen your ligaments.
Effective exercises:
- Recovery after exercise
- What weight of dumbbells should a woman choose?
Trainer's advice: Follow the technique of doing the exercises. You will achieve better results if you do fewer repetitions, but in strict accordance with the technique.
Force
It must be admitted that pull-ups can be classified as strength exercises, especially for those who cannot do a single pull-up or only do 2-3 or even 6 pull-ups.
The essence of developing strength is the essence of growing myofibrils, which create the main muscle volume of the muscles. Therefore, it is not surprising that initially, increasing the number of pull-ups gives obvious muscle growth.
For some beginners, deliberate work on increasing their pull-ups resulted in biceps growth of 3 cm in the first 3 months of training.
Muscle strength is the basis of pull-ups, on which you need to layer endurance.
