View Full Version : Quick Pull up exercises
Roy4501
03-16-08, 01:23 AM
I ship out to MCRD San Diego in 1 week and at this time I can do 1 pull up. Can anyone help me out with exercises and/or diet tips that can help me get better in that short of time? I know it's kind of pathetic compared to some of you guys, but just 2 weeks ago I wasn't even considering the military, so I've been really busy the past week getting ready for the IST. I can do the crunches easy and I'm running alot, but I need help with the pull ups. I don't have a real pull up bar here at my house, all I have is a 2x4 in a shed by my house. Any tips/help are greatly appreciated!
Brandon1
03-16-08, 02:14 AM
Search function...Great tool PLENTY of topics on pullups all over the place.
Brandon1
03-16-08, 02:17 AM
Took me about 30 seconds to find this...
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28822&highlight=improve+pullups
SEANstaah
03-16-08, 10:34 AM
If you have access to a gym, workout your lats and biceps.
Go to a park with monkey bars, and knock out some pull ups. Since you say you can only do one, do 10 sets of one. Make sure you're resting in between sets so you're sure you'll be able to do the next one. Try doing chin ups if you aren't already, they're initially much easier. Since you've only got a week, I would suggest trying to get at least 20 pull ups a day. Rest the day before you ship out.
I did zero pull ups/chin ups several months ago. I can now do 10 chin ups, 7 pull ups. It's not much, but it's a long way from zero. You should be able to get 2-3 by next week.
Good luck with that, and boot camp.
Check this out: http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Fitness-DG-Door-Gym/dp/B00029A7C0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1205685740&sr=1-1
It's the same pull up bar I have. It works on any kind of door that has a frame along the top. It isn't permanent so you can put it up, do your sets, then take it down. It also has grips that extend at a 90 degree angle from the bar so you can do pull ups with your palms facing your ears. Doing that variation will hit the muscles differently which helps you become better at normal pull ups.
Getting a couple of dumbbells and doing curls and upright rows will also help with pull ups.
Wyoming
03-16-08, 12:03 PM
1 week / 1 pullup ??
Methinks boot will be a little longer for this poolee!!
get motivation. Its goes a looooong way. There are plenty of time when i think, "ok thats enough" but then think of something and do some more reps just because of that 1 thing. If you have a girlfriend, when you feel you cant do anymore, pretend like your girlfriend just asked you to do say 5 more pushups for her. Then do the 5 and see if you can get motivated to do more.
Check this out: http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Fitness-DG-Door-Gym/dp/B00029A7C0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1205685740&sr=1-1
It's the same pull up bar I have. It works on any kind of door that has a frame along the top. It isn't permanent so you can put it up, do your sets, then take it down. It also has grips that extend at a 90 degree angle from the bar so you can do pull ups with your palms facing your ears. Doing that variation will hit the muscles differently which helps you become better at normal pull ups.
Getting a couple of dumbbells and doing curls and upright rows will also help with pull ups.
that helps with pullups? i do alot of curls but i always feel the tension in my forearms and when i do pullups i full it in different muscles(not the curl ones) up my whole arm
that helps with pullups? i do alot of curls but i always feel the tension in my forearms and when i do pullups i full it in different muscles(not the curl ones) up my whole arm
That's only if you do them with palms facing in. My biceps always burn and swell when doing pull ups that way.
Roy4501
03-16-08, 03:48 PM
Thanks guys!
jungleman4422
03-16-08, 04:23 PM
If you can only do one you can try to do jump pullups, basically to explain do your one pullup then with your feet on the floor or a bench jump a little to give yourself some help. If you do three sets of 10 of those you will be working on the muscles more than curling would.
Big Jim
03-16-08, 05:47 PM
that helps with pullups? i do alot of curls but i always feel the tension in my forearms and when i do pullups i full it in different muscles(not the curl ones) up my whole arm
Your entire upper body's muscle groups are involved when you do pull-ups! If you wrok on anystrength exercises for you rupper body, it will help with your pull-ups! So, man up and get to lifting...you're gonna need it!!!
1 week till Boot? <br />
No offense man, but you aren't going to increase your pullup ability in that time. <br />
<br />
My suggestion (Marines, please correct me if I'm wrong), is to push yourself as much as you...
I've had experience helping plenty of people get their pull-ups in order. 1 week isn't much time, but I think you can at least get by the IST in that time.
Follow a "grease the groove" program. Follow SEANstaah's advice and do 6-10 sets of 1, 6-10 times a day, interspersed throughout the day. i.e. don't just crank out your 10 sets consecutively.
Ideally you want to do 60-70% of your MAXIMUM reps 6-10 times throughout the day. Since your maximum rep is only 1, then obviously you can't do 60% of 1 pull-up. So instead do 6-10 reps. If you can't manage multiple sets of 1 rep, then do jumping pull-ups, or slow negatives (jump to the top and lower yourself as slowly as you can).
Contrary to popular belief (I might get chastised for saying this), kipping pull-ups are immensely helpful for improving your total reps as well. I say don't worry about isolation movements like curls and rows at this point; they won't help in this short amount of time. You need to work your weakness, which is your pullup. If you can figure out how to kip efficiently, you can probably crank out 2-3 more pull-ups than you could dead-hang, ultimately improving your dead hang numbers as well.
In 1 week, I'm going to assume you won't be able to master the kip though. So I think your best bet is to "Grease the Groove." You don't need a pull-up bar. Use a tree brach, a gym bar, a ledge, a 2x4; whatever. Just start doing those pull-ups, 60-70% of your max reps, 6-10 times a day.
On top of this, get your diet in order. Be sure that you're getting lots of lean animal protein (meat, eggs, milk; whey if really necessary), along with lots of healthy fats for energy. Keep your diet to strictly meats, veggies, eggs, some fruits and some nuts. Don't eat any more crap; it will only slow you down.
You only need to consistently crank out 2-3 pull-ups, which you CAN manage if you work at it. RT might be tough on you, but where there's a will there's a way. Stick at it, Grease the Groove, and good luck.
Note: This is far from the only way to improve at pull-ups, but GTG works, and it works fast.
Brandon1
03-17-08, 02:09 AM
If you can only do 1, push your ship date back or say hello to PCP.
Don't eat any more crap; it will only slow you down.
You won't get any of that during Boot anyways..
Your entire upper body's muscle groups are involved when you do pull-ups! If you wrok on anystrength exercises for you rupper body, it will help with your pull-ups! So, man up and get to lifting...you're gonna need it!!!
Dont worry im lifting, right now im going to be sore for a few more days from Saturdays poolee meeting(they really kicked the ?%$& out of us) so im breaking for now because if i lift a dumbell over my head i may just die.
But something that really ****es me off during pullups are my legs. I feel way more comfortable doing pullups when i cross my calves and kind of hold them up behind me. But when i get into the teens i really feel some muscle in my upper thigh on the outside getting strectehed and then i only have a few more pullups i can do before i feel like im going to pull my leg muscle. That muscle always gives out before my arms do which i dont like because i can pull myself up more but i dont want to be hanging there with a pulled leg muscle like i did at my first poolee meeting. I still managed to do i think 2 or 3 more but it was horrible pulling myself up while in pain like that:mad:
SGT7477
03-17-08, 11:37 AM
Oh shoot 1 pullup you're in trouble big time you will have to step it up.
thiscalling
03-17-08, 02:09 PM
Ugh I hate that feeling too. Usually I stretch the thighs out before any kind of lifting.
My two cents on this.
You need to rethink your ship date there, poolee. Moto can get you into the Corps, but you need to be prepared to pay the piper if you fail your IST. I'm not trying to down you, but it can be a serious blow to your morale and drive if they tell you that you have to be taken out of your platoon, go to PCP, then pick back up later. Not to mention that the DI's know which recruits are PT/PFT hard-cases. You want to stand out in Boot, but in a good way, (although there really is no good way to stand out in Boot. J/K)
But if you are hell-bent for destruction, then you need to work your a$$ off for the next few days, get those Pull-ups up then take a day off. You need to let your body recover a bit before they throw you into the IST. Also, go high protein, medium to low carb, lots of fluids and try to drop your weight even a few pounds before you ship. That may help you a bit.
Lastly though, your recruiter is really screwing the pooch if he/she sends you to Boot unprepared. It's his/her job to make sure you are as prepared as they can get you and part of that is making sure you can pass the IST, all of it. You can tell them I said that if they ask where you're getting your info from.
Wishing you luck in whatever you choose.