Getting that first pull-up: question page 2

[Noctiluca]

Wow, that is really weird. I have almost the exact same stats as you, so kind of cool to be able to compare a little bit

My problem is the other way around. I can get up halfway on the pullup, and I can't do anymore. Is there a specific muscle that I should think of recruiting more for those last few inches?

How funny! I'm this way too. I can do a pull up to the point where my elbows are bent just past 90 degrees and then thats it unless I use a band for some assistance!

[excursivey]

Have any of you ladies had any success since this thread kinda died off? I'm desperately trying to pull off my first unassisted pull up by the end of 2012. I too have the problem of the first few inches, the starting off movement. I am down to my smallest resistance band and can do 4-5 in a row with it but cannot get going at all without the band. I can sort of do chin ups. At least I can get a more full range of unassisted motion with a chin up. I thought I would get stronger faster by only focusing on the pull up way of holding on. Would I be better off going back to the chin up hold to build up strength first?

Also, not sure how to explain but should I be "dead holding" in a more "flexed" position rather than in the kind of "shoulders pulled out of sockets" way? Hope you all know what I'm trying to explain by that. It feels impossible to recruit any muscles at all from that position from comment in some other thread I wondered if I was going to injure myself trying to move out of that.

[Diogenes]

I am currently doing jack knife pullups. Using a pullup bar that mounts in the doorway, I rest my feet on the back of a folding chair, so that my legs form an 'L' with my torso. This yields the same movement as a regular pullup, but reduces the effort.

I am at the point now where I can do a regular pullup or two, but I am still babying my joints and tendons, so I do the less stressful version. By the time I am strong and durable enough to tackle regular pullups, I will also be lighter.

eta: Oops, just noticed this is a rather elderly thread.

[Al_Kavadlo]

Would I be better off going back to the chin up hold to build up strength first?

Probably.

Also, not sure how to explain but should I be "dead holding" in a more "flexed" position rather than in the kind of "shoulders pulled out of sockets" way?

Yes!

I linked a couple of articles on the first page of this thread that are worth checking out if you missed them. Keep training hard and don't give up!

[excursivey]

Probably.



Yes!

I linked a couple of articles on the first page of this thread that are worth checking out if you missed them. Keep training hard and don't give up!

Thanks Al! I did look at both your links before I posted my question. (Plus read about a million other comments and threads about this topic.) Is it bad for your shoulders to move between that out of socket feeling and the flexed feeling? If you know what I mean? And if I'm on the band is it ok not to go all the way down to the pulled out of socket feeling and still consider it a real pull up? And cool tattoos!

[Al_Kavadlo]

Is it bad for your shoulders to move between that out of socket feeling and the flexed feeling?

Not necessarily.

And if I'm on the band is it ok not to go all the way down to the pulled out of socket feeling and still consider it a real pull up?

It's okay with me!

And cool tattoos!

Thanks!

[Catrin]

I just did my first band pullups this week - it might be (very) assisted, but it marks the first time that I didn't have to do TRX rows when everyone else in my training group were doing pullups. My trainer had me attempt a flexed arm hang this week as well, but couldn't even hold it for 1 second...well, gotta start somewhere!