Step by Step Guide To Performing an Unassisted Pull-Up
Besides body comp changes, top of my clients goals is usually to perform a bodyweight pull-up. For me when a client hits this goal it is one of the most satisfying things as a personal trainer (and there are plenty!). This is when I see my clients smile the most – when they take the pressure of their weight loss and focus on other more empowering goals in the gym.
But they are notoriously difficult for women mainly because we have a smaller upper body and store more mass in our lower body than men, but don’t worry…even if you have a decent set of glutes and pins you will still be able to perform a pull-up!
Chin-Up vs Pull Up
Firstly lets differentiate between chin-ups and pulls-ups. Chin-ups are supinated (underhand) while pull-ups can be neutral (parallel) or pronated (overhand). For beginners the easiest is usually supinated due to bicep involvement and better positioning to assist in the lift. Once you have mastered the supinated chin-up you can progress to the neutral grip pull up and finally the pronated pull up.
Eccentric Pull-Ups Are King
Now we have established the best grip lets talk about the best method to use for strength gains. You can use various tools including assisted machine and bands, however my personal favorite for both myself and for my clients is eccentric pull-ups.
To perform an eccentric pull-up jump or step up to the top position of the lift, then lower yourself under control until your arms are straight. This will increase your strength AS LONG as you can control the whole eccentric portion of the lift (with at least a 2 second or more (10 ideally) eccentric). Many times people will perform these by ‘dropping’ at the last moment therefore not effectively working towards strengthening that weakest portion of the lift.
Inverted Rows
If you are unable to perform eccentric pull-ups with a 2 second eccentric your next best bang for buck exercise is the inverted row. This is because they work the same muscles (mainly lats, traps and rhomboids) as the pull-up so have direct carry over and involve using your own bodyweight.
Lat Pull Downs
These are great for beginners when used in conjunction with either inverted rows or pull-ups depending on your experience. Be sure to use the same grip and width for maximal carry over (for example underhand grips with rows into underhand grip for lat pull downs).
Now we have established the right exercises how would you incorporate this into a program? Firstly frequency is key! If it is a top goal of yours incorporate it into your program 3 - 5 times a week. Here is an example of you’re A Series exercises (first of the session) for a 3 week progression:
Week One
A1: Eccentric Chin Ups or Inverted Row 5 x 5 (3 second eccentric)
A2: Supinated Lat Pull Down 3 x 10 (3 second eccentric and 2 second pause on chest)
Week Two
A1: Eccentric Chin Ups or Inverted Row 6 x 4 (4 second eccentric)
A2: Supinated Lat Pull Down 6 x 8 (3 second eccentric and 2 second pause on chest)
Week Three
A1: Eccentric Chin Ups or Inverted Row 7 x 3 (5 second eccentric)
A2: Supinated Lat Pull Down 7 x 5 (3 second eccentric and 2 second pause on chest)
After 3 weeks repeat again (either progressing from rows to pull-ups or potentially adding weight on your pull-ups) and test your strength over the next 3 weeks again.
Happy training!