Being able to do 10 strict pull-ups is one of the fastest ways to earn respect in any gym - they're great for back, arm, and grip development
They get a bad rep for being difficult, which makes sense. I'd roughly estimate that 95% of population can't do 10 strict pull-ups (don't fact check me, we both know that number is right). The main reason so many people struggle is because they DON'T DO PULL-UPS. Crazy, I know.
There are conflicting theories as to why, but while lat pulldowns and other back exercises make you stronger, they don't seem to translate well to pull-ups. If you're willing to put in a little work I'll get you to 10 pull-ups in no time.
First, a quick primer on pull-up form
Set your hands shoulder width apart on the bar
Shrug your shoulders up, back, then down (and keep them locked there)
Pull with your elbows as if you were trying to pull the bar down (rather than yourself up) until your collarbone is at or slightly above the bar
mind muscle connection is essential
Pause at the top
Lower yourself slowly to a dead hang (arms fully locked out)
Pause at the bottom and repeat
Make sure to keep your core tight the entire time
To get from 0 to 3 pull-ups, do negative holds until you can complete at least 3 perfect pull-ups
To perform negative holds, start with your chin and collarbone above the bar and hold yourself up as long as possible until you slowly lower into a dead hang position then jump back up for the next rep
Repeat for 3 sets of max reps every other day until you can do 3 perfect pull-ups
Once you can do 3 pull-ups, it's time to move onto the plan that got me to 25 strict pull-ups in a few months.
Two days a week do 4 sets to failure with two negative holds at the end of each set
Do this 2 times a week with 2 days of "rest" between each pull-up day
The other five days a week, do one set to failure
If you follow these steps you'll get to 10 pull-ups in no time. But don't stop there, see how high you can go.
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